§ MR. DIXON-HARTLANDasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether it is a fact that the effect of the second and third items in Table B of Scale of Fees under Bankruptcy Act 1883, is to impose a tax upon all accounts opened at banks other than the Bank of England; whether this is not a clear departure from the compromise of the subject made by him and the Standing Committee; and, whether he is willing to alter the Rules so as to carry out such compromise?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINIn my opinion the Scale of Fees referred to in the Question does not impose any special tax upon accounts opened at local banks. The object of this Scale of Fees, which has been sanctioned by the Lord Chancellor and approved by the Treasury, is to spread the charges of administration in bankruptcy equally and fairly over all classes of accounts, and the fixed fee of £3 which has been settled upon for the opening of an account does not nearly represent the loss of interest which is sustained in the large cases, which are the cases ordinarily subject to these local accounts. Under these circumstances, the only doubt I have is whether I ought not to alter the scale and make it an ad valorem charge on the amount of assets. 1196 Unless something of the sort is done the smaller accounts will be paying a share of the expenses which are incurred in the larger accounts.
§ MR. DIXON - HARTLANDThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered my Question, which is whether the scale is not a departure from the compromise which the right hon. Gentleman made in the Grand Committee; but for which compromise an Amendment which I moved would have been carried against the Government?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINI think I have already answered the spirit of the hon. Gentleman's Question. I did not answer that particular part of the Question about the compromise, as it would have been necessary to trouble the House with some explanation. I do not admit the compromise the hon. Member speaks of. I made certain proposals and concessions with reference to this matter to the hon. Member and those who supported his views. The hon. Member refused those concessions, and took a division, on which he was beaten. I cannot consider that that was a compromise. I would add that, in my opinion, the Scale of Fees is no departure whatever from the proposals I then made.
§ MR. DIXON-HARTLANDI beg to give Notice that I shall bring forward this matter on the Motion for the salary of the Receiver General. Although the compromise was not made with me, it was made by the right hon. Gentleman with the Committee.