Star.
London, England, 1814-11-18 00:00:00

PROPERTY TAX.
Mr. WHITBREAD held in his hand, a Petition
signed by certain persons, who complained of having
suffered great grievance and oppression under the
operation of the Property Tax. They had been as-
sessed far beyond their fair proportion, and had been
compelled to pay much more than they were by law
required to pay. 'l'hey had already appealed for re-
dress to every quarter pointed out by the Act, but
ineffectually. Their last appeal had been made to
the Lords of the Treasury, who told them they could
grant them no relief. Under such circumstances they.
threw thi.mselves on the consideration of that Haute.
The persons who petitioned were those concerned 'in
the building. called The Auction Min," which
opened in the year 1810, 2nd which had been regua
larly assessed beyond the profits which were actually
made. Mr. Whitbread then stated the profits of the
Auction Mart for three years, with the assessments
made each year. The result of the statement was,
that although their profits for three years only
amounted to £6,304, they had been assessed at
£9,625, leaving'a balance of ,8321 actually levied on
them beyond what they were by law required to pay.
Instead of 10 per cent. on their profits, they had
been thus eons led to pay 15.
Thi Pietal h, -Vfttatia stated particutarrff ith7l
'case, having been read •
Mr. 'WHITBREAD said, that he should only
move that the Petition be allowed to lie on the table.
He should, at the same time, make another effort to
induce the Chancellor of the Exchequer to express his
decisive opinion on the time when the Property Tax,
that source of so many hardships and abuses, should
expire. Whether it was to Continue, or natur Lily to
cease on the 25th of April next ? When first intro-
duced, the Right Hon. Gentleman had appeared to-
tally ignorant of his own views on the subject : last
night, though 'he pretended to have discarded all
doubt himself, he had insinuated that some hesitation
existed in some other quarter. .If such was the case,
it would well become him to state it ; if not, he
ought not to withhold the declaration of his own sen-
timents. As to himself, he conceived that nuihing
could be clearer than the expiration of the Property
Tax at the time which he had mentioned, and he
hoped no attempt would be made to renew it, either
wholly or in part ; and he trusted that without any
inch, the Crown would not dare to levy this odious
tax alter the 25th of April next. It was an impost
which had been productive of many acts of injustice
towards individuals and commercial bodies. When
first laid on, ander Mr. Pitt, it had been even less
offensive than at present. Instead of the horrid ex.
posure which it now made of the circumstances of
every individual, it was then conducted with secrecy,
and respected the sacredness of private transactions.
It had, however, at all times been a grievous burthen
to the nation ; and if it had hitherto been cheerfully
borne, the time when it would be so supportkd would
expire with the natural termination of the Act. The
House was bound to keep its word, and not to disap-
point the expectation of the public. This measure
WAS one of oppression, and it was rendered still more
oppressive from the manner in which it was carried
into execution. The way of collecting the money
was still more painful than its extortion. He would
be glad that the Chancellor of 'the Exchequer should
at last condescend to be explicit on this important
subject, and if any intimation were given of an in-
tention to continue the tax, he trusted the country,
'if it were awake to its true interests, would peti-
;ion the House against it, and not rely for its na-
tural expiration, on the terms of the Act, or the libe-
rality of Ministers.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
had no objection to allow the Petition to lie on the
table. As to the arguments used by the Honourable
Gentleman respecting the Property Tax, they would
not prevent him from the execution of what he
thought right. He should no more shrink from his
duty, it he should, conceive it to be such, in proposing
to continue the whole, or a portion, of the Property
Tax, than he was convinced the people of this emir).
try would, from cheat fully bearing hs weight a little
longer, if its necessity were made apparent. As to
its natural termination, he would not hesitate to say,
that, like all other,war taxes, it would expire, not on
the 25th, but on the sth of April next, unless it
should be renewed or continued by the authority of
Parliament. As to the contrast which the Honour-
able Gentleman had made between the manner in
which this tax was collected at present, and at tins