IQ4 RATES AND TAXES 



principles and methods of giving such 

 aid. 



After a careful study of the Report of 

 the Royal Commission, and the separate 

 reports of some of the commissioners, in 

 my opinion the Report signed by Sir E. 

 Hamilton and Sir G. Murray gives the 

 best results when tested by economical 

 principles. 1 They prefer the method of 

 definite grants in - aid to the assignment 

 of particular taxes. They argue, and I 

 think rightly, that so far as the national 

 finances are concerned, it comes to precisely 

 the same thing whether a sum is given 

 from the general proceeds of taxation, or 

 whether it is taken from some particular 

 source. Of course, it would be different if 

 the local authorities were permitted to 

 make alterations in the taxes assigned, and 

 to levy different taxes just as they levy 



1 See Supplementary Note at the end of the chapter. 



