§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether it is the intention of the Government to concede the principle that all Government property shall for the payment of rates, be placed on the same footing as other property; and, if so, whether they would be willing that the assessment committee of a union should appoint a valuer to meet the Government valuer, and confer together as to a basis of valuation?
§ MR. HANBURYThe principle which the Treasury valuer has recently been instructed strictly to observe, is to treat Government property for rating purposes on precisely the same basis as private property, with the result of a very large increase in the contributions paid by Government; and he always confers directly with the local assessment committees.