The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-22 00:00:00

11. HOURS OF ATTENDANCE.

Upon taking a careful review of this subject, my lords are
of opinion that the existing plans, as described in the report
of the commissioners, should not be disturbed, except, as has
long been the practice, to modify the hours of attendance for
different ports and for different portions of the service, as a
change of circumstances may from time to time render desir-
able, and to make provision for special cases.
y lords could not expect to establish any general increase
in the hours of attendance, without adding to the present
emoluments of the different officers so affected ; and they do
not think that the advantage gained by the public would be
commensurate with the great additional cost to the nation.
Again, in considering this case, my lords cannot leave out
of view the important facts : Ist. that from the situation of
the docks and custom-houses in London and Liverpool, the
majority of those employed in them must live at a considera-
ble distance from the spot, and therefore that the hours occu-
pied from the time they leave home till the hour they reach it,
add considerably to the nominal hours of engagement ; and,
2dly, that there is a great tendency at this time to a general
reduction in the hours of business, and that recently it has
been adopted by London banks to the extent of one hour. If,
however, it shall appear that particular services in the Cus-
toms out-door department in London and Liverpool, which,
from the locality in which they are to be performed, offer
greater facilities for officers living close to their work, or any
other special circumstances which render longer hours need-
ful, my lords reserve to themselves the right to sanction such
extension of hours, with or without an increase of pay, as the
case may require.

But silver-Ling to the great pains which has been taken from
time to time to adapt the regulations with respect to the hours
of business to the special character of the business and the
circumstances of the different ports, as well as to meet the
convenience of merchants in all the ports under spacial cases,
my lords are pleased to direct that every care shall be taken
in this Way to study the convenience and comply with the
fair wishes of merchants, as altered circumstances from time
to time may render necessary; and, above all, to extend ad-
ditional facility in cases where privato persons ara ready to
defray the cost thereof.

12. SIMPLIFICATION OF ENTRIES OF FREE GOODS.

My lords attach groat importance to the subject of the

twelfth head of recommendations, namely, the Siinplification
of the Entry of Free Goods. They wish to make known in
the most distinct manner their judgment, that the proper and
primary business of a revenue department, with respect to
this class of goods, is the business of search only, but for
which object my lords are claarly of opinion that a previous
entry is absolutely necessary. At the same time they are of
opinion that this business should be conducted with care, and
even with strictness ; and they think the circumstance that a
commodity is free from duty is by no means to be regarded as
in itself any reason for relaxing the examinations necessary,
in order to ascertain that it really is what it purports to be.
If in any case relaxations, founded on this principle, have
been allowed to creep in, they ought to be subjected anew to

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careful consideration.
But when the operation of search has been thus efficiently
conducted, then, as my lords conceive, the less the concern
of the department with these goods the better. All that re-
mains is to obtain a statistical record adequate for public pur-
pose. _ _ -

My lords are of opinion, from a perusal of the board's ob-
servations on this subject, that the present state of the law
and practice, taken together, is not satisfactory; but they are
of opinion that the changes proposed by the committee would
not afford the contemplated relief to the merchant, while
they would in some cases be impracticable so far as the re-
venue is concerned, and in all cases of very doubtful effect.
Nor do my lords believe that the mode suggested, of collect-
ing information for statistical purposes, would be so certain
or accurate in its operatidtu as the one at present in use,
while the additional labour that it would impose upon mer-
chants and brokers would be considerable. They are therefore
pleased to direct that the continued attention of the commis-
sioners should be given to this subject.
My lords have already given orders for a clause being in-

serted in the next Custoiiibill, dispensing in future with the
use of manifests. My lords are also pleased to direct that the
additional facility recommended by the commissioners for
the entry of free goods inwards, viz., by the establishment
of a small and separate branch for the receipt and examina-
tions of free goods entries only, in place of their passing with
all other entries, through the Long Room, shall be immedi-
ately put in practice. By this means free goods entries,
with regard to which, as a rule, time is of much more impor-
tance than in respect to goods which are to be bonded, will
be dispatched immediately to the various stations. But so
far as regards the actual examination of such goods, my lords
request that, in place of relaxing the mode of examination,

the Commissioners of Customs will consider what means they
can recommend with a view the more effectually to prevent
the importation of free goods, and especially of such as are
very bulky being made a vehicle of smuggling, as in the caso
reported with regard to oil by the Baron Osy. To this point
my lords direct the special attention of the commissioners.
With respect to goods outwards, my lords entirely concur
with the views of the Commissioners of Customs, that for the
reasons given the recommendation of the committee cannot
be adopted. But my lords are pleased to dis-pense with the
use of " cockets," except when the shipper applies for them,
as my lords are advised that in some foreign markets they are
of great utility, being considered in the light of certificates of
origin.