The Sun.
London, England, 1832-10-10 00:00:00

THAMES-POLICE.

Yesterday, upwards of 100 persons were sum-
moned before Mr. BALLANTINE and Mr. BRODERIP,
for arrears of poor-rates, due to the parish of Si.
Botolph Without, Aldgate. The parties summoned
consisted principally of Irishmen, whose appearande
was the most filthy that could be imagined, and
every person who happened to be present kept aloof

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from them as much as possible. A more miserable
spectacle'than the greater portion of these wretched
beings exhibited, who have so long existed in the
midst of filth, cannot possibly be conceived ;
the statement of the parochial authorities, that till
cholera had made sad havoc in the neighbourho°
where they lived. excited no surprise; the only woo'
der was, that it had not carried off more victims.
The overseers stated, that in the numerous courti,
alleys, and narrow streets leading, out of Rosemarr
lane, there were nearly 300 small houses and terse
merits, which had for many years been without Olt
legal owners, and others had been the subjects
suits in Chancery, and suffered to fall to decii:,
For a long time past the lower orders of Irish gal
Jews had taken possession of these houses, and ev
ercised all the rights of ownership, converting them
into nightly lodging-houses, where the very dregs °
society resorted. When a claim for rates or toe'
was made, the occupiers, who thought they hail a
right to live rate-free as well as rent-free, evade,
payment by closing the house or " freehold," a'
these places were called, and sold the key for 21.°11
31. to the first purchaser they met with, and wh°'
in the course of time, had recourse to the saale
plan, so that the " freeholds" were constantly,
changing tenants. Besides this, the parish had long
been saddled wil h the expense of removing 10511
paupers, who resorted to these houses, arid wl'°;
after a night's lodging at 2d. or 3d. a head, claimed
relief the next day. The expense of removing Iris'
paupers last year amounted to nearly 6001., and dur
ing the preceding six weeks they had passed no lee
than 400, who had only been in the parish 01
night. The houses were all in a filthy state, sa
many of them were in a tumble-down condition, and
threatened destruction to the inmates, who were re"
gardless of the impending danger.
The defaulters,wbo were ushered in one at a tiale'
all declared their inability to pay any rates or taxe`lA'
and a few said they wondered how such a dorsal'
could be made for their " freeholds," for which 00
rent was ever demanded.

Mr. BALLANTINE said, that was the very 'vas°
they should pay the poor-rates, and they had n°
more right to live in those houses than he had. Ile
put this question to every one summoned, " Whe
did you pay any rent last ?"—" Oh, not for sever',
ten, or twenty yea's," was the general reply, and
few said they had succeeded their brother or sister
in the " freehold estate."
Mr. Smith, the collector, said these last-mentioned
parties had bought the key of their relatives, •
ran away when a levy for the rates was threaten':
Mr. BALLANTINE and Mr. BRODERIP said the
rates must be paid, and unless they were they would
immediately sign warrants of distress. The nuisance
had already existed too long, and must be put dovis'
The defaulters said they must go to the workhouse
if payment was enforced.
Mr. M`Lachlan said that many of the defendant°
subsisted entirely by letting out straw-beds by sbe
night to mendicants, thieves, and others, and solve
were amassing large sums by this system.
The office was then cleared, and, as a measure rftf
precaution, well purified and sprinkled with chloride
of lime before other business commenced.