§ MR. SEXTONasked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether on the 29th ult. at Liverpool, 300 bags of flour, the property of P. Barrett and Co. of Carrick-shannon, were seized and detained by the officers of Customs; whether the cause alleged for such action was that the bags were branded "Irish National Land League Flour;" whether bags similarly branded have always hitherto been allowed to pass; and, whether the bags in question will be now delivered to the owners?
§ MR. COURTNEYSir, on July 28, 300 sacks of wheaten flour arriving from Boston were detained by the officers of Customs at Liverpool. This action was taken under the 42nd section of the Customs Consolidation Act, 1876, because the brand purports to be that "of a real or fictitious manufacturer in the United Kingdom." There was nothing unusual in the action taken. As the Question has been put without Notice, I have been unable to learn whether goods similarly marked have been delivered on any former occasion. No application had, up to last night, been made for their release. Upon such application being made by the consignee, the goods would probably be released upon marks being added to show that they were of foreign manufacture; but I must not be understood to fetter the action of the Customs in any way until the circumstances are before me in a complete form.