§ MR. HEYWOOD JOHNSTONE (Sussex, Horsham)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, in view of the increase in the rate of income tax, what stops have been taken to increase the number of surveyors' districts, and whether any, and what, number of new districts have been at present constituted; whether the position and prospects of the surveyor's clerks will be improved in any degree; and whether provision will be made that the promotion of other officers shall not be prejudiced by the retention on public grounds of those who have passed the limits of age and service laid down in the order of the Board of Inland Revenue, No. 10, of 1897 (18th June).
§ MR. HANBURYThe increase in the rate of income tax does not necessarily involve any considerable increase in the 49 surveyors' duties. The real cause of difficulty in recent years has been the increase of abatements. But, apart from this, an addition of twenty-five surveyor-ships was approved by the Treasury in 1898, and nine new districts have already been created under this authority. Arrangements are now being made for creating eleven more as soon as the Board have officers qualified to fill them. It is hoped that this will be in the course of the next few months. The other matters referred to are under the consideration of the Board of Inland Revenue.