§ Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to the heavy rate burden thrown upon farmers, small holders, and tradesmen in respect of education, the maintenance of main roads, and other services of a national character, the increase of such burden every year as the direct result both of public Acts of Parliament and of the administrative fiat of Government Departments, and particularly the repeatedly expressed intention of the Government to take the earliest opportunity to readjust local and Imperial taxation, he proposes to effect such readjustment in the Budget for 1910–11, or whether, as indicated in his reply to a recent deputation from the Convention of Royal Burghs of Scotland, he proposes to defer consideration of this matter for a further period of from two to three years owing to the exceptional cost to the taxpayers of the country involved by the current shipbuilding programme?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Hobhouse)I must remind the hon. Member that my right hon. Friend proposes to make his financial statement on Thursday next, and he cannot anticipate it by answering a question of this kind now.
§ Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTIs this House to understand that it is not proposed to deal with the question of alleviating local rates for another two years?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI think the hon. Member had better wait until Thursday.