§ MR. CONYBEARE (Cornwall, Camborne)In the absence of the hon. Member for the Limehouse Division of the Tower Hamlets, I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether representations have reached him that out of every 11 casks of wine and spirits imported and gauged on landing by the Customs officers, the holding capacity of 10, no matter what number of years they may lie in a bonded warehouse, is never in any way afterwards checked prior to their delivery to the merchant on payment of duty; and whether ho will take stops to afford protection to the merchant against overcharge and to the Revenue against undercharge?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Sir J. T. HIBBERT,) OldhamNo complaint has reached me, but I am informed that in Loudon, before casks of spirits are delivered from a Customs bonded warehouse, the holding capacity and actual quantities of contents are checked before delivery, while in the case of foreign wines the liquid quantity of the contents of the casks is taken at the time of delivery, and no objection would be made to the dimensions of casks being also taken should the merchant desire it.