The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-17 00:00:00

TAXES ON STAGE CARRIAGES.

A public meeting of stage carriage proprietors wag
held yesterday afternoon, at the Whittington Club-house,
Arundel-street, Strand, for the purpose of adopting..
measures to place stage carriages upon an equality ?I
taxation with other pubilc conveyances—Sir John VII'
Tiers Shelley, Bart., presiding.
The CHAIRMAN said the object of the meeting was to
place stage carriages on an equality of taxation with
other public conveyances. It was urged against that
object, that the present time--with a war impending--
was not the one for any remission of the burdens of
taxation. The total repeal •of these taxes was not now
sought for, but they thought that stage carriage proprie-
tors ought only to pay their fair share of the necessary
burdens. Th., gentleman who conducted the financial
affairs of the c pantry was anxious to do justice in every
case, and when it was represented to him that during
the last year 285,000/. of taxation was remitted to
public conveyances. and from which the stage-carriage
proprietors derived no benefit whatever, he said he
would consider their case. It must be remem-
bered, too, that steam-boats and Parliamentary trains
paid no tax whatever, nor did country waggons, and
first-class and express trains paid a very small tax upon
r,,,eir receipts, while the stage-carriages, the moment the
wheels began to turn, paid taxes, whether they carried
a fare or not. He believed that these circumstances, if
urged upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer, would
inert with his attention, and he was quite willing to do
all in his power to obtain the consent of the Government
to a remission of this portion of the pu'ilic taxation.
Mr. GREY, coach proprietor, moved " That the pr?'
sent system of mileage duty levied on stage-carriages, 10
oppressive arid restrictive ou the supply of conveyances
for the public accommodation, leads to great evasion of
the duty by spring vans and other vehicles, is unjust
and oppressive in i •iposing an excessive amount of taxa'
Lion on the conducting of the stage-carriage trade, and
such tax ought in justice to be entirely abolished, or re-
duced to the amount of passenger taxes on railways."
This resolution 'was seconded by Mr. SEIELDoN, of
Windermere, and Mr. BRADFIELD of Bristol supported
it. —Carried.

Mr. HARTLEY proposed the second resolution—" That
a select committee of the House of Commons having
reported in favour of the total abolition of taxation on
private carriages. and relief from taxation being Largely
granted to other carriages, the stage carriage tax otlght
to be modified."

Mr. COSTELLO seconded the resolution, which was
supported by Mr. HAXELL of Ipswich
Mr. ELLIOTT moved—" That a petition, founded on
the foregoing resolutions, be prepared and presented to
the House of Commons ; and that the chairman, Sir J.
Shelley, Bart., M.P., be respectfully requested to pre-
sent such petition, and support the prayer thereof ; and
that Lord D. Stuart, M.P., Sir J. Duke, M.P., T.
Phinn, Esq., M.P., G. Hadfield, Esq., M.P., General
Wyndham, M.P., and other hon. members who have so
kindly interested themselves in the welfare of the trade,
be respectfully solicited to give their assistance to effect
the abolition or just equalisation of the stage carriage
tax." A. vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the
proceedings.