HC Deb 02 May 1890 vol 344 cc17-8
*MR. GOSCHEN

I regret to have to inform the House that a serious mistake was made in the computations of the price of tea per lb. purchased in the East End of Loudon and given by me to the House in the Debate on the Budget Resolutions. The tea was bought, as I explained, in halfpenny-worths, but the analyst who examined the tea and made the computations of the cost per lb. understood the officer who handed him the samples to say that they were penny packages, not halfpenny packages, and accordingly the cost came out double what it ought to have been. The calculations ought to have been checked before they were sent in to me; but they were hurriedly made on the morning when the samples were received, so as to be ready for me to have them at the House by 2 o'clock. I can only say that both the Customs House officers and myself are extremely sorry that such a mistake should have occurred.