MR. MOWBRAY (Lancashire, Prestwich)asked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether it is the case that the extra expense caused to a Sanitary Authority in carrying out a scheme of sewerage for a district, by reason of the drainage of county build- 595 ings, such as lunatic asylums situated within the district, falls wholly upon the local rates of such district; and, whether such buildings are assessed to the local rates of the district only on the agricultural value of the land without the buildings; and whether, if so, he could see his way to insert provisions either in the Local Government Bill or in the Lunacy Bill to remedy such a state of things, and to make such extra expense a charge upon the General County Rate?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Mr. RITCHIE) (Tower Hamlets, St. George's)The cost of general works of sewerage in the district of a Sanitary Authority, including those which are required for a lunatic asylum situated within the district, is defrayed out of the local rates. The lands and buildings acquired for the purpose of a pauper lunatic asylum are not liable to be assessed to local rates at a higher value than that at which they were assessed at the time of their acquisition. A clause altering the law in this respect would not be germane to the provisions of the Local Government Bill; but an opportunity will arise for my hon. Friend to raise the question of the assessment of asylums when the Lunacy Acts Amendment Bill is before the House. The Government are willing to consider the matter in connection with that Bill.