90 LOCAL TAXATION 



92 in a House of 435 Members. Mr. Disraeli spoke in this, 

 debate, using these words : 



" I hear with alarm from the Government that they are favour- 

 able to defraying the charges from the rates ; I think the time 

 has come when it ought to be made clearly apparent to any 

 Government that may exist in this country that no increase of 

 the rates can be tolerated so long as the area of taxation from which 

 those rates are drawn is limited, as it is at present. If we cannot 

 solve that most perplexing problem of increasing the area we 

 must leave the rates alone ; but whatever the purpose, or what- 

 ever the amount, I am convinced the wisest policy of the rate- 

 payers of the country is to resist any increase of the rates, however 

 slight, and however plausible the pretext, until Government 

 make up their minds to encounter a difficulty which may be most 

 perplexing to any member who comes forward with any proposal 

 to increase them." 



These are excellent sentiments, which ratepayers to-day 

 would do well to remember. 



A long series of Bills was successfully opposed again this 

 year, most of them being withdrawn or defeated, while two 

 were amended as desired before passing. 



1873. 



The resolution carried against them in 1872 was ignored 

 by the Government in 1873, but they introduced three measures 

 which were severely criticised and condemned by the Com- 

 mittee in an excellent report issued in May. The principal 

 one, the Rating (Liability and Value) Bill, passed the Commons, 

 but was rejected by the Lords, and the other two were with- 

 drawn. A number of other Bills were successfully opposed, 

 and the Committee introduced the Local Taxation Accounts 

 Bill themselves. With the assent of the Government this 

 passed through the Committee, but was then blocked by 

 certain Municipal Authorities who objected to comply with 

 some of its provisions. Mr. Pell, however, moved for a series 

 of Returns, the publication of which approximated to the 

 same result as that which would have followed the passing 



of the Bill. 



1874.. 



A General Election took place in February, and great 

 prominence was given to this subject by the leaders of both 



