§ LORD JOHN BROWNEsaid, he wished to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether he is able to state the estimated cost of the revaluation of Rateable Property in Ireland, which it is proposed by the Rateable Property Bill to carry out every fourteen years; whether the expense of those repeated valuations are to be charged on the local rates, and whether they are to be compulsory; whether he has any objection to a Return stating the total actual cost of the last general valuation of Ireland, and of its estimated cost at the 670 time that the Act authorizing it passed through Parliament; and if he can state how many valuations, including those solely for Poor Law purposes, have been made for Ireland during the last thirty years? He also would beg to ask whether the right hon. Gentleman will postpone the second reading of the Rateable Property Bill until the production of such Return?
§ MR. CHICHESTER FORTESCUEsaid, in reply, that the estimated cost of the revaluation was £46,000. It was intended to take place once every fourteen years, and the expense would be equally divided between the local rates and the Treasury. He could not undertake to give the estimated cost of the last valuation, but he had no objection to giving a Return of the actual cost and also of the number of valuations made during the last thirty years. He was also willing to postpone the Committee on the Bill until the Return was produced.