* MR. DUNDAS WHITEI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the fact that persons owning small boats for their private use and persons owning small boats for hire on various portions of the Dumbartonshire coast have, for the first time, been served with a notice 1268 that the owner of every such boat, not being of the burden of 100 tons and not belonging to a ship, should, under liability of forfeiture of the boat, have painted upon the outside of the stem of such boat in white or yellow Roman letters, of not less than two inches in length, on a black ground, the name of the owner of the boat and of the port or place to which she belongs; and whether he will take steps to prevent Section 176 of the Customs Consolidation Act, 1876, being pressed in this way.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. HOBHOUSE) Bristol, E.The notice in question, as my hon. friend is aware, merely draws the attention of boat owners to the requirements of the law, in regard to which I understand some laxity had been shown. The Board of Customs regard it as important that the provisions of the law should be complied with, and I see no sufficient reason for interference on my part with a regulation which I cannot believe can cause any serious inconvenience.
* MR. DUNDAS WHITEIs the hon. Gentleman aware that this is the first time the regulation has been enforced there?
§ MR. HOBHOUSENo, Sir, I am not.