HC Deb 18 May 1893 vol 12 cc1266-7
MR. FREDERICK FRYE (Kensington, N.)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury will he explain on what grounds the immense properties owned and occupied by the Government in the parishes of Woolwich and Plumstead are not rated at more than half their real value, thus causing a high rate to be paid by the inhabitants of those parishes generally; and whether he will cause a due assessment of the Government property in those parishes to be made, and wait to see what reduction in the rate it will produce, before he calls upon other parishes, by fresh legislation, to assist the ratepayers of Woolwich and Plumstead further than is now done under the existing law?

SIR J. HIBBERT

There is no warrant for the assumption in the first paragraph. The properties in question have been carefully valued, and the assessment fixed with the Assessment Committee of the Union on three separate occasions, in 1875, 1884, and 1891, and on each occasion the Committee have Informal resolution declared the valuation to be fair and equitable. On the last occasion the following resolution was passed:— The Assessment Committee, after going through all the details of the value of Government property in the several parishes comprised in this Union, are of opinion that the figures proposed by the Treasury Valuer at their special meeting to-day is a fair and equitable revision of the valuation, and they accept the figures accordingly. The second paragraph of the question does not, in view of these facts, appear to require any answer.