On Wednesday the House of Commons went into Com- mittee
on the Rating Bill. All the instructions were ruled out of order by the Speaker except that of Mr. Knox, the Member for Derry, which proposed to extend the pro- visions of the Bill to Ireland. Mr. Knox, in moving this, declared that it was most unfair not to treat Ireland exactly as England was treated. The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mr. Balfour explained, however, that Ireland was not included in the Bill because the different conditions prevailing in Ireland made such inclusion impossible. Ireland would, however, have a separate grant made to her, calculated on the principle adopted when the last grant in aid of local taxation was made out of the Imperial exchequer. The Irish Members not being satisfied, however, a division was taken, and the instruction was negatived by 170 (278 to 108). Mr. Lloyd George then moved an amendment to the first clause, making the Bill apply only for three instead of five years. On this, however, he was (after the Closure had been passed; defeated by 120 (268 to 148). On Thursday the most im- portant amendment was that of Mr. Channing, which seeks to divide the rates between the owner and occupier. Mr. Courtney urged the Government to accept a modification of the proposal, which would apply, however, only to new tenancies. Mr. Chaplin and Mr. Balfour, though not very hostile, showed unwillingness to embark upon a new and complicated issue, but ultimately the discussion was ad- journed till Monday, when the Government decision will be announced. We trust that the Cabinet will in any case refuse absolutely to override existing contracts.
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