JB/150/539/001

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Observations

V. Penalties
§.35
87
Powers for inspecting
Stock &
Books, warranted
by necessity and
precedent

§.37 [1] [87] Page 69 . | .. Lawful ...for every Surveyor ....to inspect
the Stock ...in such Shop &c. ]

A power to this effect can not, it is conceived, consistently
be refused. It runs through the whole fabrick
of the Excise Laws It is a natural and almost
a necessary accompaniment to the power for prescribing
forms of Book-keeping. It is of would be to little purpose that Books
should be kept, if somebody on the spot had not the power
to look into them: it would be of to little purpose that
Books should be looked into, if without a the power of comparing
the entries made in them with the stock to which they
relate speak. A power to this effect runs through the whole
fabrick of the Excise Laws: it is the main basis of
that fabrick system. A Upon almost all the occupations covered
by that system it inflicts a pressure as burthensome
as it is unhappily indispensable. In these cases
the purpose is the Officer must be constantly
almost without ceasing, upon the spot: and manufacturing
processes, many of them involving valuable and
dearbought secrets, must be perpetually embarrassed
by his presence. In the present case
the power of making an occasional visit, and even
in most instances the bare facility without the passing
into act, will be adequate to the purpose. In these
cases what is exposed to view is what a man
would not willingly expose to the view of any body
one: operations — processes — raw materials not yet in a
state for sale. In the present case, nothing is exposed
to the view of the Officer, but what it is the wish
and the endeavour of the Dealer (supposing him not dishonest) to
expose to the view of every one: articles which he has
bought for sale, and which he can not take his
chance for selling, but in proportion as they are
exposed to view . exposed to view.

Identifier: | JB/150/539/001"JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 150.
Date_1		Marginal Summary Numbering	87
Box	150	Main Headings	police bill
Folio number	539	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	text sheet	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f115
Penner	jeremy bentham	Watermarks
Marginals	jeremy bentham	Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	50760
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