§ 48. Colonel HOWARD-BURYasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, seeing that Section 1 of the Revenue Act of 1898 only prohibits any advertisement or other notice of, or relating to the drawing of, any lottery which, in the opinion of the Commissioners of Customs, is imported for the purpose of publication in the United Kingdom, he can say by what authority a sweepstake ticket lawfully purchased by a Dominion citizen is confiscated or intercepted by the customs?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEI presume that the hon. and gallant Member is referring to Irish Hospital Sweepstake tickets. I am advised that such tickets are lottery advertisements or notices within the meaning of Section 1 of the Revenue Act, 1898, and are liable on importation to seizure under the provisions of that Section.
§ Colonel HOWARD-BURYIs the hon. Member aware that this Act only prohibits these imports for the purpose of publication in the United Kingdom, and in the case of personal possessions brought over by a Dominion citizen is it not perfectly legal for him to have them in his possession.
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEIt depends on the circumstances, but I am advised in the sense in which I have already answered.
§ Colonel HOWARD-BURYIs the hon. Gentleman aware that it is not for the purpose of publication, and therefore it is not illegal and this action is really bluff?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEI have answered that question.
§ 49. Colonel HOWARD-BURYasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that at Holyhead the luggage of passengers arriving horn the Irish Free State, including their private papers, is being ransacked in search of sweepstake tickets, their cheque books are opened and examined, the usual questions as to the possession of other dutiable articles in some cases being omitted; whether he is aware that, in the event of a passenger protesting, he is required to unpack his luggage and display all the contents on the platform; by what statutory authority the customs officers demand information as to articles which are not contraband; and whether he will give instructions to insure that Dominion visitors arriving in England shall not be subjected to such treatment?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEPassengers from the Irish Free State are questioned by the Customs Officers at Holyhead in the ordinary course of their duties as to the possession of any dutiable articles or any prohibited articles such as sweepstake tickets, and in the course of examining the baggage of passengers the officers may require envelopes or packages containing papers to be opened. The production of cheque books, however, is not demanded nor is the usual question as to dutiable articles omitted. I have no reason to believe that the officers carry out their difficult duties otherwise than with proper courtesy and discretion. Sweepstake tickets imported into this country in contravention of the provisions of Section 1 of the Revenue Act, 1898, are contraband, and I see no necessity to issue any special instructions to the customs officers as suggested in the concluding part of the question.
§ Colonel HOWARD-BURYIs the hon. Member not aware that it has already happened that the counterfoils of cheque books of Dominion visitors coming to this country have been examined, and will he take steps to prevent such an indignity happening to Dominion visitors in the future?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEIf the hon. and gallant Gentleman has any case of improper action on the part of the customs officers, I shall he only too glad to examine it.
§ Colonel HOWARD-BURYIn view of the unsatisfactory answer, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Motion of the Adjournment of the House.
§ 52. Mr. R. MORRISONasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he is aware that agents acting on behalf of a Danish lottery are selling by post large numbers of lottery tickets in Great Britain; and what action he proposes to take?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Short)All that is practicable is done to prevent the use of the post for conveying circulars relating to such schemes, for instance by stopping them when they are observed in course of transmission.