Summary jurisdiction granted two hundred and four warrants upon all Europeans Taxpayers who had not complied with the Government notifications published in the Government Gazette of the 12th, 15th, and 18th of August calling for payment at the Treasury, on or before the last day of that month of all Rates assessed and due for the third quarter of the current year.
I have no doubt that the occupant of lot No 145 was and is liable. The date shown in the notice I am at a loss to understand why the 18th September was inserted therein in lieu of the last day in August as provided in the Government notifications I have cited. The insertions in "Pencil" are also irregular and the attention of Mr de Souza, whose error it was, should have been called to it.
More to the point, attention had already been drawn to the defective notice which had been sent to me previously. This was done unofficially to give Mr Forth opportunities to rectify his mistake. The Notification was inserted in the weekly Gazette and reproduced in that official publication for three Saturdays consecutively.
It appears he took no steps to do so. It may be that the clerk who called at the Office of Police and Lighting Rate on the 3rd Instant was, in substance, informed at that office that the gathering of the Tax under consideration had passed from the Treasury to the Court of Summary Process, but I feel confident that nothing more could have passed.
With regard to the "Date" inserted in the notice, the clerical error of Mr de Souza may by implication have fallen into. The authority which could not be set aside was the Government Notification.
(Signed) Fred Forth