Mr. NEWNESasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the fact that where county and parish boundaries are altered the rateable areas follow the revised boundaries, for all local and Imperial taxation except the land tax; and whether, as this exception leads to much difficulty and confusion, he can see his way, by legislation or otherwise, to make the land tax for parish areas coincide with the areas for poor law purposes?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe land tax parish areas are governed by the Act 38, Geo. III., c. 60, and the lands, on which the tax has not been redeemed, are required to be rated and assessed by an equal £ rate in the parishes as they were then constituted. The suggestion contained in the second 313W part of the question could not be carried into effect without very great difficulty, and I regret, therefore, that I do not see my way to adopt it.