Narcotics to be Handled National change is contemplated in the opium suppression policy of the Central Government." "Such {s th gist of a reply made by the tional Opium Suppression Commi sion in Nanking, of which Dr. J, Hong Lia (former Minister of Health) is now chairman, to a letter! of the National Anti-Opium Asso. ciation of Shanghai inquiring 8 to} Qu whether or not statements that the Central Government had made any! arrangements for the control of the national opium trade and that importation and sale of narcotic drugs was to be undertaken by a national agency to be established by the Ministry of Interior, as mentioned in a message issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tt may be recalled that the Ministry of Forvign Affairs issued message on January 8 in which it was said that the importation and sale of narcotic drugs would be undertaken by a national agency and that the amount of narcotics to be imported annually would be determined by the State Council. Tt agencies for the distribution of such drugs. In reply to the National Anti-Opium Association, the Opium Supression says that the report! change in the Govern.
plum suppression policy thout foundation: no changes had been contemplated and the Central Government had issued no arty out its work as before accordance with the orders of the Central Government.
As to the message of the Foreign Ministry, the reply says, there had been some mistakes in its transiaton from Chinese into English so raised by the are concerned, The governing the control of the opium trade published by the Ministries of Interior and Health provided for the establishment of national agency. to control the on, exportation and. trans-of narcotic drags for land scientific purposes only. Thie could not be interpreted fas meaning that the Government intends to create an agency for the control of the national opium trade, the reply say's in conclusion,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.