The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-25 00:00:00

TYE COXIIIIIVATITI CLUB LINZ 1.001 leiT3 Olt ST.

;AYES'S.

Mr. Bodkin and Kr. BilliniinWwere for the appellants,
Mr. Pash Q.C., and Mr. Ruddlesions for the respon-
dents.

117. Bodkin said, that appearing on the part of the appel-
lants, honied hardly say thatithe high &starter and position
of the gentlemen forming the committee of management of
the Conservative Club, was • sufficient guarantee that they
would not come to • court of justice to resist
a reasonable tax upon them, but the rate
had been weeping up for • number tarsus, and had now
beat raised upwards of 4001. over the previous valuatieo,
which, as well as nosy preceding it, had been too high in
respect of the real rateable value of the premises in question.
The property was the Conservative Club Hogue, at the
eoraer of St. James's-west, and he believed the case of club
hens.* ••••• yet boom brought before the courts. In
other cues there was so difficulty in having the rateable
value oldie property secertained, but there was in property
of this description. la the case of this kind of property
there were no rents sad no profits, and therefore quite an
absence of the ordinary data up& which the vales for the
purpose of assestiatat could be ascertained. To say that
la making such asessemeat lieey were to be guided by the
cost of the property, was a proposition so absurd that it
could sot be entertained for a moment. If Waterloo-bridge,
for iastartee, was assessed on what it cost, would not the
rats absorb all the receipts taken by the tell col-
Melon ? Ice the difficulty he had adverted to, the com-
mittee had dose this. They objected to the increased:rating
of upwards of 4001., on the valuation of Mr. Lee, which
was confined to the clubs in the parish. They had there-
fore taken the opinion of those who dealt with
an analogous description, as to what it would to
let if it were in the market. If the value thea put upon it
had nearly coincided with the valuation made oa the part
of the parish, they would have paid it, but as it was con-
siderably lower, they felt obliged to appeal against the rate,
and come to that court. Property of this description wee
built entirely for the purposes of clubs, and of what worth
were such bosses if they ceased to be clubs ? They would
have to be reconstructed to be leavened into ordinary
dwelling houses ; I. feat, they were useless but for the pur-
poses for which they were orightally intended. Re
should call before the court winsome competent to
judge of these matters who would tell them that
the letable value of the club-house was 2,0001. a
year, and the parted had rated them at 2,9401.
If they satisfied the court that 2,0001. was the correct
value, they would at the same time show, of eourse, that
eves before the parish put this additional 4001. on the rate-
able value, the committee had been pay*, greatly over the
aetuarralue.

Mr. Edwin Fonter was then called. He stated that be
was an auctioneer, in Pall-mall, and had been a valuer of
houses for upwards of forty years. He had been over the
Conservative Club, for the purpose of valuing it. He did
not think that the superb decoration, added to the letable
value of the building, supposing it was without a tenant;
and supposing it empty, and in the market, and that the
proprietor applied to him for advice, he should say to him,
"If you can get a good tenant at 2,0001. • year, do not re-
tails hiss." If it was given up as a club house, it might,
perhspe, do for a casino; but he should not consider that a
respectable tenancy, although the rent might be higher.
Mr. Fonts, then mentioned several taro house properties,
in the sale or letting of which he had been professionally
engaged, and it was from knowledge thus gained that he
based his opinion on this club-hew.
After this evidence had been gives, the counsel engaged
in the ease had a short consultation, which being concluded,
Kr. Pubis, said he was happy to inform the court thst
they had agreed to as arrangement, which would relieve it
from say further trouble in reference to the case before it,
or with regard to the eases of the Athenesam and Senior
Waited Service Clubs which stood in the list. He would
wish to mention how it was that the fresh valuation had
been made. The Army and Navy Club had been recently
built, and was rated at a sum to which they objected, as
being inn high in entoparison with the ether Glebe. All the
property of this description was then re-valued, and the
result was a redaction of the rating of the Army and Navy
and an increase in that of the others, and this had led to
these appeals.
It was then arranged that the net rateable value of the
Conservative Club should be fixed at 2,7301., of the
Atheunum at 1,7201., and the Senior United Service at
2,2401.