We feel this all the more strongly because the new
Assessments necessarily depend considerably upon inflated values. We certainly should not argue in favour of placing owners in a privileged position. Those who derive a larger income from their house property than they did before must, of course, pay an increased Income Tax in the ordinary way. We dare say that there has been exaggeration among those who are hit, but there is no doubt that the new assessments in many cases cannot be justified. We read with much satisfaction, therefore, a statement which was made in the House of Commons on Monday that the time limit for appeal is to be extended from three weeks until August .31st.' Owners who have not received notice will be allowed to appeal at any time within a year after the end of the current year of assessment. As regards fluctuating values, if the value should fall in any year there will be a statutory right of appeal against the asse-ssment for that year. The ordinary agents of owners will be enabled to appear before the Commissioners. We should like to know more, however, about the methods by which the new assessments have been made. Something in the nature of a flat rate increase is surely unprecedented.
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