ELEVENTH-HOUR RUSH

Evening Star, Issue 19745, 21 December 1927, Page 10

ELEVENTH-HOUR RUSH

RECEIVING RATES AT TOWN HALL £35.000 TAKEN YESTERDAY Thousands of people besieged the Town Hall to-day. Their purpose, however, was a perfectly peaceful and legitimate one, and, as far as they were concerned, an important one. They carried with them a little blue slip which .was an account for rates, and which informed them, unless the rates were paid to-day, a JO per cent.'penalty would be imposed. Notwithstanding the fact that the accounts were sent out many months ago, the majority of people did not give them any thought till the last few weeks. It is human nature to leave things till the last minute; consequently the eleventh-hour rush. Business has been particularly brisk the last day or two, and the clerks who receive the money have been working at high pressure.

The City Treasurer (Mr 11. Henderson) stated this morning that the total amount of rates to bo collected for the year ending March 31, 1928, was £258,000, as against £237,000 for the preceding year. Last year about £9,000 was outstanding on the day after which a penalty was imposed, and it was anticipated that this year the position would be the same. This morning £190,000 of the £258,000 bad been collected, leaving £68,000 still to come in. Yesterday £35,000 was received in rates. This amount represented 2,600 accounts, and meant that for the time business was done a receipt was given every ten seconds Tt is anticipated that to-day about £50,000 will be paid over the counter, and that about £B,OOO will be posted by mail.