The Bureau admits that on May 7, a former head of the Bureau counter-signed a letter prepared. by the Secretary of the Race Club agreeing that the necessary stamps equalling 30 per cent. of the value of the stocks held by the Club had een bought and defaced, and need not be affixed to the bottles, But claims that the head of the bureau had no right a document which authorizes contravention of the regulations. And it further claims that even if} such a document should be issued it must definitely state what stocks it covers; otherwise a firm or club might hold enough stamps unaffixed to cover a constantly changing stock of wines.
The document goes on to deal with the contentions of the British, Consul-General in the case, and in Particular with his statement that the stamps are affixed as the bot-ties are brought out of the cellar.
The bureau states that "when it made its examination a large number of bottles in the cellar were found to have been already stamped, which shows that the practice of the Club is not uniform; and adds that! as its agents are not able to verify the fact that all bottles brought out of the cellar are stamped before sale, it cannot regard this procedure as a sufficient compliance with the regulations.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.