§ MR. YOUNG (Christchurch)I bog to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Customs officers have the right, and whether it is their practice, to examine every tenth bale of moss litter imported into this country by cutting it through the centre, thereby rendering it unsaleable; and whether any steps can be taken to modify this practice, so as to protect the consignee of such goods from injury as far as possible?
§ MR. GOSCHENYes; the Customs officers certainly have the right to examine any imported package. But I am advised that it is not their practice to cut through every tenth bale. What they actually do is to examine by boring, a different operation from cutting through, 8 or 10 per cent. of the bales, and to investigate about 2 per cent. more by opening.