HC Deb 05 May 1898 vol 57 cc402-3
MR. H. H. MARKS (Tower Hamlets, St. George's)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that Mr. Herbert B. Röhss, of Anglesea Terrace, Bevois Hill, Southampton, who is an assessor of income tax, from the same address advertises as a money-lender in the Southampton papers, and trades sometimes as the Southampton Loan Advance Company; and whether he will represent to the Commissioners of Inland Revenue the impropriety of permitting a professional money-lender to act as an assessor of income tax, and to have access to such sources of information as to the private means of possible clients as are available to him in that capacity?

MR. HANBURY

Mr. Röhss is not an officer of the Board of Inland Revenue, and that Board have no knowledge of the facts stated by the honourable Member. Assessors of income tax are appointed by and are responsible to the local commissioners of income tax for the district in which they act. I cannot but agree with the honourable Member's view if the facts of the case are as alleged. The Board of Inland Revenue are calling the attention of the local commissioners to the statements in the Question.