§ 83. Mr. HURDasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the strong feeling expressed by local authorities throughout the country respecting the increase in local rates, especially for purposes of a national character, such as education, roads, police, and public health; and whether, seeing the delay in measures to readjust local and Imperial finance, he will devise some interim proposals to relieve the ratepayers in respect of this class of national expenditure?
§ Dr. ADDISONI have received a number of representations from local authorities in this sense, but I am not at present in a position to make any statement on the matter.
§ Dr. ADDISONThere is no question more complicated than this question, and I am not prepared to say when a statement can be made.