The Express.
London, England, 1851-01-17 00:00:00

REPEAL OF THE WINDOW TAX.

Yesterday evening, a meeting of the inhabitants of
the perish of St. Lens's, Westmiester, was held in bliss
Kelly's Theatre, Dsaa.street, for the purpose of petitioning
parliement I. fairesr of the total, immediate, and uneondi
tionsi repeal of the window-tax. Mr. °cotton, senior
churchwarden, in the chair.
_

The CHAIRMAN, in special the proceeding., expensed
his great pleasure et seeing ipo many ladies present. Indeed
the ladies sod children were most deeply interested in the
repeal of the obnoxious window-tax, as from wending so
much more time in the bones then the rougher eel, they
suffered most deeply in beal•h from the exclueinn of light
end air. (Cheese.) The present date was most opportune
for seeking the repeal of an oppressive tax, as there
was in the hands of the Chancellor of the Bichequer a
greater surplus. than had ever been known since
the peace. Ministers had now an opportunity of gain-
ing their darlieg popularity, and at the eases
time of benefiting the people. It might be on
that if the window tax was now taken off there must be
another substituted, but that was a fallacy : there was a house
tax already i■ the property tax, and there was ample
margin in the sundae without any new impoai•ion. Their lint
objection to the tax waa its triviality. Taking two places in
their own locality, • square and a court, and they would see
the inequalf yat ones. Taking • house in El% Anne•. court
rated at 201. a peer, and one in Sotio.square rated at 1301., he
found that both paid the same tax. The fact was, taking a
comparison of several houses is these places respectively,
they would find that while the houses in the court paid 40
per cent. on tneir rating, those in the squats pain only 4 per
cent. (Shame.) The next inequali.y consisted in the
chases who paid the tax. One million and a gouger was
paid by the middle end working classes, and only •
quarter of • million by the higher classes. (Hear,
near.) A .other objection they took was that Ireland
was exempt, and also the univenbies. The minis.ets ex-
pensed their anxiety to do what they could for the people.
He would say, like Dingenes, if they would stand fr,m be-
tween him and the light he would be satisfied. (Cheers.)
Mr. COOPER rose to move the fint resolu'ion, and gave
several inehneas of the hardships attains out of the collection
of the window tax. Among the rest, one case in which a
skylight was charged ea five lights, because, as alleged by
the collector, it lighted five landing-places. (Litighter.)
Having commented on the various evils arising out of the
tax, the speaker concluded by moving • monition strongly
deprecatory of the tax.
Mr. OfiESIN, the other churchwarden, seconded the
resolutirn.

Mr. GREEN rpeak:ng in support of the resolution, said
that he formed one of a deputation from Islington to state
the tidings of Rat parish on the sulijer. They com-
plained that this WY a war tax, and had been retained
during a lergthened period of profound peace. They aim-
klained also that white house, with seven windows were exempt
,:nws with eight wire charged with the whole. (Shame )
The Chancellor of the Exchequer was now in an excellent
poeition to remove the tan, meeting Parliament as he would
with a surplus of three =lotions In his pocket. (Hear, hear )
Mr. HEALY, churchwarden of St. Pancras, begged leave
to support the resolution. (Cheers.) He had heard a
famous that 25 per cent. was to be taken off, but he trusted
that there would be no compromise. (Hear, hear.) He
would rather pey it in full for a year more, and make it,
es Lord J.bn Russell himself bad said of another matter,
"final," which WI would be able to do at the approaching
general eleetion. (Cheers.)
The resolution was then put and carried unanimously.
Mr. COX moved the second resolution, adopting a petition
to peril, men t.
Mr. PASCOE seconded the resolution, but feared that
there was little UN an petitioning parliament, as petitions
were laid ant cos, but under, the table of the House of Com-
mons. (Hear, hear.)
This resolution was also unanimously carried.
Mr. TYRRELL moved the third resolution, to the effect
that in the event of the government refusing to repeal the
window tax, the members for Westminster should be re-
quested to obstruct the supplies. In his opinion nothing else
would bring them to book. They were stopping the sup-
plis of lieht and sir, and let the people stop the supply of
money. He would not till them what to do because that
would be olegal, but he would tell them what be did time
years since in the case of the choral rate. He let the col-
Lietor seise. (Loud cheers.) If that were done the tax
would have a shirt lees, of it. Mind be did not tell them
to act so. but be was very likely to do it himself. (Cheers.)
Mr. J. GRANT seconded the resolution, and Mr NICHOLAY
supported it. The latter gentleman said he would not hove
intruded on the meeting but for some circumstance, which
bad occurred that day. He had attended a deputation of
the Sanitary Association to the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer, and that minister had informed them that he would
receive the whole of the deputations respicting the window
tea nrx Tuesday. They were very courteously received—
they were bowed in and bowed out, but that was usual in
Weirs of that description. A grocers Chinese Some placed
it, the chair would do very well to receive deputations. The

only pint of importance ihat occurred at the' in.ervirw wee,
that ultimately the Chancellor allowed them to fiz their own
time for receiving the metropolitan deputwions.
Mr. FREETii supported the reaolution. Ho moat.
mended the meetiog to acceptno compromise, but to go for
the repeal, the whole repeal, and nothing but the repaid of
the window tax. (Laud cheers.)

•
Sir DE LACY EVANS said be had great pleasure in
at:endiog the present locating, because he was convinced
that the public was at lot in earnest and determined to
obtain the repeal of this obnoxious tax. (Loud cheer.) He
entirely concurred in their determination to go for the
emplace ?sprat, as if they accepted • compromise of 25 or
even 60 per cent. they would only be rivetting the tax for
some 20 years longer. (Hear, hear.) Last peer ministen
retained it by a majority of only three, and this year he
believed they must remit it altogether. (Hoer, bear.)
For his part he should he ready, as he bad been before, to
upp irt Lend Duncan, who had deureedly the lead is the
parliamentary conduct of the queation, and to do whatever
else might be necessary for the furtherance of the question.
(Hear.) He was, however, *angelus in hoping that the
Chancellor of the Exchequer would not put diem to the
vote. Sixteen years since, when they got rid of the home
tea, it was remitted merely as being the lesser of the two,
and the public accepted it in the belief that its companion,
the window tax, was on odious an impost as to fall through
the weight of its own bad character. Ho was sorry to say
thee up to the p time they bed been deceived, but now
the country was unusually prosperous, the remission of the
tax on bread had given a wonderful impetus to industry, the
treasury was thutiabing, and therefore the time was most
fitting tor the remission of an oppressive tax. (Hear.) But
it should not be allowed to rest on • question of surplus.
There were other means of supplying any eeficiency, such
for instance LI • general reduction of expenditure. He
was most sanguine in hoping for its repeal, because the public
mind was directed to sanitary measures, and the first of
sanitary measeees was the repeal of the window tax (Cheers.)
Mr. C. LUSHINGTON mid he had always voted for the
abolition of the window tax, and was therefore now fully
prepared to carry out the wishes of his constituents. (Hear,
hear.) He would mention one fact—l: aprared that in a
suite of barracks in cne of our colonies, the mortality in that
portion which was the worst lighted was in the proportion
of 3tol as regarded the more sunny places. (Hear. hear.)
As to stopping the supplies, he did not thick that such
an extreme measure would be necessary. He bad no
doubt but that the tax was doomed, and he firmly be-
lieved that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had made an
arrangement is his own mind for its repeal. The majority
of three had shown him how the public mind went,
and he surely could not persist soda present circum-
stances in opposing it. Formerly that minister used to say,
that all his surplus was appropriat,d, but now they had
taken him in time, and surely 1,800,0001. was not too much
to ask out of 3 millions They congratulated themselves on
their exemption this year from cholera, but the retention of
the window tax was an attempt to bring it beck, in conjunc-
tion with intramural interments which were still carried on
in defisau of the act of parliament. To put • stop to them
must be the first business of next seseivn. (Hear, hear.)
He had not told them whet he should do, in case the
Chancellor refused the repeal. He should only say that he
was prepared to censer with his colleague in obstructing any
other financial measure until they had obtained the remission
of • tax whoa repeal was demanded by the metropolis and
all the great towns. (Cheers ) If the question of supplies
should be raised, there was a small but determined band in
parliament ready, should the Chancellor refuse their appeal,
to use all possible means to induce him to alter his determi-
nation. (Hear, bear )
Mr. HARRIS informed the meeting that be had received
letter from Messrs. Wakley and Buncombe promising their
constant attendance during the discussion of the window tax
next session. (Cheers.)
Thanks were then voted to the members for their attend-
ance, also to the chairman, and the proceedings Unstinted.
It was announced, as the meeting was separating, that the
Inhabitants of the parish intended to go in precession to
Monday to the great meeting at Marylebone, 'needed by
placards, which it was hoped would arouse the attest:kin of
the people as they went along the streets.

A DEPUTATION PROM THE METROT•OLITAN SANI-
TARY AS&OCUTION waited upon Itlir ob.. des Wood, Ch an-
cellar of the Exchequer, yesterday, at kir ecadd Taw sop,
in Downimpetreer, for the purpose of pr maim( a las amiai
urging him to make melt ananseenenti, or would Inr.are the
' total sbolition of the tax on window,. The depste'aos con-
sisted of the Rev. C. Home, teeter saf Bt. Allicher'es, Wood-
street ;J. Nicaoley. Be; ; Dr. Bile.,,aa; Rev"
barrister ; C. F. J. Lord. Rei.; C. R. Wah, Esq.
W. D. Bt.. Reg F.E.A.: 1. Abrahams, YAK.; and Dr.
Barnett, the hoeseery seeretaly.
Dr BARNETT primed the inerseriel t o the Chancellor,
eralth gutted : _

he been Mime* previa( that the
health of the people is greatly dependent, on the ample sup-
ply of oil' 114 light: "d„ souk Wine Oi kW* sad
strength, and .Tea Oil Ale er seed by a gageta.ea
elements so seseatial to healthy haw an arteattatiata.
"By °Medal rearm it appease that limn die
annually in Leedom bee tither aka and ink, dtaaaaak
Yet the itotimoo7 of PhYskfoor and largess of experiences
.hows that is the resent ate,. of kaawmp aba pdmipat
(Umlaut= of asofteliq 00 be hoped for in then slaws of
disinse—dieures whisk s• a w Link saimptibla of ein, ban
wary amenable to nese of graaaation.
EvYensu looY ho :mind is the report of the Health of
Towns Asareiardene and in that al the Health of Ludas
dremetket. owl especially in the voluble repute of the
Health Of TOWil Heandeiceen, showing that the tax on
wisdom ekrUrapse tke inestrainisa ef house highly en-
flied 01 ear *ring the necessary supply of air and light, and
the H irnpodes the ceastrectien of dwellings mere adapted
to Itee:ithy xisteams. . • •
'' It jA asarely wormy to peat oat the Wise* relation
between ea iapare atmosphere sad ais whisk operates u
possisa to dad ep every wiattew which .am Falba, be