§ No provision in this Act shall render liable to increase of assessment under Schedule A any lands or hereditaments or any tenement or building used as a necessary adjunct or convenience thereto which are owned, used, and maintained as playing fields or have been dedicated to the public for such purposes by any person, individual or association: Provided that such playing fields are not used or maintained in connection with any business conducted for profit and no profit is derived therefrom.—[Commander Southby.]
§ Brought up, and read the First time.
§ Commander SOUTHBYI beg to move, "That the Clause be read a Second time."
201 In view of the lateness of the hour, I do not intend to keep the Committee for more than a moment. I am emboldened to move this new Clause by the fact that the Chancellor of the Exchequer is in a mood to accept some of the new Clauses, and I hope that he will, perhaps, accept the principle of this proposal, and if he cannot accept it now, will consider it before the Report stage. It is a proposal which, I think, will meet with sympathy on both sides of the Committee. There is no question of helping any rich concern; no question of helping a rich golf club, or polo club, which is out to make a profit by any assistance from the State. This is a plea for the small playing fields, many of which have a difficult job to keep their head above water, and will be very hard hit by the obvious increase in taxation which must come under Schedule A. It will mean that in many cases they will go under altogether. These small playing-fields cater for a class of persons who find it very difficult to play games because of the scarcity of open spaces, and if the fields are taken away they will have nowhere to go. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is often accured
§ of being hard-hearted. Here is a case where he may prove that he is not as hard-hearted as some people believe. If he finds it impossible to accept the new Clause now, perhaps he will give me an assurance that he will consider the matter before the Report stage?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEThe hon. and gallant Member has put the case with great persuasiveness, and I am sorry that we shall not be able to accept the proposed new Clause. The issue is this: If it be proposed to make a concession in the case of these playing-fields this is not the place to make it, because the object is to get a different value from the real value placed on these playing-fields. Obviously the right thing to do is to value them at their true value, and if at some future time it should be found possible to make a concession it should be made in the concession that is then proposed.
§ Question put, "That the Clause be read a Second time."
§ The Committee divided: Ayes, 116; Noes, 215.
203| Division No. 418.] | AYES. | [11.46 p.m. |
| Acland-Troyte, Lieut.-Colonel | Ferguson, Sir John | Nield, Rt. Hon. Sir Herbert |
| Ainsworth, Lieut.-Col. Charles | Fielden E. B. | Oliver, P. M. (Man., Blackley) |
| Albery, Irving James | Fremantle, Lieut.-Colonel Francis E. | Penny, Sir George |
| Atholl, Duchess of | Gibson, C. G. (Pudsey & Otley) | Pybus, Percy John |
| Baillie-Hamilton, Hon. Charles W. | Gilmour, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir John | Ramsbotham, H. |
| Balfour, George (Hampstead) | Glyn, Major R. G. C. | Rathbone, Eleanor |
| Balfour, Captain H. H. (I. of Thanet) | Gower, Sir Robert | Rentoul, Sir Gervais S. |
| Beamish, Roar-Admiral T. P. H. | Graham, Fergus (Cumberland, N.) | Reynolds, Col. Sir James |
| Beaumont, M. W. | Greene, W. P. Crawford | Roberts, Sir Samuel (Ecclesall) |
| Blindell, James | Gunston, Captain D. W. | Rodd, Rt. Hon. Sir James Rennell |
| Boothby, R. J. G. | Hacking, Rt. Hon. Douglas H. | Russell, Alexander West (Tynemouth) |
| Bourne, Captain Robert Croft | Hamilton, Sir George (Ilford) | Russell, Richard John (Eddisbury) |
| Bowyer, Captain Sir George E. W. | Hanbury, C. | Samuel, A. M. (Surrey, Farnham) |
| Bracken, B. | Hartington, Marquess of | Samuel, Samuel (W'dsworth, Putney) |
| Braithwaite, Major A. N. | Harvey, Major S. E. (Devon, Totnes) | Sandeman, Sir N. Stewart |
| Briscoe, Richard George | Haslam, Henry C. | Sassoon, Rt. Hon. Sir Philip A. G. D. |
| Brown, Col. D. C. (N'th'l'd'., Hexham) | Henderson, Capt. R. R. (Oxf'd, Henley) | Scott, James |
| Brown, Ernest (Leith) | Herbert, Sir Dennis (Hertford) | Sinclair, Sir A. (Caithness) |
| Bullock, Captain Malcolm | Hills, Major Rt. Hon. John Waller | Smith, R. W. (Aberd'n & Kinc'dine, C.) |
| Burgin, Dr. E. L. | Hore-Belisha, Lesile | Somerset, Thomas |
| Carver, Major W. H. | Horne, Rt. Hon. Sir Robert S. | Somerville, A. A. (Windsor) |
| Chamberlain, Rt. Hn. Sir J. A. (Birm., W.) | Hunter, Dr. Joseph | Somerville, D. G. (Willesden, East) |
| Churchill, Rt. Hon. Winston Spencer | Leighton, Major B. E. P. | Southby, Commander A. R. J. |
| Cockerill, Brig.-General Sir George | Llewellin, Major J. J. | Sueter, Rear-Admiral M. F. |
| Colfox, Major William Philip | Lymington, Viscount | Thomas, Major L. B. (King's Norton) |
| Colman, N. C. D. | McConnell, Sir Joseph | Thomson, Sir F. |
| Colville, Major D. J. | Macdonald, Capt. P. D. (I. of W.) | Titchfield, Major the Marquess of |
| Courtauld, Major J. S. | Margesson, Captain H. D. | Turton, Robert Hugh |
| Cranbourne, Viscount | Marjoribanks, E. C. | Wallace, Capt. D. E. (Hornsey) |
| Crichton-Stuart, Lord C. | Millar, J. D. | Ward, Lieut.-Col. Sir A. Lambert |
| Croft, Brigadier-General Sir H. | Mond, Hon. Henry | Wardlaw-Milne, J. S. |
| Crookshank, Capt. H. C. | Monsell, Eyres. Com. Rt. Hon. Sir B. | Wells, Sydney R. |
| Culverwell, C. T. (Bristol, West) | Moore, Sir Newton J. (Richmond) | Williams, Charles (Devon, Torquay) |
| Davidson, Rt. Hon. J. (Hertford) | Moore, Lieut.-Colonel T. C. R. (Ayr) | Windsor-Clive. Lieut.-Colonel George |
| Davies, Maj. Geo. F. (Somerset, Yeovil) | Morden, Col. W. Grant | Womersley, W. J. |
| Dawson, Sir Philip | Morrison, W. S. (Glos., Cirencester) | Worthington-Evans, Rt. Hon. Sir L. |
| Dixon, Captain Rt. Hon. Herbert | Morrison-Bell, Sir Arthur Clive | |
| Duckworth, G. A. V. | Muirhead, A. J. | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Edmondson, Major A. J. | Nathan, Major H. L. | Sir George Hennessy and Sir Victor |
| England, Colonel A. | Nicholson, O. (Westminster) | Warrender. |
| NOES. | ||
| Adamson, Rt. Hon. W. (Fife, West) | Hall, G. H. (Merthyr Tydvil) | Naylor, T. E. |
| Adamson, W. M. (Staff., Cannock) | Hall, Capt. W. G. (Portsmouth, C.) | Noel Baker, P. J. |
| Addison, Rt. Hon. Dr. Christopher | Hamilton, Mary Agnes (Blackburn) | Oldfield, J. R. |
| Ammon, Charles George | Hardie, George D. | Oliver, George Harold (Ilkeston) |
| Arnott, John | Harishern, Rt. Hon. Vernon | Owen, Major G. (Carnarvon) |
| Aske, Sir Bobert | Hastings, Dr. Somerville | Palin, John Henry |
| Attlee, Clement Richard | Haycock, A. W. | Perry, S. F. |
| Baldwin, Oliver (Dudley) | Hayes, John Henry | Pethick-Lawrence, F. W. |
| Barnes, Alfred John | Henderson, Right Hon. A. (Burnley) | Phillips, Dr. Marion |
| Barr, James | Henderson, Arthur, junr. (Cardiff, S.) | Picton-Turbervill, Edith |
| Batey, Joseph | Henderson, Thomas (Glasgow) | Potts, John S. |
| Bellamy, Albert | Henderson, W. W. (Middx., Enfield) | Price, M. P. |
| Benn, Rt. Hon. Wedgwood | Herriotts, J. | Ramsay, T. B. Wilson |
| Bennett, Capt. Sir E. N. (Cardiff C.) | Hirst, G. H. (York W. R. Wentworth) | Raynes, W. R. |
| Benson, G. | Hoffman, P. C. | Richards, R. |
| Bentham, Dr. Ethel | Hollins, A. | Richardson, R. (Houghton-le-Spring) |
| Bevan, Aneurin (Ebbw Vale) | Hopkin, Daniel | Ritson, J. |
| Bowen, J. W. | Isaacs, George | Romeril, H. G. |
| Broad, Francis Alfred | Jenkins, W. (Glamorgan, Neath) | Rosbotham, D. S. T. |
| Brockway, A. Fenner | John, William (Rhondda, West) | Rowson, Guy |
| Brooke, W. | Jobnston, Thomas | Sanders, W. S. |
| Brothers, M. | Jones, Rt. Hon. Lelf (Camborne) | Sandham, E. |
| Brown, C. W. E. (Notts. Mansfield) | Jones, Morgan (Caerphilly) | Sawyer, G. F. |
| Brown, Rt. Hon. J. (South Ayrshire) | Jowett, Rt. Hon. F. W. | Shaw, Rt. Hon. Thomas (Preston) |
| Brown, W. J. (Wolverhampton, West) | Jowitt, Sir W. A. (Preston) | Shepherd, Arthur Lewis |
| Buchanan, G. | Kelly, W. T. | Sherwood, G. H. |
| Burgess, F. G. | Kennedy, Thomas | Shield, George William |
| Caine, Derwent Hall- | Kinley, J. | Shiels, Dr. Drummond |
| Cameron, A. G. | Kirkwood, D. | Shillaker, J. F. |
| Cape, Thomas | Lang, Gordon | Simmons, C. J. |
| Cartes, W. (St. Pancras, S. W.) | Lansbury, Rt. Hon. George | Sinkinson, George |
| Charleton, H. C. | Lathan, G. | Sitch, Charles H. |
| Chater, Daniel | Law, Albert (Bolton) | Smith, Ben (Bermondsey, Rotherhithe) |
| Church, Major A. G. | Law, A. (Rosendale) | Smith, Frank (Nuneaton) |
| Clarke, J. S. | Lawrence, Susan | Smith, Rennie (Penistone) |
| Cluse, W. S. | Lawrie, Hugh Hartley (Stalybridge) | Smith, Tom (Pontefract) |
| Cocks, Frederick Seymour | Lawson, John James | Smith, W. R. (Norwich) |
| Compton, Joseph | Lawther, W. (Barnard Castle) | Snowden, Rt. Hon. Philip |
| Daggar, George | Leach, W. | Sorensen, R. |
| Dalton, Hugh | Lee, Frank (Derby, N. E.) | Stamford, Thomas W. |
| Davies, E. C. (Montgomery) | Lee, Jennie (Lanark, Northern) | Stephen, Campbell |
| Davies, Rhys John (Westhoughton) | Lewis, T. (Southampton) | Strachey, E. J. St. Loe |
| Denman, Hon. R. D. | Lindley, Fred W. | Strauss, G. R. |
| Dickson, T. | Lloyd, C. Ellis | Taylor, R. A. (Lincoln) |
| Dukes, C. | Logan, David Gilbert | Thurtle, Ernest |
| Duncan, Charles | Longbottom, A. W. | Tinker, John Joseph |
| Ede, James Chuter | Longden, F. | Townend, A. E. |
| Edge, Sir William | Lunn, William | Vaughan, D. J. |
| Edmunds, J. E. | MacDonald, Rt. Hon. J. R. (Seaham) | Walkden, A. G. |
| Edwards, C. (Monmouth, Bedwellty) | MacDonald, Malcolm (Bassetlaw) | Walker, J. |
| Edwards, E. (Morpeth) | McElwee, A. | Wallace, H. W. |
| Egan, W. M. | McEntee, V. L. | Watson, W. M. (Dunfermline) |
| Elmley, Viscount | McGovern, J. (Glasgow, Shettleston) | Watts-Morgan. Lt.-Col. D. (Rhendda) |
| Evans, Capt. Ernest (Welsh Unives.) | McKinlay, A. | Wellock, Wilfred |
| Foot, Isaac | McShane, John James | Welsh, James (Paisley) |
| Forgan, Dr. Robert | Malone, C. L'Estrange (N'thampton) | West, F. R. |
| Freeman, Peter | Mansfield, W. | Westwood, Joseph |
| Gardner, B. W. (West Ham, Upton) | Marcus, M. | White, H. G. |
| Gardner, J. P. (Hammersmith, N.) | Marley, J. | Whiteley, Wilfrid (Birm., Ladywood) |
| Gibbins, Joseph | Marshall, Fred | Whiteley, William (Blaydon) |
| Gibson, H. M. (Lancs, Mossley) | Mathers, George | Williams, David (Swansea, East) |
| Gill, T. H. | Matters, L. W. | Williams, Dr. J. H. (Lianelly) |
| Gossling, A. G. | Messer, Fred | Williams, T. (York, Don Valley) |
| Graham, Rt. Hon. Wm. (Edin., Cent.) | Middleton, G. | Wilson, C. H. (Sheffield, Attercliffe) |
| Granville, E. | Milner, Major J. | Wilson, J. (Oldham) |
| Gray, Milner | Morgan, Dr. H. B. | Wilson, R. J. (Jarrow) |
| Greenwood, Rt. Hon. A. (Colne) | Morley, Ralph | Wise, E. F. |
| Grenfell, D. R. (Glamorgan) | Morrison, Herbert (Hackney, South) | Young, R. S. (Islington, North) |
| Griffith, F. Kingsley (Middlesbro' W.) | Morrison, Robert C. (Tottenham, N.) | |
| Griffiths, T. (Monmouth, Pontypoel) | Mort, D. L. | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Groves, Thomas E. | Moses, J. J. H. | Mr. Parkinson and Mr. Wilfrid |
| Grundy, Thomas W. | Mosley, Lady C. (Stoke-on-Trent) | Paling. |
| Hall, F. (York. W. R., Normanton) | Murnin, Hugh |
Question, "That the Clause be read a Second time," put, and agreed to.