AUSTRALIA:  MELBOURNE,  VICTORIA.

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made  by  the  Government  warehouse  are  higher  than  those  of  other
warehouses,  and  it  is  consequently  used  mainly  for  the  storage  of
unclaimed  and  seized  goods.
The  proprietors  of  the  warehouses  refuse  to  furnish  information  as
to  their  receipts  and  expenditures.  For  several  years  past  the  business ­
  has  not  been  very  remunerative,  owing  to  many  causes,  chiefly
commercial  depression,  small  stocks  held,  and  rapid  steamer  communication ­
  with  other  parts  of  the  world.  A  general  warehouse  pays
£200  ($973.30)  per  annum  for  license  and  the  services  of  a  customs
officer  known  as  a  “  locker.”  The  overtime  charge  for  the  services  of
this  officer  is  2  shillings  (48  cents)  per  hour.  The  amount  received
by  the  Government  from  the  bonded  warehouses  at  Melbourne  during ­
  the  year  1903  for  license  fees  and  fees  for  lockers’  services,  at  2
shillings  (48  cents)  per  hour,  was  £5,532  ($20,922)  for  license  fees
and  £200  ($1,205)  for  lockers;  total,  £5,792  ($28,187).  The  annual
cost  to  the  Government  of  the  warehouse  branch  of  the  customs
department  was:  For  salaries,  £8.304  ($40,703),  and  for  contingencies. ­
  £90  ($438);  total,  £8,454  ($41,141).
The  chief  classes  of  goods  stored  are  spirits,  liquors,  bitters,  medical ­
  preparations,  essences,  wine,  ale  and  beer  (stout,  lager),  tobacco
unmanufactured,  tobacco  manufactured,  cigars,  cigarettes,  hops,
candles,  condensed  milk,  coffee,  coffee  essence,  cocoa  and  chocolate,
wheat,  rice,  salt,  sugar,  glucose,  vinegar,  matches,  cement,  plaster,
flour,  soft  goods,  drapery,  etc.;  hardware,  ironmongery,  etc.;  machinery, ­
  provisions,  etc.  The  length  of  time  goods  remain  in  bond
varies  so  much  that  no  rule  can  be  given.  If  the  goods  are  not
cleared  within  three  years  they  are  sold  under  the  provisions  of  the
customs  act  unless  rewarehoused.  All  nationalities  are  treated  alike.
Goods  are  removed  to  warehouses  by  carriers  licensed  under  the
customs  act.  Goods  for  export  or  removal  from  bond  are  similarly
dealt  with.  The  cost  of  removal  is  according  to  arrangement  between
the  importer  and  the  carrier.
The  warehouses  are  secured  by  Government  locks,  except  in  special
cases,  such  as  timber  yards.  In  most  of  the  warehouses  lockers  are
permanently  stationed  and  the  keys  are  kept  in  a  safe  in  the  customhouse ­
  overnight.  During  the  day  the  lockers  retain  possession  of
the  keys.  As  often  as  possible  the  warehouses  are  visited  by  the
supervisor  of  the  warehouse  branch,  whose  duty  it  is  to  see  that
lockers  are  at  their  posts  and  attending  to  their  duties,  and  also  to
inspect  their  books  and  inquire  into  any  matters  which  lie  may  consider ­
  to  be  essential  to  the  protection  of  the  revenue.  Lockers  regauge
wines  and  spirits  and  weigh  some  low-duty  goods  subject  to  duty  at
fixed  rates,  check  receipts  into  and  deliveries  from  warehouses,  and
exercise  a  general  supervision  over  goods  stored  therein  and  over
all  operations  carried  on  in  them.  The  lockers  attend  at  the  warehouses ­
  from  8.30  a.  m.  to  5  p.  m.  in  winter,  and  in  the  summer  from
8  a.  m.  to  5  p.  m.,  and  on  Saturdays  till  12  noon.  No  goods  are
delivered  from  warehouse  by  lockers  except  upon  presentation  of  an
order  signed  by  an  officer  of  the  warehouse  branch  in  the  customhouse. ­

John  P.  Bray,  Consul-General.
Melbourne,  Victoria,  August  #3,  lOOJf.