§ Mr. WILLIAM ABRAHAM (Glamorganshire, Rhondda)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if his attention has been called to a decision given by the House of Lords on Wednesday last in the case of Ystrady-fodwg and Pontypridd Board and Ben-stead, to the effect that sewers vested in local authorities, and maintained by them pursuant to duties imposed upon them by the Public Health Acts are assessable to the income-tax; if he can give some idea as to the total annual value of all sowers in the United Kingdom, and of the burden which will now be placed on all ratepayers in respect of the income-tax assessed upon their public sewers, irrespective of the amount of the incomes of such ratepayers; and whether he will consider the advisability of introducing legislation to relieve the ratepayers of this income-tax burden now placed upon them for the first time since the income-tax has existed in this country.
§ The PRESIDENT of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. John Burns,) BatterseaI have drawn the attention of the Chancellor of the Ex chequer to this matter. I understand that 534 it is receiving his consideration, and that if my hon. friend will put a Question to him on the subject in about a week's time, ho will do his best to answer it.