We are about to ask at your hands a Rate of Three Pence in
the Pound, for the requisite Annual Expenses of the Parish
and two District Churches, (St. John and St. James). As it is
anticipated that the Government will set this question at rest
in the next Session of Parliament, we trust that no unkind
feeling will be entertained towards us on this, we hope, FINAL
occasion of appealing to our friends and fellow parishioners.
We are equally anxious to do our duty, and to preserve the
peace of the Parish, and, whilst we solicit the assistance
of our friends, we deprecate the hostility of those parties,
who, if placed in our position, would find themselves legally
compelled to adopt the same line of conduct.
J. C. BROWNE, D.C.L., Vicar.
SAMUEL PRICE, }
DANIEL JORDAN, } Churchwardens.
_May 10th, 1853._
March, 1853. The Small Tenements' Act of the 13th and 14th Vict. had
for some time received serious consideration at the hands of some of
the most thoughtful ratepayers as to its adoption in this Parish. A
public meeting was held recommending the immediate adoption of the Act,
when it was shewn that £2,500 per annum would be saved to the poor
rates by such a procedure. The poor rates for Dudley parish during the
_last three years_ had been four shillings in the pound, for 2,347
houses _were excused payment_, and, as the general trade of the town
and district was in a shockingly depressed state, _we had 1,536 houses
void_. Under this Small Tenements' Act, all houses rated to the poor
and highway rates (and rated at under £6 per annum) were to be paid for
by the owners not occupiers as hitherto. The owners of small tenements
had previously held properties which paid no rates at all, inasmuch as
their tenants were too poor to pay them, and got put themselves upon
the excused list; but it was found out that _the rapacious owners_
reaped the benefit, by compelling the poor tenants to pay them a bigger
rent, because they were excused paying rates. When the large employers
of labour became incensed at this unfair taking the burden from off
the backs of landlords and placing it upon them, or anyone else who
grumbled and paid, it soon became a settled opinion that the Act must
be adopted, so that we had a _three days' poll_ of the whole parish on
March 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, held in the Vestry at St. Thomas' Parish
Church, to determine this vexed contest.
What is the Meaning of the Small Tenements' Rating Act?