RATES IN EAST END.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 206, 30 August 1921, Page 5

RATES IN EAST END.

COUNCILS ON STRIKE. NO RENT, NO KATES, NO TAXES. (By Cable—Press Association. —Copyright) (Received 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, August '29. At a great demonstration at Tower TIIII most of the East End suburban borough supported the Poplar Council's recent refusal to levy rates which occasioned High Court judgment. Banners wore carried bearing the inscription: "Poplar Councillors are determined to go to prison to secure equalisation of rates tor poorer boroughs." The- speakers urged East Enders to begin a huge "No rent, no rates, no taxes" strike, stating that it would give I the biggest victory- labour ever won. I It is expected that the Poplar Councillors will be rearrested this week. — (Reuter.) The Lord Chief Justice recently issued a writ of attachment against members •of the Poplar Borough Council for refusing to impose a strike rate to meet the London County Council's levy of about £40,000. Several members of the council expressed their willingness to impose a strike rate, but the La'bouT majority out-1 voted them. The majority opposed the levy as a protest against the burdens 'being placed on poor people. The defendants were given 14 days to comply with the order. The councillors went in procession to the court, headed by brass bandrt. Mr. George Lansbury and others stated the council's ease, declaring that while tin- members were not seeking a cheap martyrdom, they desired to protect the poor. He pointed out that there wore over 10,0(10 unemployed men and n'omni in Poplar. Men scrambled foT work at the docks like dogs after bones, Jnd children searched the dustbins for crusts. The rates on a £34 house already equalled the rent. The Lord Chief Justice, while admitting the honesty of the motives of the councillors, -said that they were looking through a microscope at the suffering of Poplar, not heeding the effort of their action upon the essential services of a community of 5,000,000. Their attitude wasj pure anarchy, and, if persisted, in, would! leave the community helpless.