Here's the second part of 3 - 18 JULY 1856 RATING OF MINES TO THE POOR [testimony before a Committee of Parliament, regarding rating of mines to aid the poor] . . [Captain S. SECCOMBE then testified -] . He was a mine agent in the neighbourhood of Liskeard, in East Cornwall, which was now a large mining district. Some called it a new district; but, many years ago, there was an extensive mine worked by Messrs. WILLIAMS, which returned considerable profits. There was also one which was said to have been worked about two hundred years since. . He was manager of the Phoenix Mines, in Linkinhorne, which were formerly worked in part as the Cornwall Great United, and the Clannacomb, Linkinhorne, and other names. It was now a considerable mine. . They had sunk 173 fathoms below the adit, which was 14 fathoms from surface, and employed 257 persons at surface and underground. It was now a dividend-paying mine, and had been for about four years. In the new working they had expended GBP 91,000, and returned ore to the amount of GBP 112,000, on which they had to pay 1-18th dues; with the exception of a short period, when the mine was so very poor that the lord gave up the dues until they were in a position to pay them. The royalty was included in the item GBP 91,000. . He had had the management of the mine for the last seventeen years. The loss on the old Linkinhorne was between GBP 40,000 and GBP 50,000. They made a profit on the Phoenix Mine, which was the difference between GBP 91,000 expended and GBP 112,000 returned. Some ore was raised under the old working, but they did not get any copper until 100 fathoms below the adit; whilst for some portion of the sinking they paid as much as GBP 50 per fathom. The profits on last year's workings were about GBP 8,000. The Prince of Wales was the lord. . They had not paid any rates since he had been on the mine, but the parish attempted to rate them at GBP 400. The case was carried to the Petty Sessions at Launceston, and from thence to the Session at Bodmin, where the rate was quashed. In trying the question the parish spend from GBP 90 to GBP 100, which might have been saved had they taken the trouble to ascertain their dues were in money payment. . The highway returns for the parish of Linkinhorne, from lady-day 1838 to lady-day 1839, showed the total receipts to be GBP 281.18s.1d, and the disbursements GBP 300.8s.5 1/2 d.; whilst in 1855-6, the receipts were GBP 231.17s.8 1/2d., against GBP 213.2s. expended. They had a railway to the mine but the highway rate was much the same. There were complaints at first from the other ratepayers because they paid the mine labourers 2s. per day, whilst others only paid 1s.6d. . He considered that, taken as a whole, mining up to a certain point fully compensated for the non-payment of rates, as mines had their doctor and club; whilst a great number of miners were rated on their tenements. Nearly every cottage paid a rate which was at one time GBP 1 and then GBP 2; whilst the number of cottages rated increased from 95 in 1842, to 280 in 1856, which were rated at GBP 3. They also employed some of the superfluous labour of the district, many of their labourers being farmers' sons. He thought that mines up to a certain time maintained the whole of their poor. They paid them 1s. per day each during the whole of the time they were sick, and when mines were abandoned the miners find their way to other districts. There was no instance in the district of miners applying to the parish. [See 2nd paragraph below, when he changed his statement.] . Miners were a class of men who, if they found they could get higher wages in other districts, left them at the end of their contract. They employed in the mine persons whose ages ranged from seven years to seventy. . He had seen some who had applied for relief, but the poor miners did not become chargeable to the parish to a greater amount than they had contributed; as, whenever they could, they purchased, and built, cottages, or made some other provisions for old age. He considered that the number of miners who did so were more than 12 per cent of the mining population. They would, he thought, average more than that in Calstock, Linkinhorne, St. Cleer, and St. Ive. . His experience was chiefly in the eastern part of the county. He was forty-six years of age, and had been employed thirty-seven years in mines, beginning at the lowest stage. He considered that there were no losses sustained in this district in maintaining the mining poor, for when mines commenced, cottage property, than rated at GBP 1, had since gone on increasing to GBP 3. . Both the large and small farmers gained by the working of the mines. The former found it very convenient to receive the charge for horse hire monthly, and the latter felt the increased demand for cattle. The consumption of animal food in the parish was now from eight to ten times what it formerly was. As far as he knew, the parishioners were convinced that they received a benefit from the mines. . He knew St. Cleer well, and had lived in the adjoining neighbourhood for seventeen years. There the poor-rate in1837 was 2s. in One Pound. . In 1838, 2.6d. 1839, 2s.9d. 1840, 3s. 1841, 3s.3d. 1842, 2s.3d. 1843, 2s.5d. 1844, 2s.4d. 1845, 2s. 1846, 2s.3d. 1847, 1s. 1848, 6d. 1849, 6d. 1850, 7d. 1851, 6d. 1852, 6d. 1853, 8d. 1854, 1s3d. 1855, 10d. . According to these figures, it would be seen that the rates had not increased since the mines have been discovered, but have, on the average, decreased. The average amount collected in the Pound for poor-rates, for seven years ending 1843, was 2s.6 3/4d.; for seven years ending 1855, 2s.3d. in the Pound; showing a saving of 3 ¾ d. in the Pound. . In the highway rate this is more apparent. The average for seven years ending 1844 is 1s.10d.; and for seven years ending 1855, only 8 1/4d. in the Pound, being a decrease of 1s.1 3/4d. in the Pound, notwithstanding the increase of population, which, according to the census of 1841, was 1,412 against 2,343 in 1851, which gives an increase in ten years of 931. [West Caradon [mine] paid from the doctor and club fund a total of GBP 659.16s.3d. to the relief of the miners in the town of St. Cleer, in four years, ending Midsummer, 1856.] . The church-town of St. Cleer, which formerly, in 1835, consisted of a few labourers' cottages and poorhouse for the reception of the poor, is now a village of considerable importance, and numbering a great many dwellings, grocers' and drapers' shops, and can boast of its post-office, and of a market-day, held on Fridays. There are, besides, two other villages sprung up at Crow's Nest and Tremar, which also boasted of good dwelling houses and shops. Two bullocks are killed weekly in the parish, besides sheep, &c. The greater portion, however, of the inhabitants attend the Liskeard market. The average decrease of the rate in the seven years ending 1855, was 3 ¾ d. on the poor, and 1s. 1 3/4d. on the highway rate. . In the first period, ending in 1843, St. Cleer was not considered a mining parish. To show the extent of benefit received from mining in this district, he would mention that West Caradon, in the fifteen years from its commencement, had expended in labour GBP 246,700 6s. 11d and in materials, coal, timber, iron, & c., GBP 104,682.8s.5d. The amount of wages paid to labourers at the West Caradon, Gonamena and Craddock Moor, in the parish of St. Cleer, of which Mr. CROUCH was purser, is about GBP 2,500 per month; South Caradon paid about GBP 1,800 per month, and other smaller mines GBP 500, making together GBP 4,800 or GBP 1,200 per week. . In Menheniot, the amount of wages paid at Mary Ann Mine per month is GBP 1,000; Wheal Trelawny, GBP 1,080, and Trewetha, GBP 350 - together, GBP 2,430 per month. . The general statement of the parish of Linkinhorne of the poor-rate showed that the rate from lady-day, 1842-3, was 2s.10d; 1843-4, 2s.8d; 1844-5, 2.10d; 1845-6, 2s.6d.; 1846-7, 2s.11d.; 1847-8, 3s.7d.; 1848-9, 3s.4d.; 1849-50, 2s.8d.; 1850-1, 3s.6d.; 1851-2, 3s.3d.; 1852-3, 2s.4d.; 1853-4, 2s.4d.; 1854-5, 2s.3d.; showing a decrease in the amount of rating. . There had been in that time an increase in the average rate of assessment. The number of cottages in 1842, assessed at an average of GBP 1, were 95; in 185, 160 at GBP 2; and in 1856, 280, at an average of GBP 3, although all have taken the benefit of compounding. This increase he attributed to the mining adventurers entirely. . In the borough of Liskeard, the average amount of the poor-rate for the seven years ending lady-day 1841, was about 3s.9d. in the pound. Whilst in the seven years ending lady-day 1856, the average was 2s.10d, showing a decrease of 11d. in the pound. A rate at 4d. in the pound will realize about GBP 30; and this decrease, therefore, would show a saving of about GBP 330 per annum. The gross estimated rental in 1835 was 4,768, the rateable value in the same year GBP2,682. The gross estimated rental in 1856 is GBP 9,440.7s.6d., and its rateable value GBP 6,949.13s.2d. There could be no doubt of the fact that property in Liskeard borough had doubled since 1835 in value. . There were scarcely any mines in the parish, but it was surrounded by them in St. Cleer, St. Ive, and Menheniot; but the decrease in the rates was attributable to the mines. The rate has been revised, but there has not been a general valuation since 1835. The population in 1841 was 3,002, and in 1851, 4,386, giving an increase of 1,384. There was also a proportionate increase in the consumption in that period. The number of bullocks killed and brought to Liskeard in 1835 were 6 ½ per week. In 1856, the average number per week is 34; sheep and pigs have likewise increased to the same ratio; the present number of sheep killed being about fifty a week. . By the Committee - The effect of the stoppage of the mines would not be felt as a burthen, as the miners would find their way off to some other district. As to a general depression of mines, it was an event which had never occurred. . Some of the guardians of their parish were opposed to the rating of mines; others were in favour of the rate. He had attended both the meetings at Truro. Capital to the amount of fully GBP 1,000,000 was represented at the last. It was, with two exceptions (Mr. DARKE, of Penzance, the drawer of the bill, and some overseer), unanimously of opinion that mines should not be rated. . By the Chairman - The doctor and club allowance continued until the man was enabled to resume his work, or the mine was abandoned. At the Phoenix Mines they commenced their club on a small scale in 1846. [details of receipts through 1855 followed.] The allowances included surgeon in sickness. Many miners were also connected with benefit societies, from which they received in sickness certain advantages. He did not think that mines did any injury to the agriculturists, and they ought not to be taxed. . Most of the capital expended in them came from London, but there were no labourers sent with it. If mine adventurers at a distance sunk GBP 100,000 in a district, he could not conceive that they ought to be taxed. Whenever a new mine was opened the population to work it came from parishes in the county. . The club fund was supported by voluntary contributions. It was not in the nature of a friendly society. The miner knew by the rules of the mine that he was entitled to relief from the club so long as he is incapable of working. . At the Phoenix Mine, about a fortnight since, two working miners met with injuries through premature blasting, by which one became totally, and the other partially, blind, and as long as he lived he would receive relief. . It was the practice of miners to make some provision against age or accident. This was especially the case among tributers, whose pitches often turned out better than they expected; and he had known one who got so much as GBP 200 as his share in two months. The first thing he did, when he got his money, was to obtain a piece of ground, and by building on it was the means of increasing the towns and villages. He had not given any attention to the subject as to whether the area of settlement should be extended. . They kept a separate book for the doctor and club, and had now a surplus balance of GBP 118.7s.5d. If the mine were abandoned they would continue to pay. There were variations in different mines as to this point, but it was their intention to continue the payments. He was not aware that when a mine broke up, the balance was carried to the adventurers if there were men on the club. . By the Committee - There was a great difference in mines giving employment to the poor of the county, without importing a number of poor into Cornwall to work the. Liskeard was a large town, and some miners resided there. A few of the mine agents had built houses in the town. The houses now built were better than before; but a considerable portion of them were built by the general inhabitants of Liskeard. The business of the town had greatly increased, and there were shops in it now with plate-glass fronts, which could scarcely boast of a square of glass a few years ago. He believed a petition had been presented from the guardians of Liskeard in favour of the rate, which was carried by a majority of only one. . The parish of St. Cleer was newly valued for rating purposes in 1854 by Mr. BADCOCK, a land surveyor. The gross estimated rental of the new rate was GBP 7,179.0s.4d., and its rateable value GBP 5,309.17s.8d. The gross rental of the old rate in 1837 was GBP 5,221.10s.4d., and its rateable value, GBP 3,918.9s.6d., showing an increase on the rental of GBP 1,957.1s. and of GBP 1,393.8s.2d. on the rateable value. . In his opinion, where mines were working at a profit, they did a great deal of good, by keeping up the price of agricultural produce, and giving higher wages to those employed than they would otherwise be likely to get. . . [He rejected outright the suggestion that the doctor and club funds should be rated in any manner.] . End of part 2; part 3 to come