§ 70. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Finanial Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that on consignments of beach balls made of rubber cloth, which are now being imported for the holiday season, duly is being charged on a few threads of artificial silk which carry the small cotton flap which is attached to the ball; that in a consignment of three gross of these toys the 373 value of the silk is only 6d. out of a total value of the consignment of nearly £20; that these consignments are being held up at the customs and the merchants put to inconvenience as the customs are claiming a small sum by way of duty; and whether the regulations can be altered so that very small quantities of artificial silk may not be levied duty on when they are part of a larger and more valuable consignment of non-dutiable goods?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEIn the absence of particulars of the place and date of importation and the names of the ship and the importer, it is not possible to trace the consignment referred to. There is, however, under the existing law no general provision for exempting goods from duty on the ground that the amount in particular cases is small, but even if there were, the goods would still have to be entered and examined by the Customs as part of the ordinary import procedure.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs not my hon. Friend aware that I sent him full particulars of this case—the various letters and all details some days ago?