§ MR. COOPEasked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether in the election for members of Local Boards owners of property residing out of the district, who are entitled to vote by proxy under the Public Health Act of 1875, are subject to the payment of a 10s. stamp to be affixed to their proxy papers; and, whether, if so, he is prepared to take any steps to remove this burden?
§ MR. SCLATER-BOOTH,in reply, said, that, in the opinion of the Inland Revenue Commissioners, the appointment of a proxy to vote for an owner in the election of a Local Board required a 10s. stamp, and that applied equally to owners resident and non-resident in a district; but an appointment once made did not require to be renewed so long as the name of the proxy remained on the register. Whether the impost could be removed was a question for the Chancellor of the Exchequer.