27 APRIL 1867, Page 2

Mr. Bass has been very anxious to justify his desertion

of Mr. Gladstone, and has caught at broken reeds in the attempt. He sent to Saturday's Times an extract from the Law Times, main- taining that the compound householder is under no disadvantage at all in the Government Bill. "As to the pretended fine, it is simply nonsense. The householder is to stand for all purposes in' the place of his landlord, and is to be entitled to the same deduction on payment, and may deduct from his rent all that he has paid." Such is the opinion of the Law Times, evidently written without reading the Government Bill. The editor is substituting the effect of Mr. Hibbert's proposed amendment for the existing pro- vision of the Bill, which Mr. Disraeli once said,—he seems to have now changed his mind,—it would be very " unjust " not to enforce. The legal gentleman on whom poor Mr. Bass leans, who gave the rash opinion in question, had omitted to read the -35th Clause of the Bill, of which it is an express condition that the compound householders' rates are "to be calculated on the full rateable value of the premises," which the compounding land- lords' never are, a deduction of from 25 to 50 per cent. being always made for the composition. If the tenant pays the entire per-centage the tenant is fined. If he may deduct the " full " rate from his rent, the landlord is fined. A politician who de- serts his party may be doing a very noble and patriotic action. But a politician who deserts his party and then pleads in excuse the erroneous opinion of an anonymous lawyer, is in rather a silly position.