§ MR. BRYCEasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Whether there is any ground for the statement that, in the scheme for the assimilation of the Custom House systems of warehousing, it is proposed that a merchant shall open at the central office a separate deposit account with each of the warehouses or stations where he has dealings, against which he will be allowed to draw when paying the duty on his goods; and, whether it is the case that such a merchant will have to send to each of the places when the work of clearing has to be performed?
§ MR. J. HOLMSBy the scheme for assimilating the warehousing business of the Customs and Excise, a merchant will pay duty at the central office only, as at present, and in a manner similar to the existing practice. Under the proposed system of deposit accounts it will be quite optional on the part of the merchant to avail himself of it or 502 not, as may be most convenient to himself. The Government do not apprehend that, under the new system, there will be any necessity for the merchant or his representative to attend at the warehouse more frequently than at present. His business with the Customs will be transacted by the same means as his business with the proprietor of the warehouse; and as the officer and the accounts will be on the spot, there will be every opportunity for correcting errors and adjusting discrepancies, so as to facilitate the process of clearing. It is the desire of the Government to add to the convenience of trade; and if the proposed changes should be found by experience to require improvement, there will be no hesitation in making the necessary alterations.