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opened, but stopped by the judges with an intimation that the exemption
had ceased, but with liberty to the appellants to amend the case. The
case was amended by inserting therein the fact, that an allowance was
made to the Parish of St. Luke by the Union equivalent to the annual
value of the Workhouse, the property of the parish. The case was
re-argued during the last Easter term before a differently constituted
court, and judgment was given in favor of the appellants, to the effect
that so long as the premises were used for the maintenance of any
portion of the poor of St. Luke's it was exempt from rating. Not only
does this exemption apply to the original Workhouse of St. Luke's, but
to an additional Infirmary erected at the cost of the Holborn Union,
and will also to an additional building now in course of erection. Thus
while the parish of Shoreditch is assessed for its Workhouse and the
amount being included in the total of the Valuation List, the ratepayers
of Shoreditch are charged upon the same in respect to all Metropolitan
purposes probably to the extent of 2/- in the £, the ratepayers of
Holborn Union are not charged in respect to the same purposes, and
therefore in fact the ratepayers of Shoreditch and the Metropolis are taxed
for the relief of the ratepayers of the Holborn Union.
In 1871 the Government introduced a Bill to abolish all exemptions
from rating conferred by Local Acts, but it was not proceeded with.
This year the Government has three Bills in Parliament dealing with
assessment and making and collecting of rates, but there is very little
prospect of any of them passing.*
METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS.
The Act of Parliament which the Metropolitan Board obtained last
Session for the widening of the High Street, and the making of a new
Street from Old Street to Shoreditch, &c., has been been put into
operation; the works have not actually commenced, but the Metropolitan
Board is actively engaged in settling the claims for compensation
involved, and the actual works may be expected to commence in a short
time.
LOCAL IMPROVEMENTS.
The Vestry has availed itself of an opportunity offered by the
Haberdasher's Company to widen the opening of East Street into
* The Eating (Liability and. Value) Bill has been rejected by the House of Lords, the
others were -withdrawn by the Government.