LONDON RATES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 240, 3 July 1908, Page 7

LONDON RATES.

. " THE SCHEME FOR UiN'mUATIOA'. (BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) London, July 1. The Prime Minister, Mr. Asquith, has invited the London Liberal M.P.'s to make suggestions regarding the unification of London rates.

UNEQUAL RATING. Dr. T. J. Macnamara, Liberal member for North Caniberwcll, before his entry to tho Ministry (he is now Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty) had pressed oil tlio ' late Prime Minister, the urgency, oi' equalising the London rates. In' reply, the Prime Minister jn-omised to give the mattor "active attention," and added: "The injustice of the present arrangement,.. in, yirtuo of which the, wealthier, areas are enabled to escape a large portion of their obligations to the community of London as a whole, must bo manifest to all." • In his letter, Mr. Macnamara reminded tho Government that it was pledged to tho general principlo of a Bill for' the taxing of urban site values, and referred to "the grave hardships inflicted upon tho operative, tho shopkeeper, and the smaller, professional, and middle classes in London as a result of tho unjust incidence' of the burden of local rating. That burden falls almost entirely upon tho occupying tenant; whilst land, daily increasing in valuo, is kept out of tho market for ripening purposes, contributing in the meantime, nothing to tho local rates." Pointing out how the situation in London is grievously aggravated by tho fact that tho rates vary in tho several boroughs, Dr. Macnamara wrote: " For the year 1901-5, whilst on the ono hand the City of London ratepayer got off with 6s. 6Jd. in tho pound, Kensington with 6s'. 6d., St. Clement Danes, AVestminster, with, 6s. 5d., St. George's, Hanover Square, ,with 6s. 10d., St. James's, • 'Westminster, with 6s. 2d., and St. Margaret and St. John, Westminster, Gs. Cd.; on the other hand the people of Bermondj soy-, had to pay 9s. 7d., Eotherhithe 9s. 9d., Bow 10s. Id.,' Poplar 10s. Id., Bromley - 10s. 2d."