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irregularities. Up to the present month of April the opium
trade in Macao was passed over by contract to a concessionaire,
who from the very conditions of that contract enjoyed
facilities of acquisition which the Government were not always
able to control because they did not possess a sufficiently
capable police force for the purpose. It was in order to put
an end to this state of affairs that the régime of a State
"regie" was adopted, which will be in force from now on and
for which a police force is being organised which will give
every guarantee of efficiency for the repression of frauds and
abuses. The quantity of opium which Your Excellency mentioned
as being published in the official bulletins of Macao vas
within the legal limits of lawful imports. The Government of
the Republic do not in the first place, however, believe that
the epium referred to in Your Excellency's Note was really of
Indian origin owing to the great confidence which is placed
in the Indian police and the strict measures in force in India
for the suppression of fraud and contraband. Possibly the
opium originated from other parts and that the concessionaire,
being by chance, unscrupulous, placed upon it a Benares label,
as has been done by many others of various nationalities with
opium of the most varied origin to which there has been
attached a Macao label. All this shows the difficulty of
instituting enquiries, which the Government will nevertheless
undertake to do and they will be as strict as possible and
every endeavour will be made by them to punish any frauds if
there are any.
I avail etc.
(Sd) A.M.DE BETTENCOURT RODRIGUES.