Marquess of TITCHFIELDasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that a letter packet containing a pair of spectacles, the property of Mr. M. Loyd Dexter, of The Hall, Radcliffe-on-Trent, Nottingham, has been detained by His Majesty's Customs since the 9th May last; and that much correspondence has taken place between His Majesty's Customs officers and Mr. Loyd Dexter with no result?
§ Mr. McNEILLThe importation of articles liable to Customs duty by means of the letter post is prohibited, and dutiable articles so imported are liable to400W forfeiture. The spectacles in question came within these provisions, and were therefore liable to forfeiture; but, on the statement of the addressee that they had been taken out of this country and left abroad for replacement of a broken lens, delivery was allowed on the 24th May on payment of the duty chargeable and a fine. The delay which arose was due to the non-receipt by the Customs of a letter said to have been addressed to them on the 12th May.