§ 59. Mr. GILBERTasked the Minister of Health whether his Department approved the action of an eastern county town council, who have allowed local rates to be paid by slips containing postal stamps which could be affixed weekly, or at such times as suit the finances of small ratepayers; whether he is prepared to consider similar proposals for London borough councils, and specially for those districts where compounding has been done away with by the councils, and in consequence great hardships inflicted on weekly tenants, who are now called upon to pay rates direct in monthly or quarterly amounts?
§ Sir A. MONDIn order to facilitate the collection of the poor rate on small properties I have assented experimentally in one case, subject to the approval of the Postmaster-General, to the adoption of a scheme of the nature described in the question, and I am prepared to give favourable consideration to other applications of a like nature. I may add that I have also assented in a few cases to the trial of a somewhat similar scheme under which the rates may be paid by special municipal rate stamps.