THE RATING AND VALUATION BILL
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR, I have just read the letter from your correspondent on the Rating and Valuation Bill, and I think that in justice to the authors of this Bill some of his statements should be qualified. He states that overseers are unpaid ; this is per- fectly true, but in nearly every parish a parish assistant overseer is appointed who does_ nearly all the work. In addi- tion, he says that overseers have hitherto done their work well. Is this correct, and can it be expected, seeing that human nature is what it is ? The duty of an overseer is to assess all the property in the parish, including his own ! Is it reasonable to expect a fair assessment under these conditions ? If exception is taken to an assessment, the assessment com- mittee have now to call in an expert valuer ; this is mentioned by your correspondent as an example of a new expense under the Bill.
Your correspondent then estimates the increased cost of making out rate books at two to four times the present charges. In this he is again wrong, I think, as in the rural district in which I live it has been ascertained that a considerable saving will be effected by the appointment of two wholetime rate collectors in lieu of the host of assistant overseers who now collect the rate. In addition to this it is obvious that the work of the Clerk of the District Council will be lessened in having fewer men to deal with.—I am, Sir. &c.,
Cavalry Club, 127 Piccadilly, W.1.
LIONEL WALE:ER.
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