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preferring to pay the small fee of 1s. charged for
the summons and hearing, and to hold their money
as a matter of convenience, as long as possible.
That this is so is patent from the fact that only
five per cent. of those summoned attend the hearing,
the bulk of the remainder paying without further
proceedings being necessary.
An average of 35 committal warrants per quarter
were granted in respect of non-payment of rates,
the majority of the cases being those of persons who
set the Vestry at defiance, and have no goods on
the premises on which distress can be levied, and
it may be taken that practically the same persons
form the cases each quarter. In the large majority
of these cases also, when proceedings have reached
this extreme, the money is forthcoming.
An average of 10 cases per quarter were excused
by the Justices on account of poverty.
Valuation Lists.—The Vestry have been engaged
in common with the other rating authorities in the
Metropolis in the preparation of the quinquennial
Valuation List. A Conference of rating authorities
had previously been held at the County Council
offices, with the view to uniformity of action being
arrived at in the method of assessing property, and
the Vestry revised its practice where it was out of
harmony with the principles laid down by the
Conference. Only one appeal was made from the
decision of the Union Assessment Committee to
the Quarter Sessions, that of the "London Spa"
P. H., where a reduction of £50 was made, though
the Court ordered the appellant to pay the costs,
as he had not, in their opinion, rendered the Committee
the assistance in arriving at a proper assessment
that he ought to have done. The total of the
List as finally settled is £393,910.