§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed "That the Bill be now read a Second time."
§ MR. T. LOUGHsaid that before the Bill was read a Second time, he thought that the House ought at least to have some explanation of its purpose.
§ *MR. J. SAMUELsaid this was a very important Bill, and ought to be debated in the early hours of the evening. In the first place, it proposed, with the consent of the local authorities, to transfer the cost of the maintenance of Volunteer establishments, such as drill sheds and other permanent works, to Corporations and Town Councils, and other public bodies. He thought that the principle of the Measure was entirely wrong, because, if the Volunteer force was to be maintained, it ought to be maintained out of the National Exchequer, and not out of local taxation. ["Hear, hear!"] In the borough he represented the rates were at present exceedingly high, but there was a proposition on foot in the town to build a drill shed at a cost of £7,000 or £8,000. Under this Measure the Corporation might be asked to build and maintain that shed. The Government were adopting a wrong course entirely with reference to Imperial and local expenditure. ["Hear, hear!"] There should be a proper and marked line between the two. At present the Imperial Exchequer were sending to local authorities something like £12,000,000 or £13,000,000 a year in aid of local expenditure, and a large amount of that money was actually wasted. Anyone who had experience of local authorities must admit that grants in aid were to a great extent mere waste. [" Hear, 252 hear!"] There was a great outcry now coming from the Port Sanitary authorities that the expenditure placed upon them ought to be national expenditure; but what would local authorities say if they were asked to build and maintain drill sheds and rifle butts and other permanent works? This Measure was constructed entirely upon wrong principles, and the House ought not to agree to it. ["Hear, hear!"] The Under Secretary had said the other day that he was quite prepared to limit the expenditure under the Bill to a rate of 3d. in the pound. In the borough he represented a 3d. rate would raise close on £2,000 a year to be handed over to the Volunteers.
The hon. Member was speaking at midnight, when the Debate stood adjourned.
Debate to be resumed To-morrow.