Folios 697-698. To: The Home Secretary. From: William Toy, Clerk to the Local Board...

Folios 697-698.

To: The Home Secretary.

From: William Toy, Clerk to the Local Board for the District of Mossley [Cheshire/Lancashire/Yorkshire], 3 Park Parade, Ashton under Lyne [Lancashire].

Subject Matter: Letter advising that in 1861, the London and North Western Railway Company appealed against the Poor Rate made for the Parish of Saddleworth [Yorkshire] and the subject of the appeal was ultimately referred to arbitration, which lasted three years. Toy explains that in 1864, a portion of the Lower Division of Quickmere, which is in the Parish of Saddleworth, was included in a Local Board district called the Mossley District. He further explains that the decision in the Poor Rate appeal was given after the formation of the Local Board district. Its decision is said to have been that the rateable value of the railway was to be reduced, and consequently the excess of all rates paid as Poor or Highway Rates during the pending appeal had to be repaid to the Railway Company, which was done. Toy explains that Mr Edward Hilton, the Surveyor for the excluded portion of the district of Mossley, paid the whole sum of £40 to the Railway Company on demand and obtained a receipt for the same, as it had been agreed that the Local Board should pay a portion of the overcharge (£27), and the Local Board drew a cheque on the Treasurer and the same was cashed. However, at the last audit of the accounts of the Local Board, which took place on the 1 August 1866, the Auditor, Mr William Roberts, is said to have disallowed the sum paid to Hilton by the Local Board on the ground that the same had not been paid by the Board but had been paid by Mr Hilton. The sum of £27 is now said to have been repaid by Hilton to the Treasurer of the Local Board, but Toy explains that Hilton thinks himself aggrieved by the disallowance and hereby appeals ('and the Local Board joins') to the Home Secretary to make such an Order in the matter as shall seem reasonable.