§ MR. BAXTERasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether it is true that Sir Charles Ducane has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Customs; and, whether any instance has ever occurred in which a person who has had no previous service in the department, and no experience of the duties, has been appointed Chairman of that Board?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERSir, It is true Sir Charles 1888 Du Cane has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Customs. I have not gone back into all the records of the Board of Customs to see what was the case with regard to the early appointments. The last lamented Chairman, Mr. Goulburn, had been for a considerable time in the Department; but the Chairman before him, Lord Cottesloe, had not any previous service in the Department when he was appointed for a short time Deputy Chairman with the understanding, I believe, that he should be immediately after appointed Chairman. There have been cases in the Board of Inland Revenue, which is a cognate institution—especially the case of Sir William Stephenson, the late Chairman—in which the appointment was made of a gentleman who had not previously seen service in the Department.