The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-05-08 00:00:00

INCOME -TAX.

THE mere mention of income-tax is pretty
generally sufficient to put the average Briton
in a bad humour; and it is doubtful, however
patriotic he may be at other moments,
whether he will ever come to consider him-
self as other than an aggrieved party and a
sufferer for his country when he hems the
unwelcome rat-tat of the collector of the
Queen's taxes on his front door. No matter
how unpopular it may be however, the in-
come-tax has to be paid, and in paying, the
Englishman has his grumble. What a
delightfully pleasant occupation that of the
tax-collector must be! If people would
enter into the feelings of that individual
when, willy-nilly, they are brought into con-
tact with him, perhaps the sins of Chancellors
of the Exchequer would be less freqiently
visited on their heads. Sir William Har-
court, or his Conservative counterpart,
Parliament consenting, imposes an imperial
tax of eightpence in the pound, or what not,
upon the income of every person with £l5O
a year or upwards. His minions in country
and town have to collect the money as best
they may. The decree is none of their
making; but their reputation and their
livelihood depend upon the efficiency they
show in making a good, speedy and subl
stantial return. Of course there are collec-
tors and collectors. There is the polite,
firm, gentlemanly, man, who knows his duty
and does it with pleasantness and in a man-
ner to command respect. He takes the
trouble of seeing that the:assessments are as
accurate as may be, and gives no unnecessary
annoyance. He usually completes his busi- '
ness without loss of time and in a satisfac-
tory way, and in the end succeeds by his
politeness in reducing the most irreconcilable
grumbler into courtesy as far as he himself
is concerned, Then, au contraire, there is
the bumptious, fussy taxgatherer, who comes
with a loud double knock, frightening the
children and startling the ladies. He is
generally under-sized, with a shiny hat,
French folding eye-glasses, dapper gaiters,l
and an air of profound importance. Sans,
ceremony he announces that he has called.
for the Queen's taxes in a manner so per-i
emptary as to leave it clear that he imagines
it would be dangerous to deny him. Ifi
haply no demand note or statement of
amount has been delivered at the house, and
in consequence no instructions have been
left by paterfamilias, absent at business, ,
with regard to the matter, and so meter-
familiaa hesitates to take upon herself the
responsibility of discharging the unchecked
charge, which in nine cases out of ten she
does not in the least understand; then Mr.
Tax-Collector, in the most approved style of
offended dignity, says decisively that he
shall not call again. He produces a paper
printed in red, which contains a threat of
distraint in default of prompt payment, and
leaving the terrified lady to reflect upon the
power and insolence of collectors of taxes,
departs in high dungeon. And it is your
unpleasant collector who generally finds
people not prepared for him. Absorbed in
his self-sufficiency, and impressed with his
own importance, he omits to industriously
attend to the matter of having his notices
duly and correctly sent out in advance of
him. His objectionable manners and cus-
toms, too, deter folk from giving him infor-
mation which would tend to facilitate his
task, and, naturally enough, taxpayers do
not mind bothering a man who takes so little
pains to render his coming welcome. This
sort of thing all helps to aggravate the un-
popularity of an impost which would remain
unpopular with the many, however collected,
if at its present height. No wonder, then,
that people hasten to find all the fault they
can with the tax and the officials concerned
in its realisation. The steps the commis-
sioners take in requiring statements from
the employers as to the salaries of their ser-
vants, and their requests to business men for.
balance-sheets of profits, sales, and purchases,
are likewise hotly resented as of an inquisi-
torial character. Doubtless the assessors
presume a good deal upon ignorance of the
,law and upon the repugnance which most
people have to investigations of their private
affairs by taxing officials, and so make many
assessments higher than is right and proper,
and obtain payment. of them. Everybody
knows how difficult it is to obtain a reduc-
tion of the assessments made, often at little
better than haphazard, in this income-tax
'matter, though they are often enough
ridiculously absurd and inaccurate. Stich
will continue to be the case as long as the
present system of payment of collectors
lasts. Remuneration by poundage on the
gloss receipts offers no inducement for the
officials to assist persons in arriving at a
settlement or reduction of the amount they
are called upon to pay ; but, on the cons
trary, directly puts a premium upon ON Lr-
charging. Mr. Bartley, a private member of
Parliament, has been endeaeouring this week
to get this matter remedied, and urging upon
the Government the payment of collectors
by fixed salary instead of commission. Gov-
ernment, however, cannot see with him at
present. They bad entertained a similar
idea awhile ago themselves, and actually
contemplated making the change suggested,
but met with such opposition that the scheme
was withdrawn. The opposition, doubtless,
emanated from directly intereeted parties,
and should not have been allowed to weigh
against fairness and justice. The whole
matter might well form the subject of an
enquiry before properly constituted Special
Committee of the House. Ministerial opin-
ion. contra notwithstanding, much imposition
i and sharp practice are perpetrated, legally,
Iby the commissioners and collectors at pre-
sent. As instance, inter alia, the case of the
INational Penny Bank, a philanthropic insti-
tution which has not yet even paid its way.
This bank has in ten years been mulcted in
some £2OOO in income-tax. The:shareholders
have never been paid a dividend, and have
expended some £13,000 in eitending their
useful work. Their share of contribution to
to Lhe Imperial Exchequer is this year set
do-A .1 LL t....iin. Thou 'cher., is a n.ifth-
country savings bank making no profit, pay-
ing XSQO slow i9r2noquie4om. Nuainw.