The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-14 00:00:00

THE INCOME-TAX MOVEMENT.

A meeting, convened by the Association for Promoting
the Interests of the Trading Community, was held last
evening at the London Tavern, for the purpose of consider.
ing what steps should be adopted to procure a removal of
the tax upon all incomes under 150/. per annum.
Mr. STRATTON, who presided, opened the proceedings by
briefly dwelling upon the despotic and inquisitorial cha-
racter of the income tax, and complaining that under the
present system, while men were called upon to make a re_
turn of their incomes, if the commissioners thought fit to
doubt the accuracy of those returns they could call upon
the taxpayers to produce their books, and expose those
secrets which every one was desirous 0 conceal. The society
which had convened the meeting was composed of trades-
men who felt the oppressive burden of the tax, and, not-
withstanding many unjust taunts and hindrances with
which they had been met, the society had held many meet-
ings both in London and in the provinces, at all of which
the utmost enthusiasm prevailed.

Mr. UNDERWOOD moved the first resolution :

" That this meeting has heard with alarm and regret that
a large number of warrants of distress and other legal pro-
ceedings have been issued for the non-payment of income tax
against persons not liable, and who are wholly unable to pay ;
and this meeting cannot too strongly condemn the practice of
alienating the affections of her Majesty's subjects by th., in-
diction of a tax which, on the ono hand, erects a barrier against
education, fetters trade and industry, and deprives thousands
of the comforts and. necessaries of life, and, on the other
hand, opens a door for immorality, fraud, and evasion, espe-
cially in its bearing upon incomes from 1001, to 1501. per
annum,"

The speaker condemned the tax as an impediment to the
progress of education. It was a libel to suppose that
mechanics or middle-class tradesmen were not anxious to
provide a good education for their children, but the tax
which fell upon those who had only 1001. a-year swallowed
up the only Rind by which that education could be pro-
cured. After remarking upon the unfairness of taxing pre-
carious incomes at the same rate as fixed and certain in-
comes, the speaker condemned the tax as repressive of in.
dustrY and as an incentive of falsehood. Another society
was working in the same direction, although with some
difference in detail, and he wished it success ; but he
thought, instead of an " equitable adjustment" of an un-
just tax, it was most proper to relieve those first who most
required it. (Hear.) The proposition of the society with
which ho was connected was, that all incomes under 1501.
should be entirely exempted, and that a man with 1601
should only pay upon 101. (Hear.)
Mr. GANNON seconded the resolution, cont ending that
the peculiar class who possessed incomes under 150/. was
that which required immediate relief. It was the clerk,
the small tradesman, the curate, who had only 2/. or 31•
per week, whose means were crippled and whose comforts
were restricted by the operation of the present system of
taxation. He did not object to an equitable ad-
justment if possible, but he did think it would be absurd
to go to the Government and ask them to take 7d.
in the pound when, in fact, they were pledged to take only
sd. (Hear.) The nation had willingly assented to the brat..
den so long as it was necessary to combat the encroach-
ments of despotism, under the belief that as soon as the war
was concluded the tax would cease. But had that been the
case ? He recommended the meeting and all electors to
make the question a test for all candidates for their But'
frages, and he had no doubt but justice would be done•
The speaker, after vindicating the society from suggestions
which had ben made, that money had been paid to its
canvassers under the idea that it was for another associa-

tion having a similar object in view, concluded by con-
demning the partiality of the system which compelled the
little tradesman to produce his books to verify his return,
while it allowed wealthy men to make compositions which,
in one notorious case at Gloucester, had enabled a man to
compound for 1,5001. a year, while a subsequent investi-
gation showed his income exceeded 18,C1,301. per annum.
Mr. SMITH moved an amendment, recommending a re-
adjustment of the tax, but it did not obtain a seconder.
The original resolution was then put and carried unani-
mously.
Mi. 'KNIGHT moved the second resolution, which was as
follows : -
" That this meeting is decidedly of opinion that, in order
to protect persons against a continuance of the present cruel,
unjust, and inquisitorial system of deciding cases of appeal,
all who feel grieved by any such decision would do well to
make a solemn declaration of the facts of the case before the
Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, or some justice of the peace,
and forward the same to the Board of Inland Revenue • and
in case no means are taken to ascertain the truth of such de-
claration, then to forward a copy of the same to the Right
lion. the Chancellor of the Exchequer, soliciting the imme-
diate attention of that right hon. gentleman thereto."
Mr. WINTER seconded the resolution. As a working man
he had felt the oppression of the income tax. He was
assessed at 1001. a year, out of which he had a blind wife,
his wife's sister, three children, and an aged parent to sup-
port. His wages as an engineer were 38s. a week, with oc-
casional overtime. Upon appealing to the commissioners
he was treated almost like a dog, told he must pay, and
because he did not a broker was sent in. Being determined
to go to prison rather than pay he had removed his goods.
The money was paid by his wife's relatives, but the effect
upon his wife had been such that for three months she was
on a sick bed. The next year again he did not pay, and that
time he was taken to Horsemonger-lane Prison, where he
remained for 10 days, until he was released by the inter-
vention of the society who had called the present meeting
The speaker concluded by reading a statement of his last
week's expenses, which amounted to 21.45., while his earn-
ings were only 11.195. 9d.
Mr. WALKER described the treatment which he had un.
dergone. He kept a small chandler's shop at Bromley, the
takings of which were only Si. 10s. a week, of which the
profits were only 10s., making together with his occasional
earning as a dock labourer a total annual income of less
than 401. Nevertheless, he had been assessed at ICO/.•
and notwithstanding an appeal the demand was insisted
upon, and he was in hourly expectation of being taken to
prison. (Shame.) These facts he had solemnly deposed
to before the Lord. Mayor.
Mr. KERRY denounczi the quibble by which the exist-
ence of the double income tax had been prolonged for
another year.
The resolution was then unanimously adopted.
Mr. HIRAM& proposed—
." That this meeting is of opinion that the act of Parliament
by which the increased income-tax was created ought to be
repealed forthwith, and that the remaining charge during th e
ensuing session of Parliament be placed, upon a more equit-
able basis, or the tax upon trades and professions be totally
repealed."
He was connected with a society whose objects were to
procure the abolition of the war tax, and to place the ia
come tax upon the footing upon which Mr. Gladstone had
placed it. He did not propose to perpetuate the 7d. in the

pound.
Mr. GANNON read the heading of the receipts given by
the Property and Income Tax Association, which he in-
sisted justified the belief that its proceedings would lead to
the perpetuation of the 7d. tax.
After some explanation from Mr. HIGHAM,
Mr. BUOTT seconded the resolution.
Mr. WALL moved, and Mr. KNIGHT seconded, as an
amendment—
" That this meeting would recommend all persons who have
been compelled to pay any income tax for which they aro not,
liable by law, to make a solemn declaration of the facts of the
case, and apply for its return, first to the surveyor of the dis-
trict, and, if not returned, then to tho Board of Inland Re-
venue."
The resolution was then put and negatived, and the
amendment was carried. •
After a vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting,
which was very numerously attended, broke up.

MEETING AT DROITWICH.
DROITWIOII, Tuesday
A meeting of the inhabitants of this borough was held
at the Town-hall, Droitwich, yesterday, the Mayor in the
chair, to " consider the propriety of memorialising her
Majesty on the present oppressive income tax, and of
passing resolutions condemnatory of the tax and of its
present mode of administration." There was a good attend-
ance, and the Right lion. Sir J. S. Pakington, M.Y. for
the borough, was present.
The Mayor, Mr. Clay, haxlng opened the proceedings,
Mr. PRIDDEY, auctioneer, moved the first resolution, as
follows
That the income-tax laws aro, in their present form, un-
just and oppressive, and ought to be speedily repealed; while
the continuance of the tax, imposed for the support of the
war, for two years after the restoration of peace, is, in the opi-
nion of the meeting, inconsistent and unsafe."
Mr. FARDON, salt manufacturer, seconded it.
Sir J. PAKINGTON then addressed the meeting. Re-
ferring to the objections made by previous speakers against
the continuance of the war tax, Sir John said the addi-
tional tax had been imposed to pay the expenses of the
Russian war, and the act which empowered that increase
laid it down that, considering the impossibility of winding
up the accounts incident to the war immediately upon the
restoration of peace, the extra tax should remain in force
for twelve months after the sth of April next following
the ratification of peace. It so happened--he would not
say it was anything more than a mere accident—(a laugh)
the
strict
after the l t
teer
—but it so happened that the signing of the treaty
lof peace was postponed till a few days after the
sth of April—(shamefel)—and the practical result
was that the increased tax would be prolonged for two
proclamationo of
tel
a wo f
itp w ea
not Bat
nthey n
consonance
nl
afne
cl felt
yearsttho a
as
that, though this might be carrying out the act according
with its spirit. (Hear, hear.), And he agreed with them
that the country had a right to demand • •
that the spirit as
s
well as the letter of the act should be
ou dbe respected. He was
not surprised at the feeling
which pervaded the country at
large on this subject, as shown through the public news-
papers, and he had no doubt that the general voice of the