The Sun.
London, England, 1837-10-24 00:00:00

London prisoners

MiddlesCx ditto lB3
Essex ditto 5
Kent ditto
Surrey ditto

STATE OF HER MAJESTY'S GAOL OF NENVGATE.
MADE OP TO SATURDAY EVENING. Males. Females.
Prisoners under sentence of death
Prisoners under sentence of transportation for life 8 1
- -14 years .... 2
-
Ditto, for trial at the present Sessions
Ditto, remanded from last Sessions
Ditto, whose judgments are respit,d 2 0
Ditto, committed by order of the Court

2V5
282

Total ..... ................ ... .

T.be calendar, when considered in a numerical point of
view, is heavier than it was been at the October Sessions,
and there are several charges which, if fully made out,
will subject the offenders to a speedy and shameful death.
The number of receivers of stolen goods is much on the
decrease, and in proportion as those abominable screens
(fences) of crime are broken down, so in proportion will
extensive robberies by servants and others be diminished.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS-MONDAY.

The Court met this day, for the purpose of receiving
from those parish officers who did not attend on Tuesday
last the returns as to the rentals of their respective parishes,
when some very important facts were disclosed relative to
the irregularity of the mode of assessment adopted by the
officers. Mr. SMITH in the Chair.
On the overseer of Cranpool presenting his return he was
asked, on his oath, whether it. was a correct one. He re-
plied that it was, as far as he knew. It had been made
out by the Vestry Clerk, and he had no doubt it was all
right. He left the management of the matter to the
Vestry Clerk.
The CHAWMAN could not. pass the account until some
one attended who could verify its correctness on oath.
The same objection was made to allow the petitions of
the overseers of Hendon and Finchlcv parishes.

ST. PANCRAS

The Overseer, accompanied by his assistant and the
Vestry Cerk, presented the return of the rental of this ex-
tensive parish. The amount was stated to be 505,810/.
The CHAIRMAN inquired at what proportion of their
value the houses in that parish were rated ?
The Assistant Overseer (who had hem previously
sworn) stated that they I'vere rated at the rack rental. He
believed that all the houses were so rated. He founded
that opinion upon an inspection of the rate-book.
Mr. CARPENTER said his mere opinion or belief was not
sufficient. The fact must be stated on oath in the clearest
possible marines.. Perhaps the shortest way of coming at
the fact would be to akertain from the several parish offi-
cers present on oath the amount of the rent of the houses
which they occupied, and the amount at which they wore
respectively rated.
The Bench having acceded to adopt this course, •
The CHAIRMAN asked the Assistant Oversellr what rent
he paid for his house.
The Assistant Overseer replied, 28/. a-year.
The CHAIRMAN—And at what sum are you rated ?

The Assistant OversCer said he believed at 24/.

The CHAIRMAN—Is that the way in which the houses
generally are rated? Can you call that a rating at the
rack rent?
The Assistant Overseer only knew how his own house
was rated. He knew nothing about any others.
Ihe Vestry Clerk paid a rent of 35/. a-year for his
house, which was rated at only 10/.
The CHAIRMAN could not consent to such return being
received after evidence had been given prejudicial to its ac-
curacy. The parish officers, after having distinctly stated
that the parish was rated at a rack rental, when they were
examined as to their rating in their individual cases as dis-
tinctly admitted they were not. He bogged to ask Mr.
Allen (the county Treasurer) what would be the difference
of the amount of a rack rent of the parish and .such a
rental as was proved to be made in the two cases upon
which evidence had been adduced.
Mr. Allen said the difference in the whole rental would
amount to about 80,000/. •

The Vestry Clerk believed that some of the houses
were rated at more than the rack rent.

Mr. WitisKlN said if that were the case he was surprised
the parties did not appeal against the rate.
The Assistant Overseer said it only happened incases
where the landlord had lowered the rent to an amount less
than the annual value of the premises, and in those cases
the parish refused to lower the amount of the rate..
Mr. W His tux said he did not at all approve of that tnode
of rating, for the parish to set a value on the premises.
Suppose a man, by laying out a large sum of money,
greatly improved the value of his house, was his rating to
be increased in proportion ?
The Vestry Clerk said certainly.
Mr. WHISKIN—Then I think such a proceeding very
unfair. So if the rental is diminished you keep up the
old rating; but if the value is increased you add to it.
The Vestry Clerk said that was certainly the course
adopted by the parish officers.
The CHAIRMAN said one thing was quite clear—the re-
turns were presented without previous examination or
consideration, and persons came to swear to their correct-
ness who knew nothing at all about them.
Mr. M' \VI lAA A M inquired whether the Birmingham Rail-
way had been rated.
The Vestry Clerk replied in the negative. The subject
was now under the consideration of a Committee.

After a very long discussion,
Mr. M‘WILLIAm moved that an addition of one-seventh
be made to the amount of the rental.

The motion having been put and carried, the parish
officers were informed that if they had any cause to-show
why this resolution of the Court should not be confirmed,
they must attend again on Wednesday for that purpose,
and come prepared with a little better evidence than they
had hitherto adduced.