The Express.
London, England, 1866-04-16 00:00:00

NEW CUSTOMS' MINUTE.

At a general meeting of the members of the
Wholesale Drapers and Grocers' Society, to take into con-
sideration a minute of H. 51. Board of Customs, recorded
at the instance of the Lords' of H.M. Treasury, directing a
revised list of goods for export, and requiring a specifica-
tion of weights, measurements, and quantities, in addition
to the value to be hereafter supplied on the
custom's entries of such goods for shipment—the
following resolutions were carried unanimously, Mr.
Robert Slater (Fore-street Warehouse Company,
Limited) in the chair. 1. Proposed by Mr. Elstob of
the firm Georgeßrettle and Co., seconded by Mr. Hughes,
of the firm of Copestake, Moore, Crampton and Co.,
" That this minute, recorded by her Majesty's Board of
Customs, has not yet been officially issued for the informa-
tion of the trade ; while exporters of goods are called upon
to supply details of such goods not hitherto required, and
which they are quite unable to furnish." 2. Proposed by
Mr. Adam Murray, of the firm J. and R. Morley, seconded
by Mr. Charles Candy, of the firm Charles Candy and Co.,
" That while it will be attended with little inconvenience
to manufacturers in Bradford or elsewhere, who produce
specific articles, to furnish a return of weights or measure-
ments of the contentsofpny package forshipment, it will be
impracticable tothe wholesale dealer to supply such details,
as each of his packages for shipment usually contains u
great variety of different articles ; and that such a regula-
tion, if carried into effect, would occasion great
delay in forwarding goods to the port of ship-
ment (in many cases involving the goods being shut out
of the vessel), as well as increased expense in labour." 3.
Proposed by Mr. Thirkell, of the firm Vise, Sons and Co.,
seconded by Mr. Ellington, of the firm Ellington and
Ridley, " That whilst this meeting acknowledge statistical
information to be of great importance to the public, as re-
gards the imports and exports of the country, it appears to
them that it would be an evil much to be deprecated if
any unnecessary obstruction were thrown in the way of
the most perfect freedom of trade, which they believe this
minute of the Board of Customs would certainly create.
If carried out at all, it could only be so by a system of
evasion ; by guessing as to the weight or measurement of
the multifarious contents of goods for shipment, and
ought, therefore, to be discouraged by government." 4.
Proposed by Mr. Spreckley, of the firm Beloe and
Spreckley, seconded by , Mr. Harvey, of the firm Bar-
trum, Harvey, and Co., • That the principle already pur-
sued, of furnishing the value of particular manufactures,
appears to supply all that is really wanted for the informa-
tion of the public. Weights, measurements, or quantities
of sundry articles of cotton manufacture—of cotton or silk
lace—of silk, cotton, or woollen hosiery—of silk, woollen,
and mixed fabrics of numerous descriptions, a .4 required by
the 'revised list' of British and Irish manufactures for
export, would convey no reliable information as to these
particular branches, when the many distinctive qualities
made from the same raw material is considered." 5.
Proposed by Mr. Ponsford, of the firm Ponsford,
Southall, and Co., seconded by Mr. J. E. PlllllOl4 of the
firm J. F. Dawson and Co. " That under all the circum-
stances it would be best to continue the present regula-
tions, as to descriptions and values of goods exported,
unchanged ; and to prevent the minute of the Beard of
Customs, before referred to, being carried into effect."
6. Proposed by Mr. Ellington, of the firm Ellington,
Ridley, and Co., seconded by Mr. Hughes, of the firm
Copestake, Moore, Crampton, and Co. " That Messrs.
Slater, Murray, and Elstob be requested to act as a com-
mittee to carry these ressolu.ions into effect."
It was proposed by Mr. Candy, seconded by Mr. Elstob,
and carried unanimously, '• That the thanks of this
meeting be given to R. Slater, Esq., for so ably bringing
this important matter before the wholesale houses, who
bad not only to thank him for his services on this occasion,
but also on many others in which the interests of the trade
had been advanced through his instrumentality."

THE SICK POOR OF LONDON.