National Republican., 1882-12-14
NEW YonK,s CUSTOMS roRcr.
Report OF the Committee Sent Over to In
vcstigntc It.

Report OF the Committee Sent Over to Iu-
vcstigatc It.
The committee appointed to examine into
the conduct and necessities of the customs
service at the port of New York has made its
report to the secretary of the treasury. 1t is
prelaced by brief statement of what the COM
mttee has undertaken TO do, as follows "We
have endcavorcd, as far as was consistent with
our ideas of Justice to the persons employed,
and to an efficient administration, TO follow
the present organization, both in the number
of persons and in the salaries to be paid. At
the samo time we have not failed to rccom-
mend an increase both of salaries and of force
where we deemed it necessary or proper. We
have endeavorcd, as far MS practicable,
to bring the whole customs service at New
York into proper relations, and have based
our estimates upon q comprehensive view of
the whole" The report then takes UP in sue
cession the collectors Office, the surveyors of
flee, the naval Office, and the other bureaus of
the New York custom house, reviews in de-
tail the work accomplished, the force en-
ployed, and the salaries paid in each, aud re-
commends such changes as seem to the COM
mittce desirable. Among the more important
of these recommendations are that the posi-
tion of assistant collector Mt Jersey City he
abolished, for the reason that ii is sinecure
that the salaries of the superintendent
of the custom house and the deputy collectors
in charge of divisions be increased on
account of the arduous and responsible nature
of their duties; that the Office of auditor in
the surveyors office be abolished, and an as
sistant surveyor and three deputy surveyors
be appointed; that there be an increase in the
number of inspectors from 314, rs at present,
to 33i, owing to increase of business and in
sufficiency of the force; that the number of
female inspectors be reduced from to Z, the
1ott bpYh hnin in lie nnin
to search the persons of female passengers, the
report adding that, in too many cases innocent
persons have been searched without sufficient
cause, and where this occurs such action is
revolving to the better feelings of human ma
ture and brings odium on the government; ;
that the naval Office be re-enfOrced by the ap-
pontment of an assistant naval officer, two
deputies, and an auditor; that an appraiser
should be appointed what should rank in pay
with the naval officer and collector at $4,000
per annum, and one assistant and six depu
ties; that the fees now charged in certain
cases be abolished to facilitate business. The
report concludes as follows: Our estimctes, if
adopted, will increase the expense of collecting
the revenue from customs at New York over
that of the present organization, as near as may
be, $93, 117.23 but this amount is $780, 62775 less
than would be incurred if the recommended
tions of the officers i'll charge of the respec-
tive departments made to us should be
adopted"
Mr.. Il. o. Graves does not concur in the
recommendation for the retention of the
offices of assistant collector and chief clerk of
customs in the collectors office; from the
proposed increase of salaries of auditor and
cashier; of the salaries of numerous other
clerks specified; also from a number of the
recommendations for reorganization of the
surveyors and naval officers departments.
He agrees with the majority as to the inetfi-
cheney of the appraiser, and alleges that there
are about forty men under the appraiser who
are also inefficient. He concludes by recon-
mending specific provisions of law to govern
the number and pay OF employees of all the
offices reported upon.