The Wilmington morning star., 1940-06-16
CUSTOMS HEADS
HOLD MEET HERE
Deputy Collectors Discuss Es'
pionage And Sabotage
Protection

A conference of deputy collec-
tors of customs was held in Will
mington Friday and Saturday in
the office of John Bright Hill, col
lector of customs for District No.
Is. which comprises the entire
state, with headquarters in Will
mington.
Discussions took place concern
ing the recent change made in
customs laws pertaining to Gus
toms, espionage, sabotage, enforce
ment matters in general. 1t was
proposed to work out a better sys-
tenn of coordination between the
headquarters port of Wilmington
and supports.
Problems that have come up af-
fecting any particular sub : port
were discussed at the meeting. Eff
forts were made to iron out any
differences for a more uniform SER
vice, Hill said.
Collector Hill, of Wilmington,
gave an address of welcome yes
terday morning, expressing senti-
ments for the cooperation enjoyed
bv collectors and deputy collectors
and called the attention to the fact
that the customs service is the
Oldest branch of the U. S. govern
ment service in the country.
Last year the Port of Whining
ton ranked sixth among the top
ranking ports in the United States.
1t is expected that it will go to
fifth place at the end of this fiscal
year, which ends June 30. Because
of the heavy sugar imports of this
port, Wilmington is expected to
rank above the ports of Norfolk,
and Baltimore this year. One COL
lection alone amounted to SIPS, 900
for n cargo of sugar. This was
the largest duty ever to be collect
ed by the Port of Wilmington.
The collector of customs is
charged with the enforcement of
the neutrality laws pertaining to
ships and shipping of the respec-
tive port or district under his jur-
isdiction.
1t is the duty of the collector to
see that no American vessel is
granted clearance to any port
within the combat area; that no
American citizen be permitted to
travel on a belligerent vessel, or
foreign vessel whose voyage car
ries her within the combat area.
All activities of the district clear
through the headquarters port of
Wilmington, which ranks first in
tonnage as the largest fertilizer
port in the United States.
Wilmington also ranks first in
gasoline. greases, fabrication oils,
petroleum products, and first in
the PHILIPPINE woods used at High
Point and the other manufacturing
industries of the Carolinas.
Under the current tariff act, the
labors of customs agents relating
tc refund of duties on foreign ma.
terials used in the manufacturing
c1 articles exported have been in
creasing yearly.
U. S. Customs district No. is
comprises the entire state, with
headquarters in Wilmington a d
the following sub-offices: Durham,
Winston-Salem, Reidsville, Casio
mia, Morehead City, Beaufort,
Elizabeth City and the station Of
Washington.
Until a short time ago sub-offices
Wer also at Manteo, New Bern,
and Charlotte, but in the interest
OF economy the Manteo port was
consolidated with those at Beaufort
and Washington, and the business
at Charlotte was transferred part
ly to Wilmington and partly to
Gastonia.
Those present at the conference
were John Bright Hill, collector
OF customs, Wilmington; E. C.
Snead, assistant collector of Gus
toms, Wilmington; w. j. Griffin,
deputy collector in charge, Win
ston-Salem; j. N. Highsmith, dep
uty collector in charge, Durham;
Marvin E. White, deputy collector
in charge, Reidsville; W. E. Luck
deputy collector in charge, Gas
tonia; Fannie G.. Elliott, deputy col
lector in charge, Elizabeth City;
Annie P. Taylor, deputy collector
in charge, Washington.
Others present were: Thomas
Hunter, deputy collector, S. F.
Highsmith, deputy collector, Her
man Davis, deputy collector, o. c.
Crawford, deputy collector, all of
Wilmington. l