The Sun.
London, England, 1870-01-07 00:00:00

THE BOARD OF TRADE RETURNS.

A conference by invitation of the Council of the Statis•
tical Society met on Thursday at the City Terminus Hotel, to
consider a circular recently sent out by the Board of Trade
on the subject of the Customs returns. The President of
the Society (Mr. W. Newmarch, F.R.S.), took the chair.
He read the questions proposed by the Government for
the meeting to consider. Were the returns used to
any extent ? Were they accurate, complete, and in
proper form ? Could they be made more useful ?
What was their official value? Of what importance, for
instance, were the bills of entry published at London,
Liverpool,. Hull, Newcastle, Bristol, &c? Does the publi-
cation of the names of the importers and exporters tend
to an inducement to incorrect and imperfect entries? Mr.
Newmarch thought that the Board of Trade had been put
in motion by a speech of Mr. Graves, M.P. for Liverpool,
who had given ludicrous instances of the inaccuracy of the
returns, especially with regard to wool, rice, and jute. The
first speaker, Mr. Symes, a gentleman engaged in the wool
trade, said that the returns were so inaccurate as to be
unreliable. In the classification of the articles some
improvement might certainly be made.—Mr. Dornbusch
said that correct information was of the most vital impor-
tance. Yet many of the returns were mere guess-work,
and others were very likely intentionally incorrect. The
corn trade, with which he was connected, was left to the
importers, and perhaps careless clerks, for the returns.
He thought that a charge of ld. per cwt. could be paid
for the purpose of collecting information which it was
raost necessary to have. He could see no difficulty in
getting early returns, up to almost the very day. He
thought that there should be a heavier penalty than at
present on importers and shipbrokers. The return should
include the quantity and value of all goods on board ships
on which freight had Leen paid.—Mr. Hamilton was of
opinion that importers should be obligedto exhibit their bills
of lading so as to shew the quantity as well as the num-
ber of packages; and he did not see why the dock authori-
ties should not also furnish the "landed weights? Many
shippers had a dislike to let their operations be known, and
there was no necessity that the names should be published.
A penalty being imposed for making false entries,
would doubtless tend to make the returns accurate.—Mr.
Williams thought the difficulty was having two statistical
departments, that in the Customs and that in the Board
of Trade. He thought that the latter were the more
trustworthy. The Customs bills of entry were rubbish, and
for them they were charged over three pounds per
annum. In some instances he had known bags of
sugar put down as hogsheads of rum. The
Commissioners of Customs and the Board of Trade
had nothing to do with the paper. Some nine gentlemen
managed it who had all their other duties to attend to.—
The Chairman said that the opinions expressed tended to
shew that the returns were inaccurate, but even then were
acceptable. They could be made of much greater utility,
especially if made public with more promptitude. There
was a strong feeling against the publication of names.
The annual were more accurate than the monthly returns.
Mr. A. Straker agreed with the preceding speakers; but
thought the mistakes were more departmental than at the
Customs' or with importers.—Mr. Smith (J. and R.
Morley and Co.), said that the returns were false as to the
value and quantity more than with regard to the actual
number of packages. He also thought that the classifica-
tion might be more accurate, as many kinds of haber-
dashery were classed with eloctro-plated goods, etc.
—Mr. Savage said ho would compel the merchant, a few
days after the ship had sailed, to produce a duplicate of
his invoices ; though, of course, it would be exceedingly
unfair to publish the name. This need not be done; but
it was necessary that they should have the information
before the public. There would be no diffi-
culty about getting the returns of the imports;
but there was with regard to the exports.—
Ine Chairman said it had come out that a great simplifi-
cation was needed, and everyone was certain that the com-
mercial world would give every reasonable information.
With regard to the till of entry, it seemed admitted on
all bands that it could be greatly improved. It seemed
that there.must be a daily account published, but it must be
better than the present bill of entry. The society he was the
pros dent of was very glad to have had the conference meet,
sun if any gentlemen who were present liked to form a
committee for the purpose of consulting with the Board of
Tracte, the society's rooms in St. James'-street were open
to mem. A vote of thanks was then passed to the
chairman, after which the meeting separated.

The Pail Mall Gazette was clenounc' ' by name
by the dean of Ripon (Dr. MeNeile) last Sunday evening
at divine service in the Cathedral. The bishop was pre-
sent and a largo congregation,

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HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, Jan. G.

Iler Majesty, accompanied by her Royal High-
ness Princess Louise, drove out in the grounds
this morning.

His Royal Highness Prince Leopold walked
in the grounds.

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