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42
The Vestry are not sorry that the increase in the rates
has attracted the attention of the parishioners, for it may
lead the ratepayers to take a considerably increased interest
in the election of the large spending bodies, such as the
County Council and the School Board, with whom, rather
than the Vestry, must rest the responsibility of so largely
adding to the burdens of the ratepayers.
COAL AND WINE DUES.
When the time was approaching for the expiration of the
duty levied on the coal and wine brought into the metropolis,
the Vestry took occasion to explain at some length
(Annual Report 1886-7, page 39) their reasons for apprehending
that the non-renewal of the duty would not benefit
the consumer, but would prejudicially affect the ratepayers.
Unfortunately this anticipation has been more than realised.
It is a matter of common knowledge that so far from the
price of coal being less than in 1888, when a duty of 13d.
per ton was imposed, it is now considerably higher, and
although some increase has in the meantime taken place in
the pay of the miners, such increase is out of all proportion
to the enhanced price charged to the consumer. When,
therefore, the Vestry of Hammersmith invited the co-operation
of the Vestry in an appeal to the Corporation of the
City of London to bring the matter before Parliament, at a
fitting opportunity, with a view to the duty being reimposed
for the purpose of providing funds for carrying out
metropolitan improvements, the Vestry, without committing
themselves to the details of any scheme for re-imposing the
duty, approved generally of the proposal of the Hammersmith
Vestry, and communicated with the Corporation to
that effect.