LETTER OF 1894.—In all these new cottages I am introducing the plan of
arranging that the tenants should pay their own rates, the rent being
fixed much lower to enable them to do this.
The plan of making weekly tenants responsible for rates is very
difficult to work; not being general, the machinery and arrangements do
not help us. But I have felt it to be very important, as well as to be
worth a great effort. It may be that some of those in authority will
realize its value and that we may get some help in time. What would
conduce most to make the plan succeed would be that some allowance
should be made for tenants paying their rates in advance, analogous to,
though not naturally so great as, that made to landlords who compound:
also that by some means the various payments might be spread over the
year, falling due at different quarters. This would go far to mitigate
the difficulty for working people of paying a lump sum down twice a
year, as is demanded in some London parishes. Weekly or fortnightly
collection, which I hear is arranged for in Edinburgh, would manifestly
be more costly, but our tenants would manage a quarterly payment pretty
easily. However, at present there is no hope of any modification of
existing arrangements, and we must do our best to fit in with the
present regulations in the several parishes. I hope that, if we lead the
van, others will follow, and co-operation may come in time from
officials. All newly elected vestrymen might, meantime, do well to try
to secure that fuller facts should be inserted on claims and receipts.
The words “made,” “due” and “payable” are used in a way not always clear
to the ratepayer, while the option of paying in separate instalments is
often not shown clearly on the claims.
This subject, however, is somewhat technical, and I only refer to it
here because it is interesting me deeply. I think it would tend towards
municipal economy, likely to tell to the advantage of the time to come.