98 LOCAL TAXATION 



In reply, Mr. Duckham received an acknowledgment of 

 the memorial, in which the Prime Minister expressed his 

 regret that the state of business rendered it impossible to 

 deal with the subject that session. Notwithstanding this 

 expression of regret, and the declaration contained in the 

 foregoing amendment, the Government carried the National 

 Debt Act this year, in spite of the resistance of the Com- 

 mittee, the effect of which was to make it more difficult for 

 any succeeding Chancellor of the Exchequer to find any 

 funds for the relief of local rates. 



1884. 



The Queen's Speech of this year again omitted to make 

 any reference to reform either of local government or of 

 local taxation, so once more the Committee, through Mr. 

 Pell, moved a resolution, deprecating the postponement of 

 further measures of relief acknowledged to be due to rate- 

 payers in respect of local charges imposed on them for national 

 services. This was moved on 28th March, and although it 

 was opposed by the Government, it was carried by 208 votes 

 to 197. In the debate Mr. Walter Long and Mr. Akers- 

 Douglas (afterwards created Viscount Chilston) supported 

 Mr. Pell, while Sir Charles Dilke and Mr. Childers (Chancellor 

 of the Exchequer) spoke for the Government. This defeat, 

 however, did not induce the Government to make any effort 

 to redeem their many promises, and the session closed without 

 ; any other incident worth recording, although mention may 

 be made of an undertaking by Mr. Childers, in his Budget 

 speech, that the consideration of proposals for increased 

 charges on real estate by way of Death Duties should be 

 entered on only in conjunction with the readjustment of 



local burdens. 



1885. 



The principle measures of this session were the Parliamentary 

 Franchise, the Redistribution of Seats, and the Registration 

 Bills. On going into Committee on the last named, Sir Massey 

 Lopes moved : 



" That this House, while desirous of facilitating in every way 

 the registration of voters, is of opinion that, inasmuch as the 



