The Express.
London, England, 1853-04-01 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX LAND TAX COMMISSION.

Yesterday the annual general meeting of the Land
Tax Commis:inners for the county of Middlesex was held
at the Seuions-house, Clerkenwell.
Mr. J. HAROILAVE MANN, Chairman of th, Holborn
Division, took the chair, tin the motion of Mr. Woodward,
secentisd by Mr. Baylis, J. P.; and Mr. James Iturcheil,
the undcriheritf of the county, was unanimously appointed
clerk.

The CH...IIOIAX opened the proceedings, and read several
letters relative to the deputation which at the last anuual
meeting was appointed to wait on the Chancellor of the
Exchequer relative to the equalisation of the tax. The
tint was irons Mr. James Coppock, of Parliament-street,
dated Nov. 12, ISO 2, in which that eentleman said he
thought the Chancellor of the Exchequer would not give
them an interview, as his (the Chancellor's) time end
thoughts are fully occupied, and as in all probability he does
not feel himself comfortable in his seat, he does not waist to
he p;agued with any old pledges, which is inconvenient.
He is only like his predecessors, who said one thing and did
another with regard to the land tax. Another was frem
Mr. J. B. Courttniiy, stating that he was directed by the
Chancellor cf the Exchequer to inform him (Mr. Macn)
that his time was so much occupied with matters of press-
ing importance that he could not appoint an interview
with a deputation of the commissioners. The others were
from Mr. Coppock, act in one of them he expressed that
he was unable tu attend the meeting, and stated that up to
the present time the decision of the Court of
Queen's Bench confirmed his views as to the
equalisation of the land tax, and suggested that the
meeting should adjourn the apportionment of the quotas
until the Court of Queen's Bench had decided the case of
the Tower Hamlets th.mnsissioaera, which was before it.
Mr. W. l'Avsirs, the City coroner, explained that the
meeting could cot adjourn beyond the 30th of April, and
urged that the meeting should fix the quotas as lest year, as
there was great doubt whether the court would give its de-
cision prior to that dry. He moved • resolution to that
effect.

This haying been seconded, several commissioners spoke
on the snlject. It was explained that the case before the
Queen's Bench did not involve the question of the quotes
on the divisions, but the assessment of the quotas oa the
parishes in the divisions, and that therefore the decision of
the court would nut affect the proceedings of the co:nmis.
sioners at the preen. sneering, es they had only to fix the
quotas on the divisions.
Mr. Orvng, chairman of the Tower Hamlets division,
stated the positom in which the case before the Court of
Queen's Bench stood. In consequence of the proceedings
against the counni.sionere the tax had not been collected,
and was in arrear. lie moved that the meeting do adjourn
till some day prior to the 30th of April, as the court might
give its decision in the meantime.
This was seconded, and the chairman supported the
amendment, as the decision of the Court of Queen's Bench
might be vcelerated by the government when they found
that the commissioners were awaiting it, to take the pro-
, ceedings necessary to raise the tax.
In the course of a discussion which followed, a commis.
'loner suggested that no steps should be taken to raise a
shilling of the tax on the county—upwards of 107,0001.
until the stiict legal duty of the commissiohen was defined
by authority.
Mr. Parse, in reply, contended that the question the
Court of Queen's Beech had to decide only affected the
assessment of the quotas on thu parishes in divisions, and
not the assessment of quotas on divisions themselves ; and
that therefore his motion ought to be carried, and the com-
missioners guided at their next meeting by the decision of
the court.

On being put to the vote, Mr. Payna's motion, that the
quotes be the same as last year, was carried by 72 to 18, and
the itteetiug adjverued.