§ COLONEL MALCOLM (Argyllshire)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Customs Officers at Ryde have any right to detain the luggage (handbags) of professional and other gentlemen landing from yachts which have had no communication with a Foreign shore; whether, in case of their having such power, he will take care that in future an examining officer shall be available at Ryde, thus rendering such detention unnecessary; and what compensation lie is prepared to grant to such gentlemen for the trouble and serious inconvenience caused by their having to leave their bags open, when obliged by important business to proceed on their journey, although they offered to have them searched on the spot?
§ MR. JACKSONI understand that there is no fixed Customs establishment at Ryde, and that when baggage or other goods are landed there an officer is sent by the collector at Cowes specially to make the necessary examination. I am informed that in the case referred to by my hon. and gallant Friend information as to the landing of the baggage was received at 9.40 a.m., and the baggage was delivered at 10.30. I am sorry if there has been any inconvenience, but the Customs business at Ryde is not sufficient to justify a fixed establishment, and Ryde is, in fact, not a place approved for the landing and examination of goods or baggage. I have drawn the attention of the Customs Department to the facts of the case.