THE OPIUM TRADE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13876, 29 October 1910, Page 2

THE OPIUM TRADE.

A PROTEt-T

A meeting was held in Trinity Congregational Church on Wednesday evening to consider th© question of the traffic in opium that exists by the sanction of the British Government between India and China. Mr A. S. Parker presided. Mr W. Bull, in stating the object of the meeting, gave some information concerning the trade and moved the fol lowing resolution .-—'That this meeting" believing (hat tho growth and manufacture of opium in india for export to China, enforced by appeal to treaties, is 'morally indefensible' and a serious hindrance to the influence of Christianity in the East, and that the British name will not be free from reproach, nor China free to purge herself from this evil so long as this policy is continued, urges upon his Majesty's Government that, without delay—(l) China be formally released from treaty obligations to admit opium ; (_) the connection of the Indian Government with the opium export ! trade be brought to an end ; (.3) the ; financial difficulties, created by tlie : cessation of the opium revenue, be met i by the British Imperial and Indian ! Governments in a way that shall not j increase tho taxation of the mass of I the people in India, nor injure the I feudatory .States concerned." Th" j motion was seconded by Mr W. InglLs, j and earned unanimous! - .