§ MR. O'REILLYsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether the Committee appointed to inquire into the organization of the Customs Department have reported; and, if so, what is the purport of their Report?
§ MR. STANSFELDsaid, in reply to the Question of the hon. Member, he had to state that the inquiries into this subject had extended far beyond the limits originally intended. Several Commissions or Committees had been appointed to inquire into the matter, and had reported or were about to report. The first Commission consisted of Mr. Foster, of the Treasury, and Mr. Scudamore, of the Post Office, and they reported to the Treasury upon the organization of the account branches of the Customs. That Report had been considered both by the Treasury and by the Customs, and most of the proposals it contained had been adopted. One of the results of the adoption of those proposals would be seen in the disappearance of the Receiver General's office from the Estimates. The Reports of the other Commissions would be laid upon the table of the House as soon as they had been presented and considered.