THE PRESSURE OF TAXATION ON REAL PROPERTY. 



61 



A Parliamentary Ilcturn of some interest to the discussion of the incidence 

 of taxation was in 1853 obtained upon the motion of llr. Moffatt. The 

 growth of the last fifteen or sixteen years has materially changed the relative 

 proportion of some of the data selected from the paper and placed hereunder. 

 Historically they have value now; hereafter, when we -wish to ascertain 

 whither political and economic forces are in this matter of taxation carrying 

 us, their worth may be greater. The amounts payable in England and 

 Wales out of each sort of rateable property was, in the language of the 

 return, " ascertained by the rule of proportion applicable to the poor's rate." 



jS^ofe. — The poor-rate and highway-rate levy are for the year 1851-52 ; the land-tax for 

 the previous year. 



Here it is seen that sixteen years ago landed property, including the tithe- 

 rent charge, bore 45-6 per cent, of the aggregate amount of the rates and tax 

 mentioned above, and the residual property 54-4 per cent. There is not, I 

 believe, any subsequent return to show what changes may have taken place 

 in these ratios when measured on the basis of the poor-rate valuations ; 

 though, from the comparatively slow growth of one and the rapid growth of 

 the other portion of assessable property, the differences must be considerable. 



In the absence of a means of comparison similar in each particular with 

 the table of 1851-52, we may, bearing in mind the necessary quahfication, 

 take the property-tax assessment for ] 864-65 as a guide, especially as the 



