RATES AND TAXES 



It may be objected by the agriculturist 

 that he is well satisfied with the principle 

 of the Agricultural Rates Act of 1896, and 

 that all that is required is to make the 

 relief correspond to the advance in the 

 rates. Since 1896, in most places the 

 rates have been increasing, but the relief 

 afforded depends on the rates actually 

 imposed in the year before the passing 

 of the Act. That is, the burden grows, 

 but the relief is stationary. 



But in reality, this Act is acknowledged 

 to be of a make-shift character. It was 

 passed as a temporary measure, and has 

 been renewed for limited periods on the 

 very ground that agricultural rates can 

 only be finally dealt with as part of a 

 complete system of reform. If it is true 

 that in some cases the rates have doubled, 

 and in most increased since the first 

 passing of the Act, it follows that other 



