§ 1. Sir J. D. REESasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether the Chinese Republic has yet formally adopted the obligations of the late Imperial Chinese Government in respect of the discontinuance of the growth of the poppy?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir Edward Grey)The present Government in China is only a. provisional Government, and as such has 671 not yet made any official declaration of its intention to assume the obligations of the late Imperial Government. We have received assurances that the Chinese Government will do its utmost to enforce the suppression of the cultivation and smoking of opium, but at present that Government has not effective control of the cultivation in many of the provinces of China.
§ Sir J. D. REESMay I ask if the case will continue to run against India regardless of China's omission to perform her part?
§ Sir E. GREYThe question is an exceedingly difficult one. The situation to which it has now gone is at present under consideration and consultation with the India Office and I cannot say more than that.
§ Mr. THEODORE TAYLORMay I ask whether we have no moral obligations quite apart from the question of Indian or Chinese obligations?
§ Sir E. GREYThere will be no attempt to escape from moral obligations.