§ Mr. FIELDasked the Chief Secretary whether it is intended to revise the valuations, collection, and expenditure of the Dublin Metropolitan Police Tax; whether he is aware that the Citizens' Association has been in communication with the Chief Commissioner of Police on the subject; and whether he can state what measures will be taken to relieve this complaint?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI would refer the hon. Member to the reply I have given to-day to the hon. Member for the College Green Division of Dublin. Copies of the correspondence which has passed between the Dublin Citizens' Association and the Chief Commissioner of the Dublin Metropolitan Police accompanied the representations which I have received from the association on the subject of the police rate.
Mr. NUGENTasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that, owing to the increased valuation of the city of Dublin, the Dublin Metropolitan Police rate of 8d. in the £ will entail an increased burden on the ratepayers of some £4,800 per annum; and whether, in view of the comparatively crimeless condition of Dublin and of the general economic pressure due to the War, he will consider some means of relieving the citizens of Dublin of this additional drain upon their municipal funds?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI understand that the estimate given by the hon. Member of the increased yield of the police rate in Dublin consequent on the revaluation of the city is substantially correct. I am sure that it would be useless at the present juncture to request the Treasury to forego an automatic increase of the local contribution to1636W the cost of the police force which tends to relieve the burden on the Imperial Exchequer. It must be borne in mind in this connection that the annual cost of the increase in the scale of pay and allowances recently granted to the force is much in excess of the additional contribution which will be derived from the rates as a result of the revaluation.