The Express.
London, England, 1866-04-25 00:00:00

RATES ON GOVERNMENT PROPERTY.

Mr. Alderman SA Lee.ilONS called attention to the
exemption from local rates now claimed for houses, lands,
and buildings iu the occupation of government departments
throughout the country, and moved that the government
should (insider the expediency of recommending to par-
liament tint all lands and buildings used and occupied for
public mupwes ought to be liable to local rates in the
isms uttancr as other property, and pay rates ac-
cordingly.
Mr. Tr. T. seconded the motion, which
Mr. W. MARTIN supported, in the interest of the pariah
of Roches.; r.

Mr. C ELDERS said that the proposal was to subject
public property to ordinary local rates. but also an imagi-
nary prop.a•ty, in the shape of houses which might be built
on government land. If government was called on to pay
on this ba.ds, it was impossible to say to what extent the
general taxpayer might be called on to pay local rates.
Besides. at this present moment, a considegable amount of
public property did already pay sates; that is, wherever
there was .s legal beneficial occupation. Before the govern-
ment could pledge itself to propose any change in the
present system. they must have time for inquiry and con-
sideration.
After further discussion,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
the house had not the requisite information on the subject
to deal with it, and urged that, in considering the ques-
tion, the case of the grmt majority of the lavishes in the
country ought to be thou;ht of as well as those of the few
in which government property was situated. In any
inquiry which might be made, regard must be had not only
to the question of rateability, but to that of taxability ;
that is, if the system of local exemption was done away,
local property must be brought into the scheme of imperial
taxation. and this involved a very large and difficult ques-
tioqun. 'rho subject, lie admitted, was one which demanded
in
Thmotion was withdrawn
• . .

Mr. KNIGHT moved that it is expedient that all items
of poor-Law expenditure throughout the United Kingdom
not being in maintenance or out-door relief, or otherwise
under the immediate control or direction of boards of
guardians or parish officers, should become a national
charge.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
the motion embraced a very large and sweeping question—
namely, in what mode local charges should be provided.
He was averse to the transfer of local charges to the Con-
solidated Fund, except in cues in which public policy juati-
lied it.
The motion was negatived.
Mr. SHERIDAN withdrew his motion on the subject of
lire Insurance, preferring to leave the matter in the hands
of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Mr. FERRAND moved for a select committee to inquire
whether the signatures to petitions in favour of the Re-
form Bill coming from Harden in Yorkshire and Man-
skeeter and Salford were genuine, and the cireumstMces
under which they they were annexed.
Mr. 'Si. E. FORSTER in reference to a statement of
Mr. Fernend, protested against the owner of a particular
will in Harden being charged with influencing, if not
intimidating, his workmen to sign the petition, sad he
Taal a letter from the gentleman in question, distinctly
denying the charge, and asserting that the signatures
were genuine. He should be glad of an inquiry by a
esetunittee, which he was sure would result in proving the
genuineness of the petition.