The Express. — 1847-11-16 (London, England)

GRADUATED PROI'IRTY-TAX.—A meeting, presided over by the mayor, was held on Friday, at Portaea, to consider what steps should be taken respecting the incometax. Messrs. Shepherd, Slight, Batchelor, Ralph, T. Hoskins, end Hogg addressed and severally.detoiled to the meeting the many instances in which this "odious, iniquitous, vexatious, and oppressive tax " was carried out. The speakers were not opposed to the tax itself, as the ways and means must be found ; but it wu the mode of collection that was objected to by all; and resolutions were passed to the effect that a memorial to the government should be pre' 'tented in favour of a graduated property-tax, with a statement of the grievances complained of, and, if neceaury, to be followed by a petition to the House of Commons. Mr. F. T. Baring, M.P. for the borough, was present, and having been called on by part of the meeting, said he could give no opinion on the grievances complained of until he had heard both sides of the question. To drag such an immense population as that of Portsmouth to Fareham, to appeal 'grout income-tax surcharge. was monstrous— Farelaam should come to Portsmouth. He would support the petition to get rid of the evils in the collection, but feared the other evils complained of were concomitant parts, and the nature of the tax itself, and not to be got rid of. It was now the law, and if the government required the tax to be continued, he could not be one to refuse it. He could not held out any expectation of its being abolished; on the contrary, looking at the present state of the country, he thought it might require to be increased. The hon. gentleman did net see how they were to get out of the dilemma. The income of many people could not be got at without the inquisitorial part of the act. If the tax was to be made a permanent one, he should first require a great elteration, and could not allow that the income gained by the sweat of the brow should be taxed equally with real property.—Mr. Compton, M.P., followed, and shortly stated that he would gladly go hand in hand with his right hon. friend the member for Portsmouth.  OWING TO THE GENERAL SUSPENSION OF NEW WORKS throughout the Great Western lines, between 300 and 400 mechanics have been discharged from the company's locomotive works at Swinton. The 800 or 900 mechanics retained at work have volunteered a reduction of three-anda-half per cent. upon their wage towards the support of those out of employment, Mr. Brunel, the engineer, sub. scribing 1001., and Mr. Gooch, the locomotive superintendent, half that amount. All building operations are suspended, though the town is not half large enough to accommodate the increasing population, there being, in some cases, as many as from eighteen to twenty people compelled to take up their quarters in one cottage, rented, at about 20!., from the company, who hold the entire property of the town.  TUE ATTEMPTED :116tDE12.---ATil) SUICIDE AT READnro.—Yesterday an inquest was held touching the death of James Hearsay, the wretched man who, after making a murderous attack on his wife on the evening of Friday last, destroyed himself, under the circumstances already described iu this journal. Evidence was given to show that the deceased laboured under a belief that his wife had been unfaithful (whether justly or not was not clearly proved), which belief had driven him mad. The jury, without retiring, found "That the deceased, James Hearsay, destroyed himself while in a state of temporary insanity." At the close of the inquiry, the coroner spoke of the deceased's sons, and it was understood that the parochial autho. rities will take charge of them in the event of their mother's death.