Mr. Stansfeld is toiling along with his Rating Bill, which
makes pretty fair progress, but is impeded at every turn by de- mands for exemption. On Friday se'nniglit he obtained a sort of consensus of the House that if personal property is to be rated it must be through Treasury grants, a principle which may be of use by and by, but is of none now. All Monday night was wasted in a row about saleable underwoods which nobody understood, and we certainly do not; but Mr. Stansfeld got his own way, as he did also on the much more important question, the rating of shootings let by the owner. At least that is the impression we derive from the explanation of the Solicitor-General, but we may be mis- taken, for Sir G. Jessel, who was " explaining" all night till lie got cross, had repeatedly to confess that he knew very little about the matter. On Thursday the exemption of Literary and Scientific Societies was repealed, and that of Crown property,— though with the reserve that arbitrators may be appointed, if the Treasury think the valuing unjust, as it is quite sure to be. Mr. Stansfeld shows marvellous pluck ;. but he is in charge of a Bill lie does not half know, and, on the whole, we doubt if a railway pointsman need greatly envy his position. The Bill is the sort of thing for a clever land surveyor, with roaring lungs and a back to his head, and not for Mr. Stansfeld at all.
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