View report page

8
THE NEW ASSESSMENT.
I have explained above the origin and general principles of the new
assessment; the results of the same are as follows:—
County Rate Assessment, Prior Parochial Assessment, Prior
to Lady-day last £446,420 to Lady-day last £389,840*
Subsequent to ditto £440,089 Subsequent to ditto £440,689
Decrease £5,751 Increase £50,849
* In this is included the London and North Western Railway, which reduces the
figure £9,500, and adds the same amount to the increase.
Now, inasmuch as the County Hates, Police, Lunatics, Main
Drainage, Fire Brigade, &c. charges, were levied m the County assessment,
which was a figure fixed by the County bench, and had some £
relation to the property tax, but very little to the parochical assessment,
but which will now be levied upon the hatter basis, it will be seen that
the standard of charge has been reduced by the new assessment; and
when it is stated that the former total of the County assessment was
£18,683,288, and the present is £19,812,057, or an increase of
£1,128,769, and that a penny rate on the increased assessment of
the metropolis will produce £4,703, it must be obvious that the position
of Shoreditch, in relation to metropolitan taxation, has improved.
"With regard to the considerable increase in the rateable value of
the parish, nearly £60,000, if it could be accepted as a fair and equal
increase, over the entire parish; or, better still, a more carefully
adjusted and equitable assessment of the property, the mere fact of the
increase would not be worthy of a moment's consideration, inasmuch, as
the whole of the money raised upon that increase will be devoted to
internal parochial uses, and it is just the question of a shilling on £20,
or a tenpenny rate on £24. I have, however, grave reason to fear
that the present parochial assessment is not fair or equitable between a
large number of parishioners. From returns furnished by the ratepayers,
the Surveyor of Government Taxes made an alteration of about 4,000
assessments, nearly all of which were raised; and although in all such
cases forms for notice of appeal were sent to the parties, many neglected
to do so until the rates were demanded, on the increase, and the time for