§ 12. Mr. RHYS DAVIESasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that opium is being transported from Persia to Manchuria largely in British ships, and that the authorities in British ports and dependencies on the road between Persia and Manchuria facilitate this trade; whether he will cause a protest to be lodged with the opium advisory committee of the League of Nations and take other steps through the machinery of the League; and whether he will give an assurance that no facilities will in future be given for any sort of traffic in dangerous drugs in any of the British ports or dependencies concerned?
§ Sir J. SIMONAs far as can be ascertained, the suggestion made in the first part of the question is unfounded. I may add that the question of the application to Manchuria and Jehol, of the provisions of the International Conventions relating to opium and dangerous drugs, was considered earlier in the year by the Sino-Japanese Committee of the Assembly of the League of Nations, and a recommendation to governments was adopted, a copy of which I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT. The position generally in Manchuria and Jehol, with regard to opium and dangerous drugs, was further 496 considered by the Opium Advisory Committee of the League, at its recent meeting, and I am informed that the committee has recommended to the Council that governments should be asked to scrutinise with special care any applications for export to this territory. The hon. Member may rest assured that the action of the authorities in this country, and in all British dependencies, will continue to be strictly in accordance with our international obligations and the League recommendations.
§ Following is the text of the League Advisory Committee's recommendation.
§ VII. With reference to the Geneva Opium Convention of 1925, Chapter V, the Committee recommends to Members of the League and to interested States non-Members that applications for the export to "Manchukuo" territory of opium or other dangerous drugs should not be granted unless the applicant produces an import certificate in accordance with the Convention of such a nature as to satisfy the Government to which application is made that the goods in question are not to be imported into "Manchukuo" territory for a purpose which is contrary to the Convention. A copy of the export authorisation should accompany the consignment, but Governments should refrain from forwarding a second copy of the export authorisation to "Manchukuo," since such action might be interpreted as a de facto recognition of "Manchukuo."