On Thursday, June 7th, in the House of Commons, the
Rating and Valuation (Apportionment) Bill, the second step in the Government's scheme for relieving industry, received its second reading by 308 votes to 140. The debate revealed a curious change in the tactics of the Opposition. No attempt was made to persist in Mr. Snowden's unexpected doctrine that the rates are no burden upon industry. The argument was rather that the right thing was being done in the wrong way. Mr. Lloyd George drew an entertaining but singularly unreal picture of Mr. Churchill towing Mr. Neville Chamberlain in his wake before that "innocent expert" had had time to consider how local government ought really to be reformed or to consult the local authorities. Mr. Churchill in reply summarized the whole debate and begged Mr. Snowden to continue striking his "inharmonious note" till the General Election. Mr. Lloyd George's alternative Method of rating reform, he said, would relieve industry of at most one-sixth of the rates, whereas the Government scheme promised a relief of three-quarters. We think that although the Opposition criticism was poor in sub- stance a case was distinctly made out for an early instal- ment of relief to the heavy industries, by means of reduced freights, for instance. Truly Mr. Churchill is asking those who have reached a dead point to wait for an unconscionably long time before they get the impulse that is to set their wheel revolving again. Does not he admit urgency ?
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