COSTERMONGERS' POLL TAX.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2768, 7 December 1887, Page 2

COSTERMONGERS' POLL TAX.

There was an exciting scene at the meeting of the St. Luke's vestry, London, on Tuesday, October 4th, .a crowd of costermongers, male and female, asking the vestry to rescind a resolution to tax tLem to the extent of one shilling per week. Mr J. T. Pedder introduced the deputation, andan old man named Eden, acted as spokesman. He said: lam 64 years of age, was born in the parish, and have lived here all my life. I have never come to the parish for a halfpenny, but if you tax my barrow I will have to go into the poor house, as well as many others as old and as poor. There are many men among these costers who have wives and large families, by whom the tax will be heavily felt. You say we don't pay rates, 1 say we do. There is not one of us' who does not pay double the rent we did years ago, I pay treble. I have paid for the same accommodation 2s, 4s, Cs, and 9s Gd, If you • take a walk down Whitecross-street you will not see a shillings worth of { goods upon some of the stalls, (applause from the gallery.) lam not in a position to pay what I am paying now, and ought not to have to pay it ("hear, hear," ■and "bravo!") The parish has gone down very much ■ through the pulling down of the" ; houses, and the building of the "models" has not made it better, One of the members of the vestry has been to the police aud got them out, not with firearms, but with authority to injure our trade. We don't ask charity; all we wantis justice (cheers) —Amid a . scene of considerable confusion Mr Berry asked if the costers did not think that they should pay for the removal of their trade refuse ? —No.—What did Mr Eden earn ? Eden: I should be a gentleman if I earned 10s per week. Further questions were asked, but the costers appeared to have full possession of the meeting, and applauded every reply to the questions put.—Mr McDonald, on behalf- of the traders of Whitecrossskeet, said the grinding rates of the vestry had driven many traders out of the parish, and those shopkeepers who had stalls, should not be further' pressed by this Is. tax. The vestry should encourage the poor rather than press heavily on them (applause). What was the reason of the low mortality of the parish ? Why, because the food was brought cheaply to the poor, and thus enabled them to have a "lining," and resist disease. After some further manifestations from the .gallery, the chairman said he might ask for as fair a hearing for the vestrymen as had been given the costers.— After a prolonged and healed discussion, the motion to rescind the order made last week was put before the. vestry, and carried by a majority of twenty amidst lqud and prolonged cheering from the occupants of the gallery, which wa3 crowded to excess.

"Rough on Iters," Clears out rats, niioo, roacheß, flies, . ants, bed'buge, beetles, insects, skunks. Jack-rabbits, sparrows, gophers. At pheinists and druggists. "Buciiu-Paiba." Quick, complete euro, all annoying Kidney, Bladder and Urinary Diseases. At chemists and druggißts, Kempfchorno Prosser and Co., Agents., Wellington. • Wo strongly advlso any one requiring real value for their money to purchase their clothing at The Wairarapa Olothmg Factory, They keep none but genuine N. Z. tweeds in stock and their N. Z. tweed Suits made to measure aro guaranteed unequalled in the colony. for tit, style, workmanship, and price,. One trial will convince those who may doubt what we say—note address, The Wairarapa Clothing Factory next Mason's chemist, E. B. Hare Manager • advt.

So as to givo evory person an opportunity of being in a position to have a comfortable pair of boots and shoes to wear during the holiday season, H. PETERSON, of the Excelsior Boot Depot, has determined to cut down the prices at audi a low figure as to enable one and all to share alike. Customers are reminded that thesoreduced prices are solely on CASH purchases,^-Ai»vi

10 IP EDITOK, Sin, —Will you kindly allow -me through your oolnmns to acquaint tho people pf the Wairarapa of the fact that lam giving tip the clothing portion ofmy business entirely, and consequently am now selling mens', youth's and boy's clothing at whatever it will fetch, as 1 am determined to realise on it at all hazards. Yours Truly, J, Ihorborn,: Clothier and Outfitter, corner of Cuba and. tfapnen gt,, Wellington., \ A