The Sun.
London, England, 1833-05-07 00:00:00

THE HOUSE AND WINDOW TAXES.

At eight o'clock last night a special commission of the
Central Committee of the United Parishes of Westminster,
took place at the British Hotel, Cockspur-street, for the
purpose of receiving a report from the deputation of their
body which had that afternoon had an interview with
Lord Althorp to ascertain the precise nature and extent of
his Lordship's proposed reduction of these taxes.
The attendance was very numerous.
The Chair was taken by Mr. WyLn, who, after briefly
stating the object for which they were convened, called
their attention to the report.
A MEMBER of the Deputation gave the following details
of the interview, which, it appears, lasted an hour and a
quarter. He observed that the account he bad to give was
a very gloomy one. The Deputation found his Lordship
fully prepared to receive them, and on this occasion he was
attended by Mr. Spring Rice. There was a number of
prepared documents on the table, and from first to last his
Lordship give the most courteous attention to everything
they said. After a few introductory remarks, the De-
putation explained to his Lordship the object the Central
Committee had in view in sending them to wait on his
Lordship. His Lordship, in reply, said that he was aware
that what he stated in the House of Commons respecting
the proposed relief in respect of the assessed taxes was not
exactly comprehended by the public. He had, therefore,
now come to the determination that the house duty
should be reduced one half on all houses which have shops
attached to them. His Lordship then entered into a
minute detail of the practical effect of his proposed reduc-
tion. With respect to the window tax, instead of remit•
ring one-third, as be had previously proposed, he should
retain the whole.

The deputation expressed both surprise and regret at the
latter part of this communication, and then put the fol-
lowing prepared question to his Lordship ...—They were
instructed to ask if the following trades and professions
would not participate in the proposed relief as to the
house duty—namely, licensed victue lers, hotel and tavern
keepers, school-masters and mistresses, apothecaries, with
surgeries attached to their dwellings; solicitors, with
attached offices; lodging-house-keepers, tailors, wine and
other merchants, having counting-houses attached, work-
ing jewellers, and other artisans?
Lord Aririfoar replied, that certainly there would I.)e no
relief to any of the classes enumerated, excepting sur-
geons, law-stationers, " et cetera" (his Lordship's own
words), who had a shop attached, and who could make
good a claim for exemption of three windows under
the existing lay. All who could establish this claim
would be entitled to the reduction of one half of the
house duty.
A long colloquy ensued on this topic, in the course of
which

Mr. SPRING RICE stated, that the pressure on hotel
and tavern-keepers was not so great as on the other parts
of the trading community.
One of the DEPUTATION informed his Lordship, that it
had been publicly stated that papers were prepared at the
Tax-office for the purpose of being delivered to every
hou+eholder, requiring him to make a return of his actual
rent, and to furnish a duplicate of his last half-year's re-
ceipt for the payment of the same, with a view to the
making a new assessment of the house duty generally, and
fixing it at the actual rental.
Lord Aurnottr admitted that such a plan hail been pur-
pmed, hut had been abandoned, as it was considered it
would prove very vexations.
The Deputation generally declared their complete con-
currence in this pat of his Lordship's statement.
Dis Lordship was afterwards told by the deputation,
that it had been reported that the assessed taxes office were
determined to go on with surcharges fur the house duty
throughout the country.
Lord Miramar could not put " a stopper " upon the
tax office ; but hail intimated in that quarter that it was
not the wish of the Government that anything oppressive
should be done in this way.
Mr. SPRING RICE stated that it was under consideration
to increase the salaries of the surveyors, and to propor-
tionably reduce their per centage, in order to prevent, as
far as possible, any undue influence from operating on their
minds.

A DEruTv remarked, there could be no doubt the ner
tentage operated as a very powerful incentive to corrupt
practices, in some instances.
Lord Aranotte afterwards stated, that in respect of the
house tax, Government had come to the determination to
remit one-third i❑ favour of houses rated at less than 101.
per annum ; and on houses rated from 101. to 19/., they
would errant a graduated scale of reduction, varying from
59. in the pound to Is. The number of housekeepers
who would be more or less relieved was 215,233.
Mr. SPRING RICE called the Deputation's attention to
the fact, that there were no less than 2,400,0(10 houses in
Great Britain that were wholly exempt from this tax.
A long conversation followed, in the course of which
strong declarations were made to his Lordship as to the cer-
tain dissatisfaction his proposed measures would produce.
Mr. POUNCEY toll his Lordship that it was a matter
of importance that his Lordship show(' be acquainted with
the feelings of the public, and that, to he rightly informed,
it was necessary to receive the evidence of individuals
differing in feeling and sentiment. He begged to state,
that although he was opposed to the Committee by which
he was deputed on many points, yet a sense of duty and
a regard to truth compelled him to assert that the Deputy
who had list addressed his Lordship, had under-rated,
ritlier than over-coloured, the discontent and excitation
that existed upon the subject of these taxes. That trades-
men of considerable wealth, of lung standing, of high cha-
racter, and of quiet dispositions, were now resolved to
resist these taxes by all legal means—that the time was
fast approaching when a total repeal would not be consi_
tiered as any concession, but as a matter wrung from his
Lordship by the resistance that was manifested, and there-
fore would not allay the great irritation that existed—
that those who contended for the repeal were supported
by a deep sense of the justice of the cause, and would not
rest until they obtained success.

Mr. SOFFE also assured Lord Althorp, that his fellow
deputies had not over-rated the disappointment and ex-
citement which prevailed in every city awl town through-
. ut the kingdom, in consequence of the partial and very
limited relief proposed by his Lordship.
Mr. AncocK addressed his Lordship on the same
subject.
_

Lord ALTIIORP heard these ohsei vations with his pro-
verbial calm good temper, but declared at their conclusion,
that it was impassible for him to yield more than he had
already done.

HOUSE AND WINDOW TAXES.—We have
seen a requisition, which is in progress, calling upon the
Loan MAYort to convene a Common-Hall on this all-
ngand is expected to receive the signa-
ettae"Osfing subject,many
thousand householders. In Fleet-street
only, five refusals have been met with, a tolerable proof
that the repeal of these obnoxious taxes is not pres,ed as
a party question,