LAND DRAINAGE (SHEERNESS). (Hansard, 13 December 1937)

§ Mr. Maitland

I wish to raise a question with regard to the administration of the Land Drainage Act, 1930. Unlike most matters which come up on the Motion for the Adjournment, this is not a criticism against a Department to which I address myself, but rather my desire is to ask for the help of that Department. Summonses have been issued against the Sheerness Urban District Council, one of the local authorities which I have the honour to represent. These summonses are for non-payment of the current year's Drainage Rate. This is a case in which quite law-abiding citizens have felt it their duty to protest against the payment of rates. It is a case of the council themselves, a rating authority, and I think the House will agree that it can only be on grounds which they felt to be well-founded when a rating authority would itself go to the length of being summoned for non-payment of rates. The case is not without difficulty, and, as I said, I do not propose to criticise the Department concerned, the Ministry of Agriculture. On the contrary, the council have received, as far as has been 948 possible, the greatest courtesy from the present Minister of Agriculture and his staff, and from his predecessor in office. It has been my duty to represent to the Ministry the case of my constituents, and the Ministry has done as much as it possibly could to help me. But the fact is that to-day there is still a great feeling of dissatisfaction and discontent and a feeling that an injustice has been done, in particular to the District of Sheerness with regard to the incidence of this particular rate.

This area is very small and the majority of the people from a material point of view are poor. I desire to emphasise that the members of the local council—and I know personally every member—have been actuated by a sense of duty to their constituents in carrying the case to the length of being summoned. The position is that this authority has itself made, in years gone by, what it regards as adequate provision, and is already paying, and is due to pay, very large sums each year, amounting to many thousands of pounds, and that is at the present time charged upon the rates. Their case to me is that, although they represent only about one-fortieth of the area covered by this drainage board, they are called upon to pay one-third of the amount of the rates collected. They had an opportunity, when a public inquiry was held in 1933, of putting the case as it affected that particular district. But certain arrangements were made during that inquiry which were not contemplated by this particular authority. The result was that something like £150,000 rateable value was lifted out of the scheme 949 by a reduction from 8 feet to 5 feet above sea level being accepted as the basis of inclusion. This small district of less than 500 acres could not see, and I think, perhaps, could be excused in not having seen, the possible effect which this elimination of £150,000 would have upon them. Since that time the local authorities themselves have made representations to the catchment board and the drainage board, and by deputation to the Minister. It is true that the Minister said, in answer to a question which I addressed to him the other day, that differential rating orders to the extent of twenty-five thirty-sixths of the rate levied by the internal drainage board had been made, but in spite of that the position still remains that the town is called upon to pay some 30 per cent., or nearly one-third to the internal drainage board over an area of some 35,000 acres, and they are really only concerned with one small portion of that area.

It is always difficult, in a matter of this kind, to decide what course a Member ought to take in bringing it before the House. One realises that it is purely a local matter and that it rather trespasses upon the time and patience of other hon. Members to labour the point on something which concerns his own Division. This has rather a wider aspect. We in this House are very dependent upon the close and cordial co-operation of local authorities in many Acts which we pass here. It is the local authorities who can make some bad Acts very good administratively, and I agree that they can make some good Acts bad by administrative action. But if a local authority feels bound by conviction to carry its protest against the administrative effect of a particular Act passed by this House, at any rate, it is evidence of their sincerity and belief in the fact that they are suffering from some injustice.

I have been very appreciative of the assistance rendered by the Minister, and I appreciate his difficulties. It is difficult under the Act to give much assistance in this particular matter, but I would like to make two suggestions. I am not sure whether, under the Act, it is possible to do this, but at any rate I trust he will consider the holding of an inquiry, so that the facts which I have put before the House can either be established or disproved, in order that the public of Sheerness 950 may know once and for all whether there is any foundation for the feeling that they are suffering from any injustice. If that is proved to be the case, I am quite sure that the Minister of Agriculture, if he is satisfied that an injustice is being done, can be trusted to find ways and means of alleviating the distress. If that is not possible under the operations of the Act, will he consider some operation by which the local authority may compound the rate? If people have a belief that a certain rate is wrong it is an added sense if irritation to have every half year or year an additional demand note. Will he consider the possibility of some compounding of this rate by which the local authority may pay an agreed sum to the internal drainage board, and then this House can be relieved of any trouble with regard to the details?

If such a suggestion can be accepted, the local authority can be left to make their own case to the internal drainage board in such a way that they should pay an amount which is right and proper. They do not desire to do anything that is not right or proper. If a suggestion of the kind that I have made can be accepted, either the holding of an inquiry or an arrangement whereby the amount can be compounded on such a basis that it will be satisfactory to the internal drainage board and the local council, the solution will be very acceptable.