§ 64. Mr. Alportasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider exempting from Customs charges, amounting to £1 18s. 4d., a present of 50 cigarettes and 8 oz. of tobacco sent as a gift by his mother in Canada to Mr. B. G. Cleversey, a patient at Severalls Hospital, Colchester.
§ Mr. JayI am afraid that remission of Customs charges on private gifts of tobacco from abroad cannot be allowed.
§ Mr. AlportIn view of all the kindness which has been shown to us by Canada, and the gifts which came to private persons here from that Dominion during the war, does it not seem rather a mean decision that a present from a mother to a sick son has to bear this enormous tax?
§ Mr. JayConcessions, as the hon. Gentleman knows, have been made in the case of food. It has been found from experience that similar concessions on tobacco unfortunately lead to abuse.