§ MR. MURNAGHAN (Tyrone, Mid.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that, in the month of October of last year, upwards of 25,000 bags of flour imported into Belfast from the United States of America were found to contain looking-glasses, wooden match-boxes, spoons, tin cups, and cheques; and whether, if this is in contravention of the Consolidated and Lottery Act, any fine was inflicted; and, if so, what was the amount.
§ MR. WYNDHAMSeveral thousand bags of flour were, in the month of October of last year, imported at Belfast, which upon examination by the officers of the Customs Department were found each to contain a small article, not liable to duty, bearing an advertisement of the flour in the bags. The advertisements were of small intrinsic value and consisted of the articles named. These small articles not having been included in the Customs Entry, the bags of flour con- 1267 taining them were submitted to special examination, and a nominal fine of £1, to mark the irregularity of the Entry, was imposed under the provisions of the Customs Consolidation Act of 1876, as a condition upon which the importers were allowed to amend the particulars on that document. The Board of Customs were advised that the sale of the bags would be a technical contravention of the Lotteries Acts, but as the offence could not possibly be committed until after the goods had passed out of Customs control, no action was taken by that Department under the Lotteries Acts.