A COOL QUESTION AND A COURTEOUS ANSWER.
Mr. Punch lately received the following polite communication from the indefatigable assessor of Income-Tax for the district in which Mr. Punch carries on his labours for the benefit of his species:-
“2, Falcon Court, Fleet Street, February 3rd.
“You will please fill up the enclosed Form with the names and addresses of those Gentlemen the Write for Punch, in order that they may be duly assessed to the Income-Tax. Please return it to my office within Seven days.”
This letter took Mr. P. by surprise. He had not been accustomed to consider that his distinguished, thought anonymous, correspondents, were “persons in his service or employ” – as specified in the heading of the From enclosed by the assessor. Satisfied, however, that no assessor of Income-Tax could possibly have over-stepped the limits of law, still more, that such an official could have asked any question he had no right to ask, and thus have been guilty of an impertinence, Mr. Punch loses no time in satisfying the curiosity of that official, and at the same time takes the opportunity of indulging the natural eagerness of the public for information as to the sources of the wit and wisdom that weekly irradiate his pages, by filling up the return as follows:-
| No.8. | |||
INCOME TAX. |
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For the Year 1859, ending 5th Alril, 1860. |
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| City of London. | Parish of St. Bride. | No. First. | |
| To Mr. Punch
In pursuance of the Acts of Parliament granting to Her Majesty Duties on Profits arising from Property, Professions, Trades and Offices, you are required to fill up such of the followng Lasts as are applicable to your Case, and to deliver the same to us at our Dwelling-house, situate at No.2, Falcon Court, Fleet Street, within Twenty-one Days from the date hereof, under the Penalty contained in the said Acts on neglect so to do. Dated this 2nd Day of May, 1859. Assessors. William Halkweorth, James Donald Munro, |
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| LISTS to be delivered by Persons employing Clerks, or Servants, or having Inmates and Lodgers, and by TRUSTERS, AGENTS, &c. | |||
| Christian and Surname of every Person in my Service or Employ (except Domestic Servants whose Total Incomes are respectively less than £100 a Year), whether resident in my Dwelling-house or not, and the Place of Residence of these not residing with the Master or Mistress. | |||
Lists of Clerks, Travellers, and Servants |
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| Christian and Surname. | Place of Residence of those not residing in my Dwelling-house. | ||
| Benjamin Disraeli, | Grosvenor Gate, Park Lane, and Hughenden Manor, Bucks. | ||
| The Right Hon. Viscount Palmerston, | Cambridge House, Piccadilly and Broadlands, Hants. | ||
| Wiscount Williams, | Park Square, Regent’s Park. | ||
| Ralph Bernal Osborne, | Charles Street, St. James’s, and Newton Anner, Co. Tipperary. | ||
| His Royal Highness the Prince Consort, | Buckingham Palace, &c. | ||
| Messrs. Buckmaster (army Tallers), | New Burlington Street, West. | ||
| Sir George W. W. Bramwell, | Deans’ Yard, Westminster, and Court of Exchequer. | ||
| James Myers, | (Travelling with a Circus, and not having any fixed residence, so far as I know.) | ||
| Col. The Hon. Sir C. B. Phipps, | Buckingham Palace; Osborne, Isle of Wight: Balmoral, Co. Aberdeen; and Windsor Castle, Berks. | ||
| Baron Nathan, | Rosherville, Gravesend. | ||
| John Jenkins, | Morning Post Office, Wellington Street North. | ||
| The Very Rev. Francis Close, | Deauery, Carlisle. | ||
| The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, | Downing Street. | ||
| (Signed) Punch.
Dated (by anticipation) the 1st day of April, 1860. |
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