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104
The Bill has been introduced by the Government in consequence
of a resolution passed by the House of Commons on the 24th
February last as follows:—
"That provision ought to be made for further equalizing the
rates throughout the Metropolis."
Assuming the Bill to be Bound in principle, the question arises
why the London County Council should be called upon to collect
and distribute the Fund, instead of the existing staff of the Local
Government Board, which has been created to deal with the
Metropolitan Common Poor Fund, being utilized for the purpose.
Would not economy result from one staff administering both funds?
A still more important question is whether the money is to bo
handed over to the receiving Parishes free from any control over
its expenditure, or whether some control like that exercised by the
Local Government Board over expenditure for purposes coming
within the scope of the Metropolitan Common Poor Fund, should
not bo adopted as a safeguard against extravagance. But, the vital
question is whether the Bill is equitable.
To the Memorandum prepared by Mr. Dethridge, Vestry Clerk
of Paddington, to which reference was made at the Meeting of St.
James's Vestry on the 25th May, I have added two columns showing
the rate in the pound according to the most recent return, and
the increase or decrease in the rates which would result from the
Bill. If the intention of the Bill is to relieve Poor Parishes, it
signally fails to accomplish its purpose. St Giles's, for instance,
with a rate of 5s. 8d. in the pound, will pay into the fund more than
it receives, while Islington, which has a rate of only 5s. 2¼d. in the
pound, and is not usually classed as a poor parish, will receive the
largest payment from it. As will be seen a little further on, the
rates of St. Giles's will be increased by the Bill to 5s. 9½d. in the
pound, while the rates of Islington will be reduced to 4s. 11¼dSeveral
other parishes which will be benefitted by the Bill have a
smaller pound rate than St. Giles's, and the anomaly is greater than
appears on the surface, as the basis upon which the rate is levied is
higher in Central London than in residential suburban districts, in
consequence of the higher rents.
A private house in Broad Street, Golden Square, which readily
lets (say) at £90, would probably fetch no more than £65 if it