The Press.
London, England, 1857-03-14 00:00:00

B,lttropolitan.

THE CounT OF COMMON COUNCIL held a special
meeting on Monday, :or the purpose of expressing
its regret at 'the recent decision of the House of
Commons, and of passing a vote of confidence in
her Majesty's Ministers. After a stormy debate the
motion was carried by a small majority.
THE EQUALISATION OF POOR RATES was discussed
on Tuesday at a fully-attended meeting of the clergy
of the eastern districts of the metropolis. The Rev.
Canon Champneys, the rural dean, presided, and the
Rev. G. H. M'Gill, incumbent of Christ Church, St.
George's-in-the• East, gave some interesting statistics
relating to the condition of the poor of London and
the inequality of the present mode of levying the
poor rates:—

The real remedy for the grievance complained of was no
doubt to be found in an equalisation of the poor rates. In
the wealthy parish in which the Bank of England was
situated the tax amounted to 301. a year only ; and in many
other of the richer districts the disproportion was equally
great. In the year ltibl the rental of St.George's,Hanover-
square, was tit 31,0001., whilst the poor rate amounted to

MARCH 14, 1857.

18,9.051., or bid. in the pound. In the same year the rental
of the parishes of Holborn, East and West London
Unions, St. Matthew, Bethnal-green. and St. George's,
Southwark, was 614,0001. and the poor rate 77,3331. The
number of paupers now supported at the public expense in
London was 327,000 ; and it bad been estimated that in
any one day throughout the year the number of inmates of
the various unions in the metropolis was 23,000, whilst
the number for the whole year was 70,000. The number
of paupers who received out-door relief in any one day was
found to be 68,000, and in the whole year 238,000; the
total, therefore, in any given day was 91,000, and through.
out the year 307,000. But to meet this state of things,
the poor rate was so unequal that, whereas many of the
poorer parishes paid 45., Os., and even Os. in the pound,
some of the richer districts were assessed as low as Is. 3d.,
Is., and even 21 in the pound, whilst in certain parishes
the inhabitants paid no poor rate at all. The question
was how to reform this objectionable state of things? It
appeared that the total rental of the metropolis was twelve
millions sterling, and an annual poor rate levied upon all
the parishes in fair proportion would yield an average of
Is. 2d. in the pound or 7130,0001.
He concluded by moving that it was desirable that
steps should be taken towards obtaining an equalisa-
tion of the poor rate. The Rev. Bryan King, rector
of St. George's-in the-East, disapproved of this move-
ment, as it was an approach to communism, and
objected to its centralising tendency. The Rev. W.
M‘Call, incumbent of St. Mary's, St. George's East,
the Rev. Hugh Allen, incumbent of St. Jude's,
Whitechapel, and several other reverend gentlemen
addressed the meeting in favour of the resolution. A
petition to Parliament was then adopted, and signed
by all the gentlemen present.

THAT ANCIENT AND BEAUTIFUL BUILDING, CROSBY-
HALL, said to be the only specimen of domestic
architecture in England, is in danger of falling a
sacrifice to the utilitarianism of the age. The pro-
prietors, it seems, seek a more profitable return for
their property than that derived from the eve-
ning classes and other tenants. A meeting of the
members of the evening classes took place in the hall
on Saturday evening, when a committee of eight was
formed to co-operate with the committee of the insti-
tution, with the view of devising a plan by which the
palace of Sir John Crosby shall be permanently
retained for the use of the evening classes. It is to
be hoped that this effort will be crowned with success.
The lease of the entire building can be purchased
for about 5,0001., and the committee have to decide
upon the acceptation or refusal of this purchase by
the 25th instant.