MR. WHITEsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether it is the intention of Government to bring in a Bill this or nest Session to give effect to the Recommendations agreed to by the right hon. Gentleman and a majority of the Select Committee on Poor Rate Assessment—namely, that so much of any Public or Local Act as permits composition for Rates in other than Parliamentary Boroughs should be repealed, and that all Local Rates should be merged into one (Consolidated) Rate, to be assessed and collected together, so as to make the future Parliamentary Franchise for Boroughs dependent upon the payment of all or any Local Rate other than the Poor Rate, as is now the statutory qualification by the Reform Act of 1867?
§ MR. GATHORNE HARDYin reply, said, that he was scarcely in a position, so recently after the Committee had made their Report, to give any intimation as to what the intentions of the Government might be on that subject. For himself 1000 personally, however, as a Member of that Committee, he could state that he concurred in the recommendation that all those rates should be combined and should be collected by instalments as the best mode of procedure. But how the plan should be carried out must be a matter for future consideration.