§ Mr. MACQUISTENasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that Mr. Meiklejohn, wine merchant, of 22, Jamaica Street, and Spring-burn Road, Glasgow, has had two parcels of wine, ten pipes, shipped per "Maria Augusta," motor vessel from Lisbon to London, and twenty hogsheads per sailing vessel "Jorge," lying at the London Docks for eight months in the one case and for several months in the other, and that the Customs refuse or delay to clear the said parcels, thereby causing serious inconvenience to Mr. Meiklejohn and his customers; and whether he will direct the? Customs to immediately clear the said parcels?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANIn order that these consignments may be more quickly traced I would suggest to the hon. Member that lie should let me know the dates of arrival of the vessels, the names of the London agents, the marks on the packages, and, if possible, the name of the dock or wharf at which the consignments are lying. I would add that the importation of Portuguese, wine has been freely permitted under general licence for over a year.