§ MR. DAVID MACIVER (Liverpool, Kirkdale)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the action of the Liverpool Corporation in distraining upon the property of a certain well-known and widely-imitated charity for payment of municipal rates; whether he is aware that such demands are now being made in full for the first time, and upon the alleged ground that corporations, since 1899, have had no option in the matter, and that this increase is being resented by charities throughout the country; and whether, if the state of the law is as herein suggested, he can see his way to bring in a Bill with a view to its alteration in such a manner as to give a reasonable discretion to municipal corporations in the matter of exemption, so that charities considered desirable in the public interest, and which relieve the rates, may not themselves of necessity be subjected to rating.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. LONG,) Bristol, S.I understand that the circumstances are as stated in the question, except that I am informed that the full rates on the property referred to were paid for the years 1893 to 1896, and that it was only for the years 1897 and 1898 that the rates were not paid in full, the Corporation being under a misconception of their powers in the matter. The contributions which ought equitably to be made by different kinds of property to local rates is one of the subjects which has been referred to the Royal Commission on Local Taxation, and, pending the Report of the Commission, I could not promise to bring in any such Bill as that desired by my hon. friend.
§ MR. DAVID MACIVERWhat is the position of charities such as the Kirkdale Industrial School, which are registered as places of worship?
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! The hon. Gentleman must give notice of that.