MR. J. MELLOR (York, W.R., Sowerby)I beg to ask the President of he Local Government Board whether he has received an application from the School Board United District of Hebden Bridge, asking for a reconsideration of the award under the Agricultural Rates Act 1896, on the ground that at the time of making the award the Local Government Board had no information as to the separation of their district from Todmorden or the effect of it; whether Article III. of that Act applies to such a case; and, whether he will consent to reconsider the matter in consequence of the further information supplied?
§ MR. CHAPLINThe Local Government Board in the first instance certified an amount as payable to the School Board for the Todmorden United District but as it subsequently appeared that the district had been divided into two School Board districts, the Todmorden District and the Hebden Bridge -United District, the certificate was cancelled. Further certificates were issued for the two districts, the Sums certified being based on the sums raised on agricultural land in each of the two districts prior to their separation, and payments have been made to the two authorities in accordance with those certificates. Representations were made to the Board on behalf of the Hebden Bridge School Board with reference to the sum certified as payable to them, and these representations were carefully considered in connection with the provisions in Article III. of the Regulations, but the Board were of opinion that they were unable to alter their decision in the matter.