HC Deb 20 February 1857 vol 144 cc944-5
MR. NEWDEGATE

said, he wished to inquire whether it were true that the Treasury had issued an order upon the subject in consequence of the laxity prevailing among the merchants and exporters making returns. He was given to understand that an order had been posted in Manchester and other large commercial towns throughout the country, enjoining all shippers of goods for exportation to be more careful in entering the quantity and value of the goods, and warning them that penalties would be enforced in the event of the entries not being more accurate. He believed that Mr. Edwards, an excellent officer, had stated, in reply to an inquiry made to him as to the effect of this order, that it had been most powerful, and that acting under the order he had detained ships and levied fines on account of non-entry of goods for exportation in Liverpool; the result of which was an enormous increase in the aggregate amount of exports as compared with the former year, when the deficiency arising from the laxity he had alluded to was believed to be equal to 25 per cent of the whole amount. It would appear as if there were an increase of exports in the year ending January, 1857, upon those of the preceding year, of £20,000,000, but that was the result of an improvement rather of account keeping, and was to be by no means considered as an actual improvement in trade.

MR. WILSON

said, that the returns to which allusion had been made by the hon. Member for North Warwickshire were in a state of forwardness and would soon be laid before the House. With regard to the elaborate statement just made he could assure the House that as far as his knowledge extended no change whatever had been made in the system, and no such order issued as that referred to by the hon. Member. It might have happened that the local officers, in the exercise of what they considered their duty, had given such a notice in consequence of laxity in making the returns, but no general order upon the subject had been issued by the Treasury.

MR. NEWDEGATE

Am I to understand, then, that no such regulation was issued in August.

MR. WILSON

Nothing of the kind.