RATING OF TENEMENTS BILL.

HC Deb 17 June 1846 vol 87 cc628-31

MR. ALLIX

moved the Second Reading of the Rating of Tenements Bill.

MR. R. PALMER

complained that the Bill should be forward at such a late hour, and expressed his opinion that it was a measure which ought not to be adopted without careful and mature consideration.

MR. P. SCROPE

said, that this Bill would discourage the building of houses for the poorer classes. The effect of rendering the owners of small tenements liable for rates would be to discourage the investment of capital in the erection of houses for the labouring population. There was no doubt that the physical comforts and moral habits of the poorer classes depended, to a great extent, on the character of their habitations; and it appeared, from returns on this subject, that in this metropolis, and in large towns, as well as in the country, great numbers of the poor were crowded into small houses, and in many cases entire families occupied only one room. He thought, then, that the Legislature ought to afford every encouragement to the providing of comfortable habitations for the poorer classes. Under the existing law the poorer classes were exempted from rates; for, by the 54th George III., magistrates were enabled, on the recommendation of overseers, to exempt poor persons from the poor rate. This enactment, however, was practically attended with great inconvenience; for those who claimed exemption had to make an appeal to the overseer, and then to appear before the magistrates, to establish their case—a proceeding which involved considerable loss of time. He considered that the best course would be to introduce a measure exempting the occupiers of tenements under a rental of 6l. a year from the payment of rates. The object of the promoters of this Bill was evidently to discourage the building of small houses, for the petitions in its favour emanated from ratepayers, who complained that under the present law persons were induced to come into their parishes and build small tenements. The principle upon which the exemption under the 54th George III. was adopted was this—that there was a large class of persons who, though not actually receiving parochial relief, were on the verge of pauperism, and who, therefore, could not properly be called upon to pay poor rates. The moment the Bill now before the House came into operation this exemption, which applied to hundreds of thousands of cases, would at once cease. But did they think the landlords would not take care, if they were chargeable with the rate, to put it upon the occupiers in the shape of an increased rent? There could be no doubt they would do so. The Poor Removal Bill might make it the interest of many landlords to pull down cottages in order to prevent a right to relief, irremovable, being acquired by residence, and here was another Bill with the same tendency. Many small cottages paid next to no rent, and were scarcely worth repairing: the owner would not find it worth his while to pay rates for them. The Bill would amount to a penalty on building them, and must lessen the comforts of the poor. It was easy for ratepayers to complain of such property not being rated now; but this was not the only property exempt; there was funded property. Stock in trade, which was legally liable to be rated, was exempted by an annual Bill. If exemption from poor rate were made dependent on the cottages being properly drained and ventilated, that would tend to meet the objection made to sanatory recommendations, that the poor man's house could not pay more than at present. Under all circumstances, he (Mr. P. Scrope) would move that the Bill be read a second time that day six months.

MR. HAWES

suggested, that as it was near six o'clock, the debate had better be adjourned, and the rest of the Orders of the Day might then be disposed of.

Debate adjourned.

House adjourned at six o'clock.