LOCAL TAXES 97 



This leads me to notice the other main 

 objection to Parliamentary subventions. It 

 is supposed that to raise money by rates is 

 a sure preventive of extravagance, because the 

 ratepayers are spending their own money. 

 This, however, is only true in the same 

 general way as it is true of taxation. The 

 members of Parliament, elected by the tax- 

 payers, spend the proceeds of the taxes just 

 as the members of the local bodies, elected 

 by the ratepayers, spend the proceeds of 

 the rates. When we look to experience, 

 especially of recent years, it is much more 

 easy to say that both the central Parliament 

 and the local bodies both the repre- 

 sentatives of the taxpayers and those of 

 the ratepayers are extravagant, than to say 

 which of the two is the more extravagant. 

 Probably, on a comprehensive view, the 

 Treasury is much less wasteful than 

 corresponding local bodies. 



