Local Taxation 



91 



to have been — for turnpike trusts, ^2675 

 only; that for harbours, j^ll'^.^'^^- 



Recent discussion invests the payments 

 made through ParHamentary grants in aid of 

 local rates with peculiar interest. It is con- 

 tended that local taxes are raised for many pur- 

 poses which are truly national concerns, and 

 which therefore should be met by the Im- 

 perial purse. 



The easement of local taxes by Treasury 

 payments only extends to those which fall 

 upon real property. The total received by 

 the local authorities for the year under con- 

 sideration was ^888,000, thus distributed: — 



TREASURY SUBSIDIES TO LOCAL RATES IN 1870. 



Brought forward . . 

 County Rates and Rural Police Rates. 

 Prosecutions, &c., Prisoners .. .. .£212,724 

 Police Subsidy 148.650 



In Aid of Poor's Rates. 

 Salary of Schoolmasters 



mistresses 

 Medical Officers 



and School- 



;C34>50o 



HOjOOO 



Carry forward 



^144,500 

 ^144.500 



Borough Rates and Town Police Rates. 

 Prosecutions, &c., Prisoner.s .. .. £(>1,1S^ 

 Police Subsidy 101,644 



Metropolitan Police Rates. 



Subsidy 



To Fire Brigade 



Total 



£m.soo 



361,374 



169,396 



303.039 

 10,000 



.£888,309 



In addition to this total must be placed 

 the salaries of Poor Law Auditors, formerly 

 paid by the Guardians, but now defrayed by 

 the Treasury ; and the Government subven- 

 tion to the City of London on account of 

 prisons and criminal prosecutions ; the first- 

 named payment amounting to ;^i7j974 ; the 

 second to ^5700. Thus the grand total in 

 aid of local taxadon paid from the Imperial 

 revenue was ^911,000. 



HOUSING AND EDUCATION OF AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS. 



By the Rev. W. S. Miller. 



HE wished he could go into the subject 

 with more enthusiasm than recent 

 circumstances allowed him to do. The 

 hearty goodwill and symjDathy with which he 

 used to regard the labourers as a class had 

 sustained a very rude shock. During the 

 last few months the laLourer's character had 

 sunk very much in his estimation, and he was 

 sorry to add that in his judgment the 

 labourer's prospects had very much deterio- 

 rated. There v.as no one in the rural dis- 

 tricts who could not, within his own know- 

 ledge and in his own village, point out the 

 difference which existed in the condition of 

 agricultural labourers residing in the same 

 place and receiving the same wages. This 

 difference was to be met with in all parts of 

 the country, and was apparent upon a cursory 

 glance. The reasons for the dissimilarity 

 were to be found — first, in the difference in 



Read before the Midland Farmers' Club. 



the home circumstances of the people ; and 

 secondly, in the educadon they received. 



THE COTTAGE ACCOMMODATION OF 

 LABOURERS. 



Amongst home circumstances the nature 

 of the cottage accommodation was a promi- 

 nent feature ; there were many circumstances 

 under which want of proper accommodation 

 would suftice to produce the evils which they 

 all had noticed. A bad cottage would go 

 far to produce a bad home; at least it would 

 hasten the work where there were other 

 causes tending to that result. Bad cottages 

 would more often produce self neglect than 

 be themselves the offspring of self-neglect. 

 A man who could take no pride or pleasure 

 in his home soon became careless of him- 

 self. Bad cottages not only deprived a man 

 of spirit and energy, by making his home 

 uncomfortable, but they affected his physical 

 powers. They meant bad air; bad ai 



