17, Sir J. D. Rees (U.E. Nottingham) asked the Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the greater moral obligation under which tle British Government lay to the British-Indian subjects of the Crown as compared with their obligation to the Chinese, His Majesty's Government proposed to delay the operation of the agreement between and China until the provi-Government in the latter Empire was succeeded by a settled Administration, which could formally adopt and successfully enforce the obligations of the late Imperial Chinese Government in respect of the cultivation of opium?
Mr. Montagu, who replied, said:—It is true that the welfare and interests of British subjects everywhere are a first charge upon the care of His Majesty's Government, and they have in this sense greater moral obligations to British-Indian subjects than to subjects of foreign ions, but it does not follow that: these obligations will be best dis charged by delaying at this moment the operation of the opium agreement with China, and I cannot therefore answer the question in the affirmative, In reply to a supplementary question as to the effect of the present conditions, Mr. Montagu said that, though he was not prepared to adopt the particular suggestion of the hon. member, the whole matter was under consideration, and negotiations were proceedi it J. D. Rees on the 21st ultimo, asked the Under-Secretary for India whether he was aware that representations had been made by the leading opium merchants to the Governor-General in Council to the effect that the resumption of the culture of opium was unchecked in China; that in several of the most important of the provinces free and unrestricted cultivation of the poppy proceeded; that the present Chinese Government was evidently unable to secure the observance of treaties by its own provincial authorities; that Chinese merchants who had bought Indian opium were being obstructed by the provincial authorities at the instigation of the principal authorities and refused to admit it, in defiance of existing treaties; and, if so, what action was being taken in the interests of British trade and British-Indian taxpayers?
Mr. Montagu: The Secretary of He is entered on the charge|the effect stated has been presented to the Government of India. Inquiry is being made into the facts, and the matter is engaging the attention of His Majesty's Government. His Majesty's Minister has already made, and will con. tinue to make, representations to the Chinese Government against the obstructions placed in the way of for the moment greatly increased by the fact, mentioned by the hon. member, that the Provisional Government in China is unable to impose its will upon the provincial Governments,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.