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Government, that an Advisory Committee should be appointed " in order to secure the fullest possible co-operation between the various countries in regard to the matter and to assist and advise the Council in dealing with any questions that may arise," special provision being made for the representation on the Committee of the United States of America and other countries not members of the League, whose co-operation was important. This proposal was adopted. The first meeting of the Committee was hold in May, 1921. At this meeting, on the motion of the British representative, the Committee decided on two important recommendations—the first, that all members of the League should be asked to adopt a system of control over imports and exports by means of importation certificates, on the lines on which the British Government had already been proceeding; the other that an inquiry should be made into tho world's requirements of the drugs. The system of importation certificates was approved by the Council and Assembly of the League and recommended for adoption to all members of the League. The British Government has accepted the system both for the United Kingdom and for its colonies (other than the Dominions), possessions, and protectorates. Part VI. — Opium-smoking in British Colonies. By the Second Hart of the Opium Convention tho contracting Powers undertook to take measures for the gradual and effective suppression of the manufacture of, internal trade in, and use of prepared opium (i.e., smoking-opium). Opium-smoking is still permitted in certain British colonies, and it is desirable to state what steps have been taken to carry out the obligations undertaken in the Treaty, and what is the present position. The colonies or possessions whore opium-smoking is still allowed by law are Hong Kong, the Straits Settlements and Malay States, British North Borneo, Ceylon, and Wei-hai-wei. Hong Kong. —With the exception of the small European, Eurasian, and Indian colonies the population is entirely Chinese, (according to census of 1921, Chinese 610,368, others 14,798). Tho public smoking-resorts, known as opium-divans, were finally abolished, in 1910, and in 1914 the monopoly, which previously had been farmed out, was taken by the Government into its own hands. A reduction in the consumption has been gradually effected, until it has fallen in the last ten years from 900 chests to 240 per annum. This has been brought about partly by the increasing strictness of the Government control, partly by the raising of the selling-price of opium. Purchasers are limited to one tael (=lJoz.) at a time, except in the case of certain registered persons, who may buy three-tael tins, and no one may have more than five taels in his possession. At the same time the price has been gradually advanced from $5-50 to $15 a tael. The consumption amounts at the present time to something less than 1 oz. per annum of raw opium per head of the Chinese population, and as it is anticipated that new smokers will not to any extent take the place of tho present old smokers, a continual diminution of consumption is expected to occur. To prevent smuggling out of the colony the opium is packed in such a way that it easily leaks out from its receptacle. It is considered doubtful whether further restrictive measures would produce any good result. The essential difficulty of the situation lies in the ease with which, by reason of its geographical situation, opium can be smuggled into the colony as long as its production and distribution are permitted on tho mainland. It has been proved by experience that any material increase in the monopoly's selling-rate or decrease in its output is counteracted by a corresponding activity on the part of the illicit traders. Opium is smuggled in from several quarters, even as far as the Persian Gulf ; but the main source of supply is China, where, owing to the large quantities of opium which are being produced, the market price is much lower than the Government price in Hong Kong. Thousands of persons pass to and fro every day between China and the colony on foot, and by boat, junk, steamer, and train, and an essential condition of the suppression of opium-smoking in Hong Kong is the effective control by the Chinese Government of the production of opium in China. Strict preventive measures are taken, but are only very partially successful. Even so, the measures taken to check smuggling have long been a cause of complaint among the Chinese. They object most strongly to the search of person and baggage which takes place on every wharf on arrival and departure in the colony, and they declaim against the bribery and corruption which in the circumstances are inevitable. It is, unfortunately, the case that no detective measures have very much success unless very large rewards are offered, and these rewards breod a most undesirable spawn of informers. The Chinese will have opium if it can be procured, and, in proportion as the monopoly's product ceases to be available, while outside sources, and especially sources in China, remain open, so will smuggling increase. Tho establishment of a preventive service capable of effectually stopping the illicit traffic into the colony is regarded as an impossible task except at a prohibitive cost. Recently, owing to the serious increase of smugglimg from China in 1920 and 1921, the penalty of banishment was introduced for persons convicted of complicity in the traffic. This policy appears to be of considerable effect both as a deterrent and in ridding the colony of members of smuggling g an 8 8 - . . . . . ... Hong Kong is ready and willing to co-operate in the suppression of the traffic, and it will have no hesitation in accepting any financial sacrifice that may bo entailed in making suppression effective. But suppression is impracticable except pari passu with similar measures in the neighbouring territories. Under the present conditions the existing system of control, so far as it goes, is satisfactory ; the consumption per head of the population is very small; and the abandonment of tho Government monopoly, so far from effecting any real good, would merely deprive the authorities of their present power to keep the opium habit within bounds. Straits Settlements. —Here also the problem arises only in connection with the Chinese! population, and has been dealt with on much the same lines as in Hong Kong. With a view to enabling the Government to maintain a closer control over the use of opium, the system of " farming " was abolished, and the manufacture and sale of prepared opium (or chandu)