The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-11-15 00:00:00

CUSTOMS' REFORM.

TO TEE EDITOR OF TEE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
SIR,—I beg to lay before the public, through the
medium of your excellent paper, a statement of one of the
grievances of which the shipbrokers of this port justly
complain. I refer to the extra labour which the new
Customs Act enforces on them.
Under the old method of passing entries outwards, the
Customs' and Dock officers were satisfied of the contents
of packages by the shipping bill and cocket, but by the
new regulations the cocket is abolished, and the broker
who loads the vessel is obliged to obtain from each shipper
a copy of the bill of lading, and to see that it is endorsed
in the manner of the old cocket. He has then to prepare
from these a manifest, which (with the bills of lading)
must be left at the Custom-house under a penalty of £2O.
Now, this plan is ridiculous, and uncalled-for in every
point of view, viz.:--
Ist. As a check against the evasion of dock-rates (which
it purports to be), it is utterly useless, because any shipper,
dishonest enough to evade the dues, would certainly take
care that the copy of the bill of lading tallied with the entry.
2nd. As a means of simplifying the passing of entries
(which it is also said to do), any person practising Custom-
house business can bear testimony that it increases, rather
than diminishes, the trouble.
But the point to which I more particularly solicit your,
and your readers' attention is, the work which it entails
upon the shipbrokers' clerks. In some offices a clerk is
exclusively devoted to the preparing of these manifests, and
indeed in all shipbrokers' offices, where a large business is
done, it at least impedes the regular routine of the count-
ing-house.
Hoping that the attention of the commercial public
may be directed to this important matter,
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
Liverpool, 11th Nov., 1853. J. M.

DRUNKENNESS IN LIVERPOOL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SIR,—I am glad to see in your columns of to-day a letter
from "Clericus, ' exposing the prevalent vices of this town ;
and as he has brought before the public the question of
keeping open the public-houses on the Sunday, I trust you
will allow me space in your valuable journal to make a few
remarks on the subject. The opening of public-houses on
the Sunday has long been complained of as an evil, and as
yet no remedy ha., been 'r4-1. suggest an
aopeai to tne proprietors of public-houses themselves. Are
there not amongst their number men who have a character
to uphold ? If so, I would ask them if, because the law of
their country permits them to do what their conscience
condemns as offensive to the law of God, they have not
sufficient moral courage to resist the evil ? To the respect-
able portion of the publicans I would say, show an example
to your fellow-townsmen and to the country at large (and
prove to them that a publican can be respectable), by
closing your houses on the Sabbath day. Let the world
see that Liverpool will not be behind-hand in anything
calculated to promote the public good ; and be assured that
you will be rewarded for it in the satisfaction you will
have in doing what you know to be right, even though
you may be permitted to do wrong with impunity. If you
follow the honest dictates of your conscience, you will be
gainers thereby, remembering " That they who honour
God, He will honour." Would it not tend greatly to the
advancement of the desired end, if, in grantinc, new licenses
(if such must he granted), the magistrates would grant
them only on condition that they should close their houses
on the Sunday ? If such a stipulation were made, and if the
police had orders to enforce its observance, it would soon
gain ground. - Public-houses as well as shops would be
dosed on the Sabbath day, and publicans, instead of being
frequently stigmatized as a degraded class, would hence-
forth stand up and occupy a position amongst the respect-
able portion of the community. Apologising for the length
of this letter, I remain, Sir, yours faithfully, A. J. I.
P.S. In accordance with your regulations, I enclose my
card and address.

Liverpool, November 8, 1853.
[We think it only proper to state that many publicans
keep their places of business closed during the whole of
Sunday ; and that magistrates have not the power to attach
to licenses such conditions as are suggested by our respected
correspondent. El). L. S.]