Parliamentary Publications, 409 



The poor-rate valuation, on which the above rates are 

 calculated, was ^165,990,085 at the beginning of the year. 

 The details of the accounts in connection with the relief of 

 the poor, and of the valuation for poor rate in different 

 unions, are contained in Part I. of these returns. The total 

 sum raised on account of poor rates was ^22,166,996, or 

 2s. 86. in the pound. This rate was highest (3s. 4jd.) in 

 London, and lowest in the northern division of England, 

 where it averaged is. lod. only. Of this sum of ;£22, 166,996, 

 however, considerably more than half was paid as contributions 

 required by precepts to other local authorities — principally as 

 payments for county, borough, and police rates— the amount 

 raised for the purposes of the poor-law authorities being 

 ^9,493,750 only, of which again some portion was devoted 

 to purposes partly or wholly unconnected with poor relief. 

 The gross expenditure immediately connected with this relief 

 was ^10,432,189; of this sum "receipts in aid" represented 

 ^2,596,851, leaving ;£7,835,338 (including salaries, but ex- 

 cluding the maintenance of pauper lunatics) as the net 

 expenses, directly connected with relief, borne by the poor 

 rate. 



The most important of the other items contributing to the 

 receipts of local authorities were ^6,218,516 from the Local 

 Government Board out of the Local Taxation Account ; 

 Treasury subventions amounted to ;^3,390,50i ; tolls, dues, 

 and duties to ;^3,695,7i2 ; revenue from waterworks to 

 /J3, 1 66,824, s-i^d from gasworks to ^4,864,381, various smaller 

 items making up the total. The main heads of expenditure 

 (other than poor relief) were £2,466,2 on education, and 

 and ;£7,742,285 on highways and their maintenance ; 

 ^6,379,641 on water, gas, and sewerage works ; ;^4,825,728 

 ■on police, etc., etc. ; while £13,758,833 represented payments 

 in respect of principal and interest of loans. 



Of the receipts more intimately connected with agriculture 

 during the year 1896-7, it maybe noted that grants under 

 the Agricultural Rates Act, 1 896, appear for the first time 

 in these accounts, this instalment amounting to ;^2 5,9i6. 

 Market rents, tolls, stallages, etc., yielded £755,161 ; 

 slaughterhouses, £28,648 ; bridge and ferry tolls, etc.. 



