The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-17 00:00:00

orri
very valuable, and the commissioners willbe nit(
to part with the patronage. But should tbe
become law, and work well where allows a tnre.
no doubt the general interest will event uallY
Oro,
vail against the very natural wishes of 10g°' teeer
missioners. As to the surveyors, they are lig.nr
lested for the present, either in their ofacg,,:p
their pay. But though the Chancellor of noces
chequer seems to have exhausted all the grl°,7oes,
of ad the. classes concerned iu the collectio 00/
there is one class, not less interested, Nvb,:c-is the
still ask his sympathy and elucidation. It ; riot
taxpayer. Mr. Gladstone alludes to the fac';'o.oa
he is not always at home, that he is 00t, $
in a good humour, and that he has not ne
handful of cash within reach. When this liafr to ell
he is sorry for the collector. Sc are we, buwiect
more for the victim. Considering the intatituu_oa
is not 017en'ir.
these calls, it is no wonder that a man
prepared for them, and if he cannot write atecuthe
for the amount he must put the collector
trouble of another call. That functionarY,lllicer
is either at no great distance or he is frequeni;rest
in g his rounds, and in neither case is it :1,100
hardship to have to call again. It is big 1117.001
to cati, and call again. He generally "'or
people. Ho is chosen because his employe
pets a universal Rnoxledge. Perhaps he igi°".o or
collector; perhaps registrar; perhaps gelld or
clerk; perhaps schoolmaster, or auctioneer og into
praiser, or one of the trades which bring bigleopy.
many houses and into contact with niall.Vnefelii
Of course he knows when a man nu1t.,".,. 010
trusted for a few days. Even his oecovo c'd noke
call does not drive poor householders wild „IT, ore°.
them dream of a distress. They know ti"1,0011'
gentle hands, and that the stern officiee 0,8
is tempered with the softer spirit of troo";
man who is often soliciting orders, and who; pal,
his Christmas bills, some before New Yea,te. 41°
some before Easter, and equally thankfoiran.viie
latter, will not turn a man's house out of some0
It is not his nature or habit. He has some
the oil of humanity in his system. He has °oat
rest in things going on well all about Or"
of one thing you feel moat comfortably 011%nroo
will not forget to pay your tax, and find
sold up without notice. You will be remioereeol'
collector will call you to your duty at the eiea.f 1)6
hour. His memory is so faithful that you
spared the mental burden. You need not 'Doi'
memorandum, or stick up the notice on tlieeVior!
piece, or knot your handkerchief, for the cc),i'id
sure not to forget you. At least, if he silt el
anyi chance, you will not take it as a Vei.J.,‘ooll
s '„ht. You will rot break your heart if bei
forget you altogether. But as far as vie Witt cola;
Mr. Gladstone's bill it will put an end to tll'inles'
fortable state of things. The office of tio; et
Revenue, in other words the exciseman, littotid
market town, far or near, and perhaps lr,g-totbd
very little about you, is to drop his missive '°,
letter-box of his town; repeat it,
sit his office expecting your attendance, °r' of Of
presume, your answer by post. The malt tl'
accounts are small, and the majority will 705'
cash, not by caeck ; so the =jot majority of taxelnre:
expected to go to the market town for the p; bi
if necesoarl 'o eta
unless, indeed, they can forward the rognhe'nie
neighbour going that way- But the Whole
sponsibility of the transaction is accuolu'joep 11;
the taxpayer, who must receive the letter, orb
bear /
it in mind, and pay it, either in liers:4o
a bearer, or by post. The officer is to Will
notice of the days and hours in which lig;„ vibe
ready to receive payment, and, no doubt, .1;00 tbgt
cases, it will b 3 much the same thing lc; sosi°l;
payment is made. Yet, there are wont ,$llO7
a different character, and many msh 117t,':
undeserving of our sympathy, who will t","0 tb'4
forget, even after a second warning', t„i't
have to pay their assessed taxes, or their 40 i• 10,,
or their income tax, before the month is 07/;nesrv"
frequent occurrence of exceedingly eirallafkTect„ll:6
makes it difficult to remember them
You are sure you have paid the last quarter-4i
it turns out you are at least one in arrea'-'ollo','
are sure you have paid your assessed 00,4' iiitP
after all, it was income tax. Mr. Gladstt.el„,feir
mates that some change is necessary, ss,,,JidelPnt:
sury has E3W and then to decide the Cer.;hera 1
question whether to let off a parish to eor:„o
collector cannot square his accounts, Or ,guest'',
it to make good the deficiency. If tho,..ior:
frequently arises, and if the revenue stwe'',.6bet '":
sequence, or any parish suffers unjustli, frbs'-n;
valid reason for a safer ease of offioell„'
sponsibility will follow the power of ePrt.ineeirlie.rs:
almost as a matter of course. This is
ofa the Treasury as against the local corronliegt
nd voluntary agency. But, we subreit,, ro
atilt the case of the individual teapot°.
considered.