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7
ASSESSMENTS.
The Valuation List for the previous year amounted to £624,370
Gross value, £503,715 Rateable value. For the present year the
amount is fixed at Gross value, £641,204; Rateable value,
£517,897; being an increase of £16,834 and £14,182 respectively.
Only one appeal from the decision of the Assessment Committee
was taken to the General Assessment Sessions. It was by the
London and North Western Railway Company, against Messrs.
Castle and Sons' valuation of the new warehouse in Eldon Street,
which was fixed at £7,590 rateable value. The appeal was
dismissed with costs against the Company.
COLLECTION OF RATES.
The improved collection of the Rates still continues. It will
be seen by the Accountant's tables that on the whole year's rates,
the last being made in December, 1878, there was on the 25th of
March onty £112 17s. 1d. supposed to be recoverable, but unrecovered,
and of this sum some portion has since been obtained.
The amount of excused and loss from empties is a trifle higher this
year than last, but this is easily to be accounted for by the prevailing
commercial depression, and by the large number of premises but
newly built, or from other causes, unoccupied, and mainly so from
the extensive Metropolitan Improvements. Upon the whole this
phase of the Vestry's financial condition may be regarded as satisfactory.
PERMANENT DEBT.
The last of the Debenture Bonds, given for money borrowed
for paving purposes by the old Paving Board, were redeemed this
year. They were given in 1827 for £500 each. The Vestry has
now no permanent debt but such as it has itself incurred since 1856
for Paving, Sewerage, Town Hall, and Improvement purposes, full
particulars of which are given iu subsequent table.