§ Bill to appoint additional Commissioners for executing the Acts for granting a Land Tax and other Rates and Taxes, ordered to be brought in by Mr. Hanbury and Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer.
§ MR. STEVENSON (Suffolk, Eye)said in years gone by he had opposed the introduction of this Bill on the ground that it was an unnecessary measure, and also because there were very serious objections which stood in the way of the administration of the Land Tax. This year some of the objections which were urged in years gone by were no longer applicable, because some of the small Land Tax payers were not affected to the same extent as they were on previous occasions. At the same time, although the opposition from them was not so strong as it was before, he thought there were serious objections to the measure, and although they might not be such as ought to be pressed to the extent of a Division against the first reacting, it seemed to him that some protest ought to be made against the constant introduction of measures of this kind year after year. The whole of the existing system was one which required revision, and he earnestly trusted that the Government would take an early opportunity of not only doing away with the property qualification of the Land Tax Commis- 966 sioners, but also of handing over the Land Tax to the county councils, in order that the matter might be dealt with in a more equitable Manner.