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his intention of disallowing all brokers' expenses charged upon the
rates, unless they were irrecoverable from the parties:—
"In all cases where a Warrant of Distress is issued for the recovery
of a Poor Rate, the person against whom the same is issued shall be
liable to pay the cost of such Warrant, and of the Broker or other officer
for his attendance to make the levy, although such person may tender
the amount of the Rate before any levy is made"—[39 & 40 Vic.,
cap. 61, sec. 31.]
Acting upon the principle sanctioned by the Act, that those who
require the broker should pay for him, that functionary is empowered
by the Warrant to charge three shillings for his attendance, even
though the rates may be tendered before a levy is made. Those who
have had to pay this charge naturally consider themselves aggrieved,
but as this charge is not made until some days after the Sessions are
held, and only after a final notice fixing the latest day for payment,
the charge (except in cases of real poverty, which the Collectors are
not expected to press without further instructions) must be regarded
as a penalty for the ratepayer's negligence, and therefore no great
hardship. It is probable that when the system of close collection
becomes better understood among the parishioners it will seldom be
necessary to employ brokers as assistant collectors.
RAILWAYS, &c.
No new powers have been applied for in the present Session in
respect to Railways, but the North Metropolitan Tramways Company
has applied for powers to extend the New North Road Tramway to
Islington, and the Kingsland Road and Hackney road lines to the
City, near to Bishopsgatc Church. The Vestry gave its consent to
the former, but refused it to the latter.
Ultimately, upon the opposition of the Metropolitan Board, the
Shoreditch extension was limited to a point near the Bethnal Green
Road, in the Shoreditch High Street.