§ MR. THEODORE TAYLOR (Lancashire, Radcliffe)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that in a large number of the chief cities of China all opium dens have been closed by order of the Chinese Government; whether he is aware that in Hong Kong the Colonial Government derives a considerable revenue from licensing opium dens; and whether the time has at length come when steps should be taken to terminate the opium traffic in that Colony.
§ COLONEL SEELYI understand that the reply to the first paragraph of the Question is in the affirmative, but as regards the second that it is scarcely accurate to refer to "a considerable revenue," as the amount to be derived from licences for 1908 would appear to amount to only £180; the third paragraph as my hon. friend will agree is difficult to deal with in Question and Answer, but I gather I may have an opportunity of expressing the views of His Majesty's Government on the matter in the course of debate to-morrow evening.