Copy of Evidence as to the Incidence of Local Taxation Given Before the Royal Commission on Agriculture

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1881. Excerpt: ... of the main roads of the different counties. I will go presently, when we enter that subject, into details upon it, but I may say, generally, that at the time the Act was passed the charge for these main roads was estimated on the returns as, at the outside, something like 200,000i. per annum. It was argued that the charge would be on the county rate, about 150,000i. per annum. Perhaps 50,000i. more would be charged to the county rate hereafter as the remainder of the main roads ceased to be supported by turnpike tolls. That was not a very large sum, taking the county rate as a whole, to be added to the county rate. But, nevertheless, great complaint was made that no assistance out of the public exchequer should be made; in other words, from personal property, from people who used the roads, not being ratepayers, that no form of assistance was given at that time in respect of this charge. As we are upon the county rate, I may just say that simultaneously with the passing of that Act, which added this sum to the charges on the county rate, the Prisons Act was passed, which relieved the county rate to at least double the amount that could possibly come upon the county rate through this change in the law. I consider that if the counties were more thoroughly organised, and a great deal of difficult legislation could be accomplished, the county rate might act in spreading many charges besides this one of main roads which now weigh upon parishes or smaller districts; and in particular the county authority exercises jurisdiction over so large an area, and as it has at its hand such an efficient body of servants in the shape of the police, I think it might be entrusted--which I think a union or a parish authority could never be entrusted to do--to collect some li...

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