| Show TAXED FOR A PHANTOM FORCE Correspondence ONDON May Mn If filly any nn of at LONDON L costly costY survivals of ot out regulations are nrc more ildra IO Ing than that to which attention lies has Just JURt been called aul which Involves tho the payment of ot nn an In annual tax of 20 by bythe bythe the Iho public for tOI thin tho maintenance of ot a 1 military force Corro which for tor upwards of ot half 1111 n century colury has ceased to retain even oven the semblance nf ot nn existence The Tho le tux tax was first levied loIC In the thin reign of ot King 1 ln Charles Chalo II I tinder an nn act ReI which provided for tor the raising or of 6 men to keep krep order o It el In hl the tho city cl of ot Loudon London Of o tho the COO I CO each ward was wan required to 10 maintain a IL certain number IS it being share horo Although generally called caled by hy the Iho ancient name Hume luno of ot trained bands the tho force was wall officially designated ed NI the tho Royal City nt ot London Just Jut when whon the force torro was disbanded that at storehouse of ot t musty records tho the theto war would probably be hc unable to tell lel For Jor O years enT none of the wards wad wadha have havo ha raised their quota of ot men but with that punt blind to hoary boar customs n which Is III characteristic of nt lint I lih Jh authorities the tho tax ta has hall been beon paid palt I after year y yat PAr without I any nn Y hick flak I Now nt at has ban lie appeared enough to contest the thc legality of ot the lyre ex ox exaction exaction action The Thc lord mayor whoso whose own functions constitute ono one of ot the most striking Il ii Illustrations I of 01 the tho survival of ot antique customs In it was appealed to and of ot course cour o derided decided that tho the tax would have to be bc paid held An has hasteen teen been taken against his hlA decision and amt RII the matter Is to bo be fought out tn In n the thc courts The present beneficiaries of thin tho tax are ars the th militia milita battalion of the I Royal Fusiliers though why the money mona mon should be he bestowed on them Is another archaic mystery It Is la expended In ht II all sorts of queer ways wn Items such lIch as nR whitewashing the barracks and old corona coronation lion tion ton Illuminations which cost fig ni Urn lire lre In II the tho accounts hut most mOAt surprising ing hIl I n g of oC nil 01 n II appears an all annual payment of 1250 1 50 to tn the te secretary ry of ot thin the fund exist In London that would i slake make nn 11 American politician turn green With envy en ti For lor nearly 1 on I H 11 years no service lIerE lisa has hil been bee I held at nt fit Ht Georges orge Church lie Jin 11 hH Lane In II i thin the hI heart of ot the thc city I In 1891 the root roof was WIK discovered to be ho unsafe and 1111 the tho bishop of London LIon or ordered dared dered the tho building closed close ns as 1 there thero areiti no n funds available to 0 defray the rost rOlt of ot Its IH repair It I was sold said sol I for tor forM business purposes Hut But lut during nil all Al this him M time timo Its rector the Ho Dr ban hit been bear bool drawing a n 1 salary of ot 1400 30 H a 1 year and ant doing absolutely nothing to earn It U living at lIt 11 where horo he Ito Is canon of the cathedral and aid aidIn lu In II receipt of ot n another no or substantial In Income come coma Justified by such much nn an 01 Illustrious example It In II not Ml surprising that for tor forthe forthe the tho same pried the parish pariah clerk has hud had about no compunctions of ron pocketing pock Ung 20 a n year for tor services that he hc never rendered that the tho beadle has han taken annually M a n year from th thin parish for merely mere signing the receipt for tor his salary and that the humble organ blower has l 1114 continued continue to draw drw 5 0 O A n year oar for tor doing nothing YM Yet f with lIh tho Church of It II Is IH stated on 01 high hlll authority th there ro are no team less les than I Lr LrA 10 A |
