COST OF MAIN ROADS 159 



perty cannot be exactly stated." Other replies were extremely 

 vague, and it was evident that some of the Chancellor's 

 previous statements as to the Way in which the land interest 

 escaped paying their share of rates and taxes were mere 

 platform hyperbole. 



In December, 1912, and in April, 1913, the Council sent 

 resolutions to the Government asking for amendments to 

 the National Insurance Act. In July the Council acknowledged 

 the partial alleviation to workers which the Insurance Act 

 Amendment Bill afforded, but regretted that it failed to deal 

 with many of the grievances complained of by agriculturists, 

 especially the flat rate of contribution, or the casual labourer. 

 It further deplored the tendency so strongly shown in this 

 Bill to legislate by Departmental Regulations instead of by 

 Act of Parliament. The measure became an Act, but none of 

 the amendments asked for by the Council were embodied. 



1914. 



Sir John Spear moved an amendment to the Address on 

 19th February, asking for a rearrangement of the basis of 

 local taxation so as to provide larger sums from the Imperial 

 Exchequer towards the cost of education and the maintenance 

 of roads. The Chancellor of the Exchequer promised that the 

 Government would, during the session, lay proposals before 

 the House for the relief of local taxation by means of an 

 increased State grant, the amount of which would vary in 

 accordance with the needs of each district. The amendment 

 was thereupon withdrawn. 



In April a report from the Local Taxation Committee was 

 adopted by the Council, giving a return from forty -three 

 County Councils in England and Wales, showing the increase 

 in the cost of main roads in the previous ten years, and other 

 detailed information of county expenditure. On the same 

 day the Council repeated the resolution passed on 3rd May, 

 1910. viz.: 



" That owing to the enormous increase of mechanical traction 

 the whole cost of the maintenance of such roads as are in general 

 use for the purposes of through traffic should be borne by the 

 Imperial Exchequer." 



