London has been fretted this week by a determined effort
on the part of all vestries to increase assessments, sometimes in the most oppressive way, the assessed value being fixed greatly in excess of the entire rack-rent. According to the Daily Chronicle, which now represents Gladstonian views, this attempt is being made in consequence of a private agreement with the London County Council, which has suggested that if every house is assessed up to the highest rental paid for any similar house in the neighbourhood—which may be a corner- house—the total assessment of London may be increased by two millions. The effect and intention of the change would be to add £400,000 a year to the taxation of London, without apparently increasing the rates, and so keep the cost of democratic Government concealed from the people who pay it. The electors have the means of ascertaining in their parishes whether the Daily Chronicle is right, and should, when the triennial election recurs next year, make it their first subject in heckling the candidates for the Council. It may be perfectly right to raise the rates to ten shillings in the pound, as will, at the present rate, be done before the century expires ; but the change should be made in a way to be perceived.
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