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6
1874, the amount outstanding on rates made at the previous Christmas,
or before, was £8499, or nearly 51 per cent. of the rate. On the 20th
of April, 1875, there were not £20 arrears. There has therefore been
an improvement in the collection, as regards time, of upwards of 50
per cent. in one year, and in the course of two years of upwards of
one hundred per cent.
The losses from removals, empty houses, etc., for the year ending
Lady-day, 1874, amounted to 3.44 per cent. of the entire rate ; for the
quarter ending Lady-day, 1875, the proportion was 2.45 per cent.
Much of this loss arises from ratepayers leaving the premises and the
rates unpaid for the previous quarters. As the total rates levied for the
year were £104,164 this reduction of the loss of one per cent. means a
saving to those ratepayers who remain in the parish and contribute
regularly, of £1000 for the year.
This improvement is mainly due to the firmness and resolution
with which the Finance Committee grappled with the question and
encouraged the efforts of the Officers, and to the ready and efficient cooperation
of the Rate Collectors; and, although difficulty was no doubt
felt in some cases in paying up arrears, there is no reason to believe that
any undue pressure has been put upon the ratepayers.
The amount of the Guardians' Calls for the year ending Lady-day,
1874, was £38,500; and for the last year £38,000; and for the halfyear,
Lady-day to Michaelmas, 1875, is £16,000.
The amount owing to the Guardians at Lady-day, 1874, was
£7000 or two month's instalments; at Lady-day last it was £3000;
and there was cash in hand to meet it.
Further particulars of the expenditure of Poor Rate will be found
in the Balance Sheet given with the Accountant's Report.
SEWERS AND GENERAL RATES.
Tho Accountant's statement hereto appended will give the details
of the receipts and expenditure on account of the Sewers and General
Rates. It is only necessary here to state that the rates levied for the
last two years were
1874 1875
General in the £ 1/6 1/7
Sewers ditto 4d. 7d.