The Sun.
London, England, 1822-04-19 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

COUNTY RATES AND TREASURER'S ACCOUNTS.
Yesterday Mr. ALLEY moved three Appeals, from the pa.
rishes of St. Marylebone, St. Pancras, and St. James's, West.
minster, against the new rate levied on the county on the 10th
January last. He stated that no hostility was meant in prose-
cuting these appeals, but to protect the community at large...-
The law did not allow any extra rate to be imposed by the
Magistrates of the County whilst the Treasurer retained one-
fourth of the last rate in his hands unaccounted for. Late
circumstances had rendered every precaution necessary—.
The Treasurer of the County, to use the softest expression,
had retired, not less in arrear it was supposed than 24,0001.,
besides 7,0001. which it was believed had been collected
of the present rate. It was not the wish of the Counsel to
animadvert on such conduct—but they could not perform their
duty to their clients, who formed a fourth of the whole
county, without touching upon this enormous defalcation. The
law made it imperative that the accounts of the Treasurer could
not be passed without being audited by two Magistrates, and a
statement of the audit appearing in a county newspaper, and
not in The (azette, which was seen by very few of those most
interested. A salary of 5001. per annum was allowed the Trea-
surer, and the law permitted him to pay all the contingencies
of the county. These accounts had neither been audited nor
published annually, according to the 55th Geo. 3, cap. 51, which
directed the audit and its publication, signed by two Justices of
the Peace.

The CHAIRMAN said, that the rate appealed against had
nothing to do with the recent defalcation ; and as to the ab-
stract of the Treasurer's affecting it, the same could not have.
been published, as the rate had not been made till the 10th
January last.
Mr. AnoLruus stated, that a series of malversation from
year to year had been permitted to go on, and in saying this, he
did not intend, as the French say, " to defame Adam and Eve;"
the Treasurer got the funds into his hands ; specious pretexts
were made for delay in producing the accounts for audit ; and
the county was therefore called upon to pay, and be saddl4l
with an additional and unnecessary rate, by which system all
former irregularities were increased without check or controul.
The CHAIRMAN admitted there might have been great irre-
gularities in former instances, but these did not apply to the
present rate, and as this was a question of public importance,
he requested the Counsel would confine their observations to the
present appeal.
Mr. ALLEY was desirous that their observations should
operate upon future Treasurers as a caution. The circumstance
of a public officer absconding with a large sum of the county's
money, called loudly for animadversions of the severest nature.
The CHAIRMAN said, if the rate were objectionable, the
Court would quash it without the necessity of animadverting on
the conduct of the Treasurer.

Mr. ADOLPH us said, the Petition contained so many grave
charges, it called for the decision of the Court upon the whole
of them. The accounts should be duly
audited and published,
and vouchers lodged with the Clerk of the Peace for inspection
by any Magistrate. For thirty years the system had been going
on from bad to worse, and the late retirement, as his Learned
Friend had termed it, crowned the whole.
The CHAIRMAN put it to the Learned Counsel whether a
late event should be now commented upon ?
Mr. ADOLPHUS answered, that Mr. Alley and himself were
willing to drop the past, but he hoped it would not be thought
unreasonable that their clients should have security for the
future. On the 11th January, the day after the rate was made,
2,3231. had been demanded by precept from one parish.
The CHAIRMAN said he stopped the rate upon his own re.
' sponsibility, although money had been obtained on it.
The Magistrates then quashed the rate, and directed that the
parishes that had paid money thereon should have credit for the
same with the County ; that the Treasurer's accounts should be
regularly audited, and the audit published according to law in
the newspapers of the County, instead of in The Lond.on Ga-
zette.