Private warehouses and customs areas and their regulations

(1) The Comptroller may, from time to time by notice in the Gazette, appoint any suitable building or place as a private warehouse or customs area for the due keeping and preservation of goods without payment of duty on first entry thereof, and may revoke, alter or vary such appointment for good cause shown. (2) No building or place shall be used as a private warehouse or as a customs area until a bond, in such sum as may from time to time in each case be required by the Comptroller, is given by the warehouse-keeper, or by the owner or occupier of the customs area, as the case may be, with one or more sufficient sureties, conditioned on the payment of all duties and the due observance of the customs laws. (3) The Comptroller may demand a written explanation of any warehouse-keeper or his servant employed in a private warehouse in order to investigate any matter affecting the administration and control of such private warehouse. 47 (4) In any case where the Comptroller is not satisfied with a written explanation given under sub-section (3), or where no such explanation has been given, such person or persons as the Minister shall appoint may institute any inquiry into the matter, and may require the attendance of any person, at the place of inquiry, to give evidence in regard to the matters under inquiry and any matters relating thereto, and every such person so summoned who neglects to attend, or who refuses to answer any question put to him shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars. (5) No action shall be brought against the Crown or any of its officers for loss of or damage to any goods while in any private warehouse or private customs area or for any wrongful or improper delivery of goods therefrom. (6) The owner or occupier of any customs area or a warehouse keeper shall not by himself or by any person in his employ open or gain access to any building in a customs area or private warehouse except in the presence or with the knowledge and consent of an officer of customs acting in the execution of his duty. (7) The owner or occupier of any private warehouse or customs area shall provide such office facilities and other accommodation and weights and scales for examining and taking an account of goods as the Comptroller may require and shall secure such goods to the satisfaction of the Comptroller. (8) The owner or occupier of any private warehouse or customs area shall pay such annual licence fee as the Comptroller, with the approval of the Minister, may from time to time direct by notice in the Gazette.