MR. GLADSTONEsaid, he would beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, under the Law as it will stand if the present proposals of the Government shall be adopted, Will the compound-householder at and above £10 be enabled to come and continue upon the register without ceasing to be a compound-householder; in the event of his paying, in pursuance of his claim, any "rate due in respect of the premises," will he be entitled to deduct the sum so paid from rent payable by him to his landlord; what is the meaning of the words (in No. 4 of the proposed Amendment to Clause 34) "rate due in respect of the premises;" and, in a case where the owner has already paid the composition rate, will the occupier claiming to be enfranchised be liable to pay the difference between the composition rate and the full rate; and, whether by the terms of the third Clause, requiring that the person to be registered shall have been an inhabitant occupier for twelve months, it is intended to require that he shall have resided during that period?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERSir, it may possibly arise from my want of powers of apprehension, but there is to my mind, notwithstanding I have taken advice on the subject, some obscurity of meaning in the first Question of the right hon. Gentleman. But if it should be his intention to ask whether the compound-householder is by our Bill deprived of any privilege which he now possesses under the 14 & 15 Vict. c. 14, I answer that he certainly does not; and of course the moment he becomes personally rated he ceases to be a compound-householder. As to whether the compound-householder will be entitled to deduct the sum he has paid in the shape of rates from the rent he pays to his landlord, my answer is that he certainly will be. The right hon. Gentleman also asks what is the meaning of the words "rate due in respect of the premises," and in a case where the owner has already paid the composition rate will the occupier, claiming to be enfranchised, be liable to pay the difference between the composition rate and the full rate? The words "rate due in respect of the premises" mean the rate due from the landlord at the time of the tenant making the claim. And with 262 regard to the inquiry whether the occupier claiming to be enfranchised will be liable to pay the difference between the composition rate and the full rate, under this Bill, as we intend, and have provided by a clause, he will not be called on to pay it. With regard to the last inquiry, whether by the terms of the 3rd clause, requiring that the person to be registered shall have been an inhabitant occupier for twelve months, it is intended to require that he shall have resided during that period, I have to say that it is intended that he shall have so resided. We hold that in this Bill the words "inhabitant occupier and resident" are identical.
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERsaid, he would beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is the intention of the Government, by omitting all the words after "rated" in the first line of Clause 34 of the Representation of the People Bill, to prevent the application of Clause 1 of the Compound Householders Act (14 & 15 Vict. c. 14) to Compound Householders under £10; and, it so, whether it is intended to deprive Compound Householders under £10 of the right which the above-mentioned Clause gives to Compound Householders at and above £10 of being registered and entitled to vote upon claiming to be rated, instead of being obliged, by Clause 30 of the Reform Act (2 Will. IV. c. 45), to be rated for a year before becoming a voter?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERBy the Bill Clause 1 of the Compound-householders Act is applied to both classes of compound-householders, and therefore it is unnecessary for me to answer the rest of the hon. Gentleman's inquiry, which is founded upon a contingency that cannot arise.
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERBy what clause of the Bill are compound-householders under £10 brought under the operation of Clause 1 of the former Act?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERBy a general clause in the Bill the rights existing under the 1st and 2nd clauses of the Compound Householders Act are reserved.