408 = 142 Taxation as affecting the Agricultural Interest. 
^\ssessment of 
the tenant to 
income-tax. 
: 
their tax assessment. The Inland Revenue Commissioners, ir 
1868, formally estimated the gross amount of income thus fraud 
ulently withheld from assessment under Schedule D at no les 
than 57,000,000/. a year — a sum not far short of the whole lam 
rental of the kingdom. Although I have allowed, in estimating 
the gross income of the middle and upper classes, for some mar 
gin of unreturned profits, as well as for incomes not reaching th- 
limit of the tax, I have not ventured to assume that quite so gre* 
a fraud as this is still committed, since the lower duty of recen 
years is known to have exercised a healthy and bracing effect oi 
the public conscience. Still it remains undoubted that nothinji 
like the same precision of assessment can be applied to tradini 
as to landed incomes. Instances of reckless overcharge ma< 
exist, or special business considerations may occasionally indue 
acquiescence in too highly-scaled assessments, but, on the wholi 
there is little room for doubt that 3d. in the pound on easil 
ascertained income from land is a much heavier tax than 'M. i 
the pound on the produce of voluntary trade assessments ; and, i 
point of fact, this excess of pressure has been justified as givin 
indirect effect to the opinions of some economists that highi 
rates should be charged on landed than on other incomes. 
But the inequality does not end here. Trade incomes a:j 
calculated with full deduction of the average repairs of all ppi 
mises, implements, and utensils employed in business, for hil 
and even doubtful debts, for parochial rates, for wages, clerk: 
shopmen, or assistants, for stationery and the other petty outla}! 
The landowner has no such allowances. Speaking collective 
of both house and land rentals, ]Mr. Gladstone, on the occasic 
before referred to, lent his high authority for the statement th 
quite 16 per cent, should be deducted from the nominal figur 
of Schedule A to ascertain the net income which actually pa 
the tax. Although treating now of land alone, it can therefo 
be no extreme estimate to put at some 8 or 10 per cent, the marg 
of outlay incurred for repairs, management, arrears,' and so fortj 
and yet taxed as if it were net income received. 
The manner of assessing the tenant-farmer to income-t 
differs in another way from the ordinary practice. Schedule 
which deals with him, takes the gross rent of land, including 
tithe-owner's as well as the landowner's share of rental, oxj 
eighth deduction being allowed from this figure, which is furtl" 
subject to the general exemptions and abatements that defi 
the limit of the tax. These very materially reduce its 
and incidence. In England 38 per cent., in Scotland 44 j 
cent., and in Ireland no less than 70 per cent, of the gross ren I 
thus escapes chargeability. The tenant is moreover chargl 
not the full rate of the tax borne under other schedules, bu i 
