§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ THE EARL OF DEVON,in moving the second reading of this Bill, said, that the 15 & 16 Vict. c. 81 gave power to the Justices in Quarter Sessions to appoint a committee to arrange the bases of the county rate. The 25 & 26 Vict. called the Union Assessment Committee Act, constituted in each union a committee for the purpose of settling the basis of the assessment for Poor Law purposes. A question had arisen as to whether the latter Act did not deprive the committee of the Justices of the powers given to them by the former one. This Bill declared that nothing in the Union Assessment Committee Act should apply to any assessment made in pursuance of the provisions of the 15 & 16 Vict. c. 81.
§ Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a." —(The Earl of Devon.)
§ LORD CRANWORTHexpressed his approval of the object of the Bill.
§ LORD REDESDALEobserved, that the Union Assessment Act was passed for the purpose of securing a uniform rating throughout the county; but the present Bill would in effect create two rates, that for the county being different from the parish rate. The Union Assessment Act was not, perhaps, perfect, and it might be very desirable that something should be done to amend it; but be thought the remedy now proposed was far from satisfac- 1657 tory. It seemed to have been introduced because certain county committees had surmised that their power had been taken away from them by the Act he had referred to, and to promote the interests of the surveyors. He should move that the Bill be read a second time that day three months.
§ Amendment moved, to leave out ("now,") and insert ("this Day Three Months.")
§ THE EARL OF DEVONsaid, he was as anxious as any of their Lordships to secure uniform rating, and he would like to see a Bill introduced to effect this object; but that was not likely to be done for some time to come, and until then it was desirable that the Amendment the present Bill proposed should be made.
§ THE EARL OF CHICHESTERsaid, that it appeared, from the doubts prevailing as to the Acts now in force, that something should be done, and he would therefore give his support to the Bill.
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYsaid, he understood the Bill would rectify the inequality which had been introduced into the union by the county rate. If that were so, the Bill would effect a very important improvement.
§ On Question, that ("now") stand Part of the Motion? Resolved in the Affirmative; Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House To-morrow.