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29
pound for the year, 4s. 5¾d. was for other bodies,
and 1s. 7¼d. for the local administration, paving,
lighting, dusting, slopping, &c.
An average of 1,107 summonses have been issued
for the recovery of the rates in each quarter of the
year. This appears a large number, but it is quite
evident that a very large proportion of the persons
summoned are content to wait for the summons,
treating it as the "final demand" for payment,
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 20 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 9 cases per quarter were excused
by the Justices on account of poverty.
Four Provisional Valuation Lists have been made
out during the year dealing with 191 assessments,
and increasing the rateable value by £8,257.