NEW CUSTOMS' REGULATIONS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 5, 8 February 1851, Page 3

NEW CUSTOMS' REGULATIONS.

Downing Street, Aug. 8, 1850. Sir,—l. I herewith transmit for your information and guidance, a copy of the Minute of the Lords Commissioners of the Tregsury, relative to the Customs Establishment in the colony under your government. From that Minute you will perceive that the Customs Establishment in South Australia, and in the other colonies therein mentioned, are, with the exception of such officers as may be especially retained for imperial objects, to be considered henceforth as colonial establishments, and consequently, that as'vacancies may occur, the appointments will be liable to reduction or modification, as may be found expedient with reference to the requirements of the local trade and revenue ; in recommending any such changes you will, however, take especial care to avoid arrangements that would place officers prematurely on the retired list.

2. It is necessary that I should explain to you the considerations which have led to the adoption of this arrangement.

3. Previously to the repeal by authority of the Act 9 and 10 Victoria, cap. 94, of the duties which had been levied in the colonies under the Act of 8 and 9 "Vie. cap. 93, for regulating the trade of British Possessions abroad, establishments were maintained in almost all the colonies under the directions of the Board of Customs in this country, and holding appointments as officers under that Board. These establishments were also in most cases employed for the collection of colonial duties under colonial laws; the expense of them was in general defrayed partly from the colonial revenue, partly from that of this country, and the retirement or superannuation of the officers was provided entirely from the latter. . . .

4. The repeal before adverted to, of the Possessions Act Duties, has been followed in the North American and West Indian Colonies by the removal of those home customs establishments, and the substitution for them of one or two officers only, with appointments from the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury to attend to the observance of the navigation laws and other imperial objects, and of establishments appointed by the colonial governments for the collection of colonial duties, and the regulation of trade under local laws. In Jamaica and Canada the imperial officers have as yet been retained for these purposes, by and at charge of the colonial governments.

5. But these proceedings did not at first affect the Australian Settlements, or other colonies to which the Possessions Trade Act of 9 and 10 Vie. did not specifically apply, and where trade was carried on, and duties were levied under either special legislative enactments, as in New South Wales, Van Diemen's Land, South Australia, "Western Australia, New Zealand, Ceylon, Mauritius, Malta; or orders of the Queen in council, as in the colonies of the Cape of Good Hope, St. Helena, Sierre Leone, Gambia, Gibraltar.

6. In all these colonies except Malta, Gibraltar, and Western Australia, there are customs establishments appointed by the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, on recommendation of;the board of customs, and in communication with, and receiving direct instructions from, that board, on subjects which would more properly be left to the colonial governments, more especially now that the levy of differential duties, as well as other restrictions on colonial trade, have been, generally speaking, relinquished.

7. As regards the Australian colonies and New Zealand, an alteration in this state of thing^would, donbtless, soon naturally result from the constitutional changes now under the consideration of Parliament; but in the mean time, as propositions have already been brought before the Lords Commissioners of tlie Treasury by the Customs Department, relating to the Establishments in South Australia and New Zealand, it has been considered,;On*the|whole, advisable, that measures should at once be taken for putting the Customs Establishments and arrangements throughout the colonies, on the footing of those of the West Indies and North America, and relinquishing further interference on the part of the Treasury or of the Board of Customs, in the nomination of officers, or in any other details relating to the administration of local Customs, Laws, and. Regulations. — ~

8. These are the considerations which have led to the adoption of the arrangement in question, and it is one which has appeared to her Majesty's Goi vernment, both desirable to itself, and calculated to be acceptable to the colonies affected by it. 9. The effect will be to place the future appointment of officers to the Customs -Departnientprecisely on the same footing as that of all other officers of the colonial establishments, under the rules on that subject laid down in the volume of colonial regulations, cap. 3, sec. 1. You will, therefore, fill up all vacancies, but—except in office* of the lowest of the three classes into which appointments are divided, —you will only do so provisionally and subject to the confirmation of the Secretary of State. Both in the principles on which you will select the candidates to be recommended, and also in the course of reporting immediately all appointments, you will strictly follow the rules laid down in the above cited chapter of the colonial regulations, which is so full and clear in its directions, and so explanatory of the grounds on which those directions rest, that I feel it unnecessary to add anything more upon the subject iv this despatch. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient humble servant, Grey. Copy of Treasury Minute of June 25, ISSO. My Lords refer to the arrangements respecting Custom's Establishment in the American and West Indian Colonies, directed by their minutes of 21-th of December, 1547, 29th of July, 1549, and 29th of January last, and to the provision made in those colonies by substitution, in lieu of the establishment which had previously been employed under the management of the Board of Customs, in the collection of both imperial and colonial duties, of such officers only as are required for ensuring due observance of the Imperial laws relating to Navigation and Trade, irrespective of any arrangments or appointments having reference to the collection of colonial duties, or to enforcement of local laws and_ regulations. And my Lords being of opinion that it is advisable that analogous arrangements should be adopted as regards other colonies where the collection of Customs duties is made under authority of local legislative enactirents or special order of Her Majesty in Council, to raise revenue for the service of the Colonial Government, or for other local objects, they direct that a letter be written to the Commissioners of Customs, adverting to the views above stated, and desiring the Commissioners will report to my Lords what portion of the busi-?

ness transacted by the present establishment at the stat ous hereafter specified, it will be necessary to make provision for, with, a view to the above-men-tioned Imperial objects, and.what officers it will be necessary to retain for that purpose, in cases where it may be expedient to employ officers belonging to ths colony, viz.— In the several Australian Colonies, New Zealand, Ceylon, Mauritius, Cape of Good Hope, Natal, St. Helena, Sierra Leone, the Gambia. Also desire the Commissioners will report the names of the officers constituting the actual establishments under their direction in the colonies in question, with their several periods of service and salary, showing- what claim these officers, if at present reduced, might have to retired or redundant allowance from the funds of this country. Also desire that the Commissioners will report whether the adoption of the arrangements above adverted to will render it necessary or expedient that any alterations should be made in the orders in Council, whereby trade is at present regulated, and duties are levied •it the Cape of Good Hope and Natal, or Sierre Leone, the Gambia, and St. Helena.