The Express.
London, England, 1853-02-07 00:00:00

THE LONDON COAL TAX.

Oa Saturday, at a fully attended meeting of the
repremestative vestry of Sr. Mirylobos., held at the Court-
J• STll,llitiet, Esq., churchwarden, in the chair,
ta.l 8.
oDOnd, as chairman of the committee appointed to
consider and report on the coal duty end tax upon earta
levied upon the Inhabitants of the metropolis and its sub-
urbs, presented the following important and interesting re-
port trona the committee on thane subjects:
"St. Ilisrylebone, Jan. 31, 1333.
"At the et:matinee appointed to consider sod report on
the coal duty, and the tea upon carts entering and leaving
:be City of lendon, present, Mr. Hodges (in the chair),
Mr. Brans, Mr. Prowls, Mr. George, Mr. Rew, your eom-
mi.tee having further considered the matter referred to
them, and having inspected the various documenq furnished
to them through the kindness of the representatives of the
borough, and J. Hume, Esq., 31. P., specially report as
follows :

" That the question of the coal duties her mourned an ad-
ditional importance to the public by the passing of an act
14 tt 16 Viet., cap. 146 (&h August, Dill), entitled An
Act to amend the Acts relating to the Vend and Delivery
of Coals in London and Westminster, and in certain parts
of the adjacent counties and to allow a drawback on ooals
conveyed beyond certain limits.' The corporation of the
City of London by clause 18, and the interpretation clause,
have been allowed to include many place, in the area of
taxation before exempt. By tho operation of this act
power is given to measure 20 miles every way in a direct
line' from the General Post-efice, thus describien a line of
circumference round the metropolis of 120 miles, within
which limit the inhabitants are compelled to contribute
ls. 14. per ton on ell coals consumed that are brought
within that limit. As might naturally be expected this act
of aggression on the part of the City authorities has awa-
kened indignant remonstrances, and your committee have
reason to believe has increased, by many thausands, the up-
ponenta of this tax.

In another point of view, the impolicy of a long continu-
ance of there duties will, upon consideration, he sufficiently
obvious. The legislature having, by repeated rnacstnents
(confirmed by the country on a late occasion) sanctioned
and established large measures of free trade, thereby open-
ing an extended competition, it becomes the more necessary
that a raw material, such as coal, whether used by the
artisan or manufacturer, should be obtaintd at a price not
enhanced bg taxation.
" Your committee are enabled, since their last report, to
furnish the total amount reified by the tax of le. Id. per ton,
from the year 1845 to 1851, inclusive, as follows :

"FOIL IiZVIX TEAM INDING 1851.
Sea-borno Coals.
Net duties, after allowing drawback
and expenses of collection

Avirage

171,081 1 31
4,395 16 81

Total ge per annum
Coals brought landwise.
Net duties, after deducting ezpesses of
collection

Average
It is calculated that the total amount of the tax fur the
year 1852 exceeded the sum of 200,0001.
" Your committee are enabled, from the annual anoints
of the Chamberlain of the City of London, to present the
following analysis of the expenditure of the duties for the
year 1851:
" Total net duties on coals, Sea-borne and landwise,
amounting to Is. Id. per ton, after deducting drawback
and expenses of collection for the year 1851, 177,6321.
Bs. Sid.
" By balance of duty of one penny per ton
paid quarterly to the account of her Ma-
jesty's Wood, ate £13,664 13 4
" By charge in aid of city improvement
(new line of Cannon-street and others)
(are 4d. duty)
" By retiriog allowances paid to deputy sea
coal meters and others.... (an 4d. duty) 7,607 610
" By charge for interest on various sums
raised for London bridge approaches and
public improvements out of Sd. duty
" By balance of duties carried quarterly to
the account of the application of sur-
pluses for discharge of money borrowed
for London-bridge approaches, Ac 89,496 6 3

L 150,772 15 1
" Balance carried to the general account of
the corporation' 26,759 11 if

£177,632 6 6/

" It is stated by the ehemberlain of the city of London
that the balance carried to the general account of the cor-
poration is applied by them in gal of municipal government,
administration of justice at Centnl Criminal Court, main-
tenance of prisons, magistracy, police, coroner, and other
purposes, in respect of which the funds of the Corporation
are chargeable.' Bat it should be recollected that the citi-
zens of London within the walls are exempted from the
payment of any county rate, which is levied for many of the
purposes above specified on the ratepayers outside that
favoured precinct as well as the coal duties.
" Your committee have ascertained that the total charges
lexisting in thumr 1850, u regarded the duties of Bd. and
Id., were 9.56,8a1., and that it was calculated that this sum,'
with accruing interest, would be satisfied by sth July, 1859.
" The remaining duty of 44., which produced in the year
1851 51,0941., after deducting the drawback, is expended in
'sleek% retiring allowances to deputy sea coal meters and
others, new street in line of Cannon-street, and the balance
carried to the general account of the Corporation as above

Takla" these matters into consideration, your committee
reousamend the vestry as follows:
" First: To petition Parliament to repeal the acts, let
end 2nd William IV., cap. 78, and all other sets which
levy 4d. per toe on cols, leaving the retired allowances to
be paid out of the increased produce of the remaining nine-
"4l. Besson d. To petition Parliament to pose an act causing
the acts 1 and 2 William IV., cap. 76, 1 and 2 Victoria,
cap. 101, 8 and 9 Victoria, cap. 101, and all other acts
which levy the duties of Bd. and Id. repetitively, absolutely
to cease and determine on the bth of July, 1809, or sooner,
should the charges before that time be satisfied.
" Your committee. as regards the toll upon carts enter-
ing and leaving the City, have nothing to add to their last
report, and present herewith a. petition, as ordered by the
vestry, praying for the abolition of the above toll, awl sub-
mit also to the consideration of the vestry a draft petition
against the opal duties."
This report is to be considered by the vestry next Satur-
day.

LEEDS, BRADFORD, AND HALIFAX
JUNCTION RAILWAY.

The second half-yearly meeting of the company
took place at the Court-house, Bradford,, on Saturday last, to
receive the half-yearly report of the rectors. The share-
holders preseet were numerous. In the absence of the
chairman of the company (Edward Akroyd, Esq ), who was
unavoidably absent, Wm. Firth, Esq.. of Burley Wood
'Heine, near Leeds, was called to the chair.
I Mr. CAWOoD, the secretary of the company, read the
notice coavesing the meeting, after which the seal of the
ttois4any was attached tb the register of shareholders.
SICILITMIT then read the report of the directors,
whisk was very short, and the statement of the cash account
of the company up to the 31st December, 1852, and which
was issued by the auditor., Henry Jennins and Swithia
Aaderton Esqn , and Mr. Cawood, secretary. The report
having been received and adopted,
Wtx.r.rin Finn!, Bog , said the basineu of the meeting
was of • formal character. There had been a general
meeting of the shareholder so recently, that it was almost
unneoessary to trouble them with many remarks. The
works were progressing favourably, and he hoped in the
spring of next year to congratulate the shareholders on the
opening of the main Sae.
Mr. PALl:smote asked foe any information which the
chairman could render as to the new brar.ch line to Gilder.
some.

The CHailanan said the coal branch had always been a
prominent object with some el the shareholders. He was
not wean/nine al some of their body, but he bad cordially
gone along with his colleagues in the undertaking. It would
only be &single line of railway, and would be made with a
due regard to cheapness of construction. The quantity of
coal supplied from the district into which it was con-
templated to carry it was extremely large, and the
inhabitants of Bradford and Halifax, more particularly,
would reap very great benefits from it ; besides, the
main line would be fed by it. Ooe large share-
holder on the main line entertained the very highest
opinion of its being made a very remunerative line, and that
gentleman had taken great pains to enter minutely into all
the traffic tables. Again, if the country through which it
passed were no occupied by this company, some parties or
other would endeavour ere lung to bring out a scheme to
take up this part of the district ; and it would not be within
the province of any party to take it up so much asit would
be in the province of this company. With regard to the
expenses already incurred respecting it. they had been
small, and the directors had exercised every economy. He
thought the only resolution required to be passed at the
present meeting, in addition to the adoption of the report,
would be the following, which ho should propose :
" That the directors be, and they are hereby empowered to
take such proceedings as to them may seem expedient in the
preitent et 'skin of parliament, for opposing any bill or pro-
ject which may appsar to them to be injurious to the inter-
ests of this company."
The resolution was seconded by Thomas Clayton, Esq., of
Bradford, and carried unanimously.
oar. B , of Bradford, inquired the difference of cost
betwixt a single line of railway te Oildersome and a double
one.

MDI CHAIRMAN said the difference of cost, as estimated
by the engineer, Mr. Hawkshaw, would be about 20,0001.
It the traffic warranted a double line, no doubt it would be '
eventually made, as land would be purchased and the
bridges construtted to admit of it, and there might not be'
an improbability of its being extended. The gradients
were goal, so far es the hawlage was concerned. The ne-
gotiations of this company with other companies were on a
satisfactory footing, and the district through which the
railway passed would be benighted by the arrangements
sought to be entered into.
No other observation was made, and it was moved by
THOMAS CLAYTON, Esq., and duly
.seconded, "That the
cordial thanks of the meeting he given to William Firth,
Esq., for his conduct in the chair."
DAVID RAMSDEN, Esq., having taken the chair, the
resolution was put. and carried with acclamation.
The meeting then broke up.