The Express.
London, England, 1858-03-24 00:00:00

TSOPOLIB.

Mr. AYRTON mid that, in moving for leave to bring in
tannic) worlds • remedy for the inequality of the rates for
the relief of the poor in the metropolis, he might remind the
NOON that last session he bad moved for • commit es to in-
quire into that inequality, and devise a remedy for it. On
that occasion he treat at considerable length into the details
and eater of the inequality which existed, and he also illus.
trend those details by an to figures, which showed
that inequality is • reoerrable degree. and that the highest
rats erred in • manifold degree in certain parishes only.
What ha proposed was nothing new. It cams to his band la
the very statute of Elizabeth, for that start* provided that
when the rates of one pariah wars inaufilcient, the noes-
tram were to have the power of levying • rats in aid.
The metropolitan district extended to portions of four counna,
and what he proposed was that each bench of magistrstes of
the four metropolitan counties should elect two of their body,
and that the galleon so elected should constitute a nodal
sessions for the rating of the metropolis. Thus they should
have a board composed not only of men of undoubted elm-
ranter and position, but • body who would find amongst their
own members those who wen most competent to perform
this function. Such a body would obviate the great objec.
tion against • government board, or ceisofatipandian organi-
sation. This board would require the agency of a clerk
merely, to that there could be no objection on the ground of
expenditure. The first and most mossaary Map which the
board thus constituted would have to take, would be to ascer-
tain what is to be the basis of rating for the metropolis, for
there was great diversity in the basis of aramment, us
appeared from the return which was laid bare the
house. The assessment of St. George's, Hanover.
square, under the property tax, was 1,097 0001., whilst
the rating under the poor-law was 694,0001., being
• difference of 400,0001. between the two wen
meats. In Mayiebone the difference was 300,00 W.
lint some of the poorer parishes were assessed under the poor-
law within 13,0001. of the property-tax aaseannent. In one
in Bethnal-green the property-tax rating was
f2r0001., whilst the poor-law rating was 130,0001., and it is
much the same in the parish of St. Mary Magdalen., Ber-
mudan. The first step, therefore, wrch was neoemary so
es to administer justice between contending interests, wss
to lay down • uniform basis of areasment. In performing
this duty the justices would be undertaking no novel fano-
dons. There was already in existence an admirable statute
by which the justices arrived ate uniform standard he the
county nits. Following in the steps of previous legislation,
he, therefore, proposed to confer on these justices, with re-
spect to the metropolis, the power which the committee of
The
at present powered with respect to coon=
The next function of the justices would be to
what was to be paid by my pariah towards the necessities of
another. To enable them to do this the bill pro-
vided that all p perishes at the end of the paro-
chial year should make a return of the expen-
diture and rating for the past year. This return was
now mule to the Poot-law Board, so that it would be only
necessary to send a copy of it to the justices' clerk, who wir
to give notice of the result by printed circular. The bill pro-
vided that the justices should then bold a special smoker for
the purpose of determining the sum which was to be paid by
the richer pariah and received by the power on.. Power was
given to them to examine objections on the ground of ex-
tra of expenditure or other ground of dereliction of
parochial duty. He believed that the magistnicy wee* tally
competent to discharge those functions, and though ha saw
some gentlemen smile at that statement, he shard rather
frost the good SOW of the unpaid magistrates than the
of • bench of stipendiary lawyers. (" Hew, hear,*
catiaidlluiest are • lawyer yoaresif.") If be was • lawyer,
perhaps he was the better qualified to give an opinion oldie
competence of lawyers to deal with such subject..
(Laughter.) As ths magistrates were to have the power of
fix Mr. the rating on a uniform basis, and raising the
areennint en soma parishes, he thought it best for the
parishes, and the public generally, that they should also have
the power of reducing the expenditure to an enrage standard
and a uniform rate. As every perish was to cowry the law
into effect, subject to the scrutiny of an independent bench
of joetiow, he did not think there was any tear that some
parishes would seek to reduce their own charge for the asks
of throwing the burden on other parishes. As there was
great difference of opinion on that point, he preferred leaving
it to be discussed in committee. Whatever view was taken
on this mint, he thought they must at all events proceed on
the principle of a per oentage, so as to give an intone to the
parishes to keep down the expenditure. Tha jostler
having determined what we. the amount to be prd
on the one hand, and received on the other, the bill
Vt legal machinery fur carrying out the principle.
•isLhe
aitage to be derived from Inch • measure as this
was, that ft would be no longer necessary to remove the poor
!Yuma one parish in the metropolis to another, and those re-
movals wore about three-fonrtha of the entire. T=0....u1d
also get rid of the want of division of the poor in .
It war hard that those poor who had wen better dem should
be obliged to comort with the viler chagrin. If the
divining of the metropolis wen removed they might select
workhouses for the different dress. He would not farther
enter into the details, as he had explained to the home the
general character of the bill. It did not in any way urchin
with local menagemeni, but left it intact. This ma • Inner
aaTintage, as, K ohs erasure turned out to be an erroneous
one, it might bs rescinded, and it word leave air
tweed the preset system of peroobial mansgemenet.
Mx.WILLIAMS ascended the motion. Memarrood that
no metropolitan nember would oppose the mods% and b•
la7tedSwitriaticdu°l4.ll:4". tall'EST'rrif":ol:ll"4"RT. wrilaciaMilhae=leagedaZ2.lll.l4thata"Krall'Arttothsths ral:t°
, tiros: ke'ardHe hadtliwdlabelbre the homes a itatiralatmederstimeiandallorddia.