HC Deb 01 August 1845 vol 82 c1319
Mr. C. Buller

wished to put a question, and he owed an apology, perhaps, to the House for not having brought forward a Motion upon the subject, but he should be excused for having taken the simpler and the speedier mode of getting information upon it, by asking a question of the hon. Gentleman the Secretary of the Treasury. The question which he had to put related to a petition which he had some time since presented to the House, from a lady of the name of King, complaining that, although her income was under 150l. a year, and although she had repeatedly applied to have a return made to her of the amount collected from her tenants, her income being derived from houses, and notwithstanding a couple of years' continual remonstrance on the subject to the local Commissioners and to the Treasury, she had not been able to procure as yet any return of the money. The petition further stated that she had been subjected to a good deal of vexation, annoyance, and ill treatment from some of those with whom she had thus been brought in contact. He wished, therefore, to ask the hon. Gentleman if he had made any inquiry into the circumstances, and whether he could now give any information as to the case?

Mr. Cardwell

said, that before the petitition alluded to was presented by the hon. Gentleman, the case of Mrs. King had received the attention both of the Commissioners at Somerset House and of the Treasury. The case had been brought before the Commissioners, to whom, by law, cases of this kind were left; and they, after the fullest investigation, were perfectly satisfied that the claim of Mrs. King to a return of the duty had not been substantiated; and upon further inquiry made by himself into the case, he had every reason to believe that the decision come to by the Commissioners was supported by the strongest evidence. With regard to the complaint as to the vexation and annoyance which the petitioner alleged that she had sustained from the conduct of the officers, he had also investigated that charge, and believed that it was entirely without foundation.