§ Mr. Bankes,seeing the noble Lord in his place, wished him to inform the House when it might be expected that the report of the commission for inquiring into the customs frauds would be presented.
§ Lord Granville Somersetsaid, that his colleagues and himself were preparing an account of the investigation to be submitted to the Treasury; and when the result of the investigation was before the Treasury, it would be for the First Lord to decide when the report should be placed before the House.
§ Mr. T. Duncombeasked whether the commission had examined or intended to examine any of the merchants connected with the city of London? He had understood that the examinations had chiefly been confined to persons connected with the Custom-house; whereas persons engaged in trade were much better qualified to afford valuable information on the subject.
§ Lord Granville Somersetthought it quite natural that the commissioners should in the first instance, have called for the evidence of the custom-house officers; but in no instance had they refused to examine any one who had expressed a willingness to be examined. It was the desire to receive the evidence of all such persons that had chiefly led to the delay that had taken place in preparing the report.