Post-Horse And Other Duti...
The Times, 1824-01-22T00:00:00

A general meeting of the post-masters of the metropolis wasy terday. held at the Freemasons' Taverns for the ptirpo~e of' receivirx1 the retort of a committee appointed fo confer with Government i6 spectin the -new regulations for fixing the d r Po and all horses let for hire. 5-oss Mfr. AVMITE was called to the chair. The Secretary then read the report. It -stated that in tbeir coi. ferences with Government, the comi'ttee had made strenuous exr. tions to obtain an exemption of saddle-horses from tbe payment ol duty, but without success. Air. -Vfl1TE, the Chairman, said, as be bad been actively en- gaged in the intercourse with Government on- this auestiori, he could perhaps statc more distinedy the concessions that had been made to postmanters throu,ghout the kingdom. In the first place, it was not now necessary to lave the name and number affixed to any carriage, except post.chais , or those which travelled by the mile or stage; thereforez thiey mght let agig for the day, or a carriage to a famay, without its being requisite to proclaim that it was not their own. With respect to sadldle-horses, it had been warmily contended by the Solicitor of the Stamp -office, that those wbo rode hired horses should be obliged to take and show a ticket of the duty at the tutnpike.gate. It was objected to this measure, that it would subject every gentle- roan who rode ahborse in the'kingdom to be 'challenged 'as the rid'er of a hired nag, and insulted by the toU-eollectors. Thoee who rode hired horses, and especally those in- the metrop lis, were very anxious to preserve appearances; then *hy should thev be com peled to makc a disclosure by producing a ticket at every turnpike. gate? - Thesereasons prevailed with the Governmeht, and they had vithlrawn the- obnoxious measure- (Applause.) But, above el, instead of twelve acts, each of which was more obscure than the other, the trade had now the rare felicity of being regulated hbv oni ,;- .-,.:j. - --- 1 -. ~Mblulplte Tiar any man- of cofnmoi2n capacity amongst thern might understandd it. Me had in Ihis band a document, orrather a volunie, which had been given him as a curiosity. A postmaster was charged with havitg transgressed some one of the rwalations of the twelve con. trary acts, and an action was brought'against him, with a declaration of 1,200 folios. There was so itnch repetition, and there w'ere so many pointsinterwoven, that the defendant's attorney coulduiotun derstand it; and the consequence was, that tbh defendant, for fear there might be something from which he might be-hit in this mass ofpleading, comptomised at an enormous expense. (Hear.)All-Rnch work as this was now done away with. The farmers of the 4duties would not be allowed to bring such actions as they pleased, but must first submit the cases to the Stamp-office, and none but prorer cases would be su?rered to be taken into Court. (Applause.) There was one word iln the nevr act which excited much alarim, and was sup- posed ta affect materially the trade and the pubEc, and opinion of counsel had been taken on the subject. In tbie course of the act the word ssed occurred in coDiunction with ' let." . lany opu- lent post-masters weze in the habit of lending.their horses or vehicles - to their friends or brandhes of -their fain,les gratuitously.for zhoat jaunts, or now and-then -a pleasre party. The coansel to whom it was referred had declared that thi -word " ustd" rendered the horses used on such an occasion liable to the payrnetit of duty ; and one of the counsel had gone so far,as- to say, that6a.geatleman- who lent his carriage andl horses to a frienadfor six weeks, must pay duty for them during that time. (Hear, hear.). But he begged hat no one would be alarmed at this word, or the construction put upon it by counsel. It was all mere special pleading. He was sure the point could not stand in a court of juseice, and that the Commis- sioners of Stamps would notallowany fanner of taxes to bring an -action upon it. At long dispussion was thena entered into as to the minute details and regulations of the duties with the faymers, when, ultimately, the report was agreed to, and ordered to be published. Thanks were voted the chairman -and the committee, and the moeeting se- parated. POS'1.SR AYD O?IM P-7