GENERAL PRINCIPLES 29 



of local rates, it is said, the connection is 

 often lost sight of, but with taxes and 

 grants from the Exchequer the connection 

 may never come into sight at all in the 

 majority of cases. 



People, it is contended, naturally look on 

 a grant from the Treasury as a gift from 

 heaven ; it is the sunshine that costs 

 nothing, taking the place of expensive 

 coals. And so long as this is the popular 

 attitude towards the grants made by the 

 central authorities, it is maintained some 

 part, at least, of the local contributions 

 that have been customary should be re- 

 tained. When new functions are imposed, 

 involving new burdens, the case is, of course, 

 somewhat different ; but even here it is 

 urged that it is a safeguard that cannot 

 be dispensed with altogether without the 

 risk of loss. I shall return to this ques- 

 tion later on. At present, my point is 



