We’ve rolled over into in our survey of the newspaper coverage of the tax resistance campaign against aspects of the Education Act of . Thousands of resisters have refused to pay, been summonsed by the authorities, and have had distraint orders made out against them. Many property seizures and auctions have taken place, with accompanying protest rallies.
The following article seems to suggest that there was some foot-dragging by the authorities in some cases, to the benefit of the passive resisters. From the Kent & Sussex Courier of :
It was on that three Tonbridge ratepayers refused to pay that part
of the Poor Rate devoted to educational matters, their refusal being the
outcome of their objection to the new Education Act. The three gentlemen
against whom distress warrants were promptly issued were Mr G.E. Lawson,
upholsterer, of 165, High-street; Mr P. Lawson, his son; and Mr F.P. Verney,
of Vale House, all prominent Nonconformists.
The issuing of the distress warrants raised the unique question between the
police and the overseers as to who could carry out the order of magistrates.
Supt. Styles claimed
that it was the duty of the overseers, and the latter claimed that they were
not the proper persons. The result was a deadlock.
Supt. Styles
communicated with the Chief Constable
(Col H.J.A. Warde), and on
Mr
H. Laurence appeared before the magistrates, but no further steps were taken
as no reply had been received from the Chief Constable. This arrived, however,
by ,
when the action taken by
Supt. Styles was
upheld. The magistrates, however, expressed their regret, through the Chairman
(the Hon. J.G. Talbot,
M.P.), that
the warrants, which were addressed to the police and overseers jointly, had
not been carried out. They hoped that no further delay would take place. On
the
matter again came before the magistrates, but it was not dealt with until
,
when the Hon. J.G. Talbot
again voiced the regret of the Bench that nothing had been done, and expressed
the hope that the warrants would be dealt with in the usual way. Still,
nothing was done until , when bills were issued by
Supt. Styles as under:…
E.R.
Kent County Constabulary.
Notice.
Sale of Goods
seized under distress warrants issued for the non-payment of the Poor Rates
will take place by Tender, at the
Police Station Yard, Tonbridge.
on
The goods can be seen on application to the undermentioned.
Tenders for the same will be accepted up to the time of sale.
Robert Styles,
Superintendent of Police,
Tonbridge.
On , therefore,
there was a considerable crowd assembled in the Station yard, when
Supt. Styles made the
announcement that he had received instructions to carry out the distraint
warrants for non-payment of the Poor Rate, and for which a sale had taken
place as advertised.…
At the conclusion of the sale, Mr Percy Lawson proposed a vote of thanks to
Supt. Styles and the
police officers generally in Tonbridge for the kindly-spirited way in which
they had levied the distress. He thought they appreciated their kindness more
on account of the very small animus. They also appreciated the kindness
received from the magistrates and overseers. The magistrates had treated them
to a sort of moral address on the duties of Christians. He thought it had been
rumoured in high quarters that the best method of dealing with Passive
Resisters was to put the bailiffs in the house, but they were much indebted
that the Superintendent did not think it necessary to take such steps. He
believed this was only the beginning of the Passive Resisters’ fight
(applause).
