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28
COLLECTION OF RATES.
the Report of the Finance Committee, mentioned under the
above heading, on page 27 of the Vestry Report of last year, was
considered. It was as follows:—
March, 1892.
At present the Collectors pay the amount collected by them for
Poor Rate to the London and County Bank in Shoreditch—the
General and Sewers Rates to the General Account of the Vestry
at the London and Midland Bank in Shoreditch. The Composition
Rate is paid direct to the Churchwardens. As a largo part of
the rates is paid by cheques, it has hitherto been necessary for
Collectors to keep private banking accounts, so as to make their
payments to the two different banks. the Committee consider
that no money should be paid into the private bank accounts of
the Collectors, but should be paid direct to an account in the name
of and under the control of the Vestry, to bo called the "Rate
Account," and from which should be transferred weekly by the
Bank to the proper accounts the sums paid in for Poor Rate
Account and Vestry Accounts. To obviate difficulties in effecting
this object, the Committeo are of opinion that the Poor Rate
Account should bo closed, and a new account opened with the
London and Midland Bank in respect of Poor Rate.
the Committee are of opinion that there should be established
a more frequent supervision over the actual stato of collection of
rates beyond what has existed, and that the Rate Books should
remain in the custody of the Vestry at the Vestry Hall. This
will necessitate the employment of a clerk. the Committee hope
that the employment of one efficient clerk will be adequate, and
propose to make the experiment for one quarter. the Rate Clerk
will have to check the returns to be furnished by the Collectors,
to examine their rate receipt books, and enter in the rate books
the sums received by the Collectors, etc. This would relieve the
Collectors from some of the clerical work done in the past, but
they will have to supply instead detailed returns, and it is proposed