The Sun.
London, England, 1839-10-15 00:00:00

and SUTHERLAND).
IMPORTANT PROCEEDINGS AGAINST OVERSEERS
UNDER THE NEW POOR LAW.---The overseers of
Mitcham parish attended before the Bench to show
cause why a distress warrant should not issue against
their goods and chattels on account of their non-cotn-
plianee with an order of the Board of Guardians of tile
Croydon Union, calling upon them to pay over the sum
of 1921. to the Treasurer of the Union.
Mr. James Andrews, the clerk to the Board of
Guardians, deposed, that the Board had issued an order
to the overseer of Mitcham for the payment of 1921., to
be applied to the maintenance of the poor, and that the
order had not been complied with.
The BENCH asked the overseers why the money had,
not been paid
The Overseers replied that they could net get the
money. There was only a sum of about 901. remaining
upon the last rate, 55/. of which were now in the hands
of the collector, and the remainder wouldery soon be
collected. They had a fresh rate ready for the Magis-
trates to sign, and this would enable them to get up the
full sum required by the guardians.
The CHAIRMAN said that he would never consent to
sign a fresh rate until the old one was all collected. It
was roost unfair that some of the ratepayers should be
called upon to pay two rates while others had not paid
one.

Mr. LORAINE, the Chairman of the Board of Guar-
dians, said it was high time that something should be
done to compel overseers to collect their rates pro-
perly, and he feared it would never be accomplished
until the Bench came to the resolution of issuing dis-
tress warrants against them. The consequence of the
neglect was that he had to sit at the Board of Guar-
dians with an exhausted treasury, and when the bills
were sent in they had no funds to meet them. The
present rate had been made several months, and vet
he found, upon inspecting the rate-book, that the amount
uncollected consisted of the rates of some of the prin-
cipal rate-payers, who ought to have been the first that
were applied to for their rates.
The Overseers said that these parties had promised
and would, no doubt, pay in the course of a tew days.
They also said that they had had to provide a large sum
for the highway and county rate, and this was another
reason why they had not been able to provide the money
for the Board of Guardians.
The CHAIRMAN said this was no excuse. They
were bound to furnish the money for the support of
the poor, and if the amount was not paid in the course
of the day, he was quite prepared to sign a distress
Warrant.

The Overseers said it was quite out of their power to
make up the amount so soon. They were ready to hand
over sixty pounds, and if the now rate was signed, they
would put it in collection, and pay the rest of the money
in the course of a week.

The BENCH said they would not consent to this
arrangement, and the money must be paid directly.
The Overseers were then formally asked whether
they were prepared to comply with the order of the
Board of Guardians?

Upon their replying in the negative, Mr. Penfold, the
clerk to the Magistrates, was directed to draw up a
distress warrant.
The Overseers said they hoped the Bench would sign
the now rate.

This the Bench would not consent to do ; but it was
ultimately arranged that the distress-warrant should be
allowed to stand over for a day or two, to enable the)
overseers to make up the money, upon the understand.
ing that if it was not done the warrant would be put
in force.