§ MR. MANSFIELD (Lincolnshire, Spalding)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in certain parts of the country where ratepayers have refused to pay a portion of the local rates the rate collectors have refused to accept the portion tendered, whereas in other districts the rate collectors have accepted as much of the rats as was offered; and, if so, will he consider the advisability of issuing a circular to the local authorities advising them to instruct the overseers and rate collectors to accept as much of a rate as is offered them by the ratepayers.
§ MR. WALTER LONGI have not received any communications drawing attention to cases of the kind alluded to, but I have seen references to the matter in the newspapers. It rests with the overseers to decide whether they will or will not in any particular case accept part payment of an amount of poor rate due from any ratepayer; but I am advised that in any case where part of 691 a rate is accepted it cannot be allocated to any particular purpose, but must be treated as paid towards all the purposes for which the rate is levied. I do not propose to issue a circular of the kind suggested by the hon. Member.