Public Library Law.: A comparative survey: III

IN the matter of rating, library authorities in England have a considerable advantage over both Scottish and Irish authorities in that there is now no statutory limit. The limit of 1d in the pound was abolished in England in 1919 by the Public Libraries Act of that year. That Act provided, however, that if a library authority declares, by resolution, that the rate to be levied shall not exceed a certain sum, the resolution of limitation cannot be rescinded within a period of twelve months. In Ireland the limit was raised to 3d by the Act of 1920 which also enabled county boroughs to exceed that sum, by permission, by a further 3d. The Northern Ireland Act, 1924, however, provided that the amount to be raised in counties should not exceed a sum equal to a rate of 1d except that, in an urban district or town, in respect of which the Acts are carried into execution by the county council, the limit may be exceeded, by permission, to an extent not exceeding 2d in the £. County councils in the Irish Free State may not exceed an expenditure equal to the rate of 3d in the £. The limit of 1d in Scotland was extended by the Scottish Act of 1920 to 3d. County councils in Scotland have certain powers as to library provision under the Education (Scotland) Act, 1918, expenses incurred being levied as part of the education rate, so that the limit under the Public Libraries Acts does not apply to expenditure under the Education (Scotland) Act.