SECT. XVII.] RESULTS OF THE INQUIRY. 281 



the peace before a particular period ; and that if objec- 

 tions be so lodged^ the same shall be heard and disposed 

 of by the Court of Review, as in the case of objections to 

 the presentments of local Commissioners of Improvement. 



REMARKS. 



The Commissioners have surely not reflected 

 upon the measures they propose. What ! before 

 giving relief to the poor, it is necessary to make a 

 general survey of the land, a valuation of its re- 

 venues, houses, implements, and in short of every 

 species of property, or a registration of lands ! And 

 we know in Europe what registrations are, since 

 the results frequently differ so much, that before 

 one valuation is finished it is necessary to recom- 

 mence another. Moreover, the expense of this 

 preparatory labour would be ten times the outlay 

 that ever will be incurred for the poor. The Com- 

 missioners are wrong in instancing England, for 

 that country has never undergone a general valua- 

 tion*. The poor's-rates are proportioned to the 

 government taxes, and the latter are fixed upon 

 the declaration of private persons, who are liable 

 to a very heavy fine if the Treasury discovers any 

 incorrectness in their declaration. 



[* The surveys for the Tithe Commutation and the Poor Law Acts 

 very nearly approached a general valuation. TRANSL.] 



