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61
LOCAL TAXATION RETURNS.
Under 23 and 24 Victoria, c. 51, and 40 and 41 Victoria, c. 66, and
sub-section 7 of section I. of London (Equalization of Rates) Act, 1894, it
is enacted that every Vestry, District Board, etc., shall make a return
annually of the sums levied or received by or in interest of rates, taxes, etc.,
and of the expenditure thereof, to one of Her Majesty's Principal Secretaries
of State.
Under the above Acts, the Statistical Department of the Local Government
Board issue, during the month of July in each year, a form embracing
the various heads of receipts and expenditure, and of loans, etc., employed
by local authorities. In July, 1895, forms (in duplicate) for the Local
Taxation Returns were received by this Vestry, and referred to me to fill up.
This was duly done, and on my presenting same to the Finance Committee,
they instructed the Clerk to return the form to the Local Government
Board.
LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL.
At various periods the London County Council have applied to the
Fulham Vestry for particulars with respect to its receipts and expenditure on
Rates and Loans. This information 1 have always supplied them with, by
instructions of the Finance Committee. The result of their enquiries from
the whole of the County of London, the Council have caused to be printed,
and have circulated returns showing:—
I. Returns of Loans outstanding in the County of London at
March, 1895.
II. Return showing annual charges in respect of Loans for
1893-94, and 1894-5.
Return I.—This return embraces the whole debt of London for Local
Government purposes (excluding the City Corporation), and by it is shown
the entire indebtedness of each parish for not only the loans contracted by
the local authorities, but also for the proportion of the Central and County
Authorities' loans.
With regard to the Parish of Fulham, this return tends to show
that it is in the unenviable position of being the fifth highest, in point of total
indebtedness, in London. The percentage of indebtedness on the rateable
value of £484,851 being: for local purposes 31.41, and for both county and
local purposes 119.89.
This will not hold good for more than the year mentioned, as will be
seen by last year's report when the percentages were 31.13 and 116.11
respectively.