Government had previously sustained another though less direct defeat on
Tuesday, when Sir Massey Lopes carried his annual motion for transferring expenses of justice, lunacy, and the police from the rates to the Consolidated Fund, by 259 to 159. The immense majority was due partly to the desertion of several county members, partly to the rising feeling in cities that rates are unfairly levied, and partly to the unwisdom of Government in fighting the battle on Sir T. Acland's amendment, that new rates should be divided between owners and occupiers. The first incidence of rates is a most important question, but the proposal to make it fall on the landlord is no answer, at all events in land- lords' eyes, to the general grievance, which is that personalty pays nothing. It would not pay any more if the landlord paid all. We have discussed the vote elsewhere, but may here mention that it will have no immediate consequences, as nothing can be done till the Local Government Bill is settled, and we shall not have that this Session.
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