§ SIR J. W. MACLURE (Lancashire, Stretford)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to Sections 81 and 86 of the Devonport Corporation Bill, which propose to transfer the appointment of the assessment committee from the Board of Guardians to the Town Council, the town clerk being the clerk to such committee, and to empower the Corporation to appoint a valuer for the purpose of valuing all classes of property in the parish for assessment purposes, and
✶ See The Parliamentary Debates [Fourth Series], Vol. lxxxii., page 1254.936 whether, as assessment committees throughout the country (excepting in London) are appointed by boards of guardians, he will recommend that no such alteration of the law should be made by a private Act of Parliament applicable to a particular local authority only, but only by a general Public Bill.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. CHAPLIN, Lincolnshire, Sleaford)The Local Government Board reported to both Houses of Parliament on the Bill referred to in the question. As regards Clause 81, by which it is proposed to transfer to the town council the appointment of the assessment committee, the Board stated in their report that it appeared to them that any alteration of the general law in regard to the subject matter of the clause should not be made by a Private Bill applicable to a particular local authority only. Clause 86 would only apply to buildings newly erected after the making of the valuation list and before the making of the next rate; but the Board in their report submitted that the Committee should be informed why the clause was considered necessary, having regard to the provisions of the general law which enable overseers to include new properties in the valuation list and poor rate. I adhere to the views which were expressed in the report of the Board on these points.