42 MEMORIES OF MEN AND HORSES 



revolutionary regime, and here are some of the incidents 

 which were recorded in that number : 



A DESTITUTE DUKE 



A POORLY clad man, who on inquiry was found to be 

 the Duke of Westminster, appeared at Bow Street this 

 morning and asked the advice of the presiding magis- 

 trate, Mr Charles Wood. He stated that he was ab- 

 solutely destitute, and that he was persecuted by the 

 Income Tax Commissioners, who held judgments against 

 him for enormous sums. 



MR WOOD. I don't see how I can help you. How 

 can you be destitute if your Income Tax is enormous? 



The Duke explained that of late years he had 

 received no rent whatever from any of his tenants, 

 but that he had been taxed on the nominal amount of 

 his rent-roll all the same, and that, too, on an immensely 

 increased scale, in accordance with the recommendations 

 of Mr Hyndman's Committee on Graduated Income 

 Tax. 



MR WOOD. In point of fact, you have to pay Income 

 Tax though you have no income? (Laughter.) 



The Duke replied that that was so. He had written 

 to Mr W. H. Melvil, solicitor to the Inland Revenue 

 Department, also to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, 

 Mr Howells, but he could obtain no redress. 



All his horses had long since been seized and sold, 

 and owing to the accident of his birth he had not been 

 educated to any trade and was now too old to learn. 



MR WOOD. Why don't you turn bookmaker? 



The Duke pointed out that he had no money, and 

 therefore would be unable to pay if he lost ; but Mr 

 Wood explained that the provisions of the Welshers' 



