LAND-TAX, a tax imposed upon land and houses for purposes of revenue, in lien of the ancient subsidies, octanes, talliages, tenths, fifteenths, and such occasional taxes. From a very early period to the middle of the 17th c., parliament had provided for the extraordinary necessities of the government chiefly by granting subsidies, which were raised by an impost on the people in respect of their reputed estates. Lauded property was the chief subject of taxation, and was assessed nominally at 4s. in the pound. But this assessment was made in such a way that it did not rise with the value of laud, but dwindled away to about 2d. in the pound. The Long parliament devised a more efficient plan by fixing the sum to be raised, and then distributing it among counties according to their supposed wealth, leaving them to raise it by a rate. In 1692 a new valuation of lands was made, and it was found that a tax of ls. per pound would yield half a million. In war this was raised to 4s. In 1798 the parliament relieved itself of the trouble of every year passing an act, and a general act was passed, permanently fixing the land-tax at 4s. in the pound. This not (38 Geo. III. c. 60) enabled the landlord to
redeem the tax, and accordingly, since that time, a great part of it has been redeemed, only about one million being unredeemed. Thdugh the act of 1798 directed the tax to be assessed and collected with impartiality, this provision was not carried out, but the old valuation of 1698 was acted on, and in modern times the greatest possible inequality prevails. if the tax is in arrear, the tenant is liable to a distress; but the tenant may deduct it from the next rent he pays. The tax, though nominally chargeable on the land lord, falls neither on the landloi'd nor the tenant, but on the beneficial proprietor, as distin guished from the tenant at rack-rent; for if the tenant has sublet, and has a beneficial interest, he pays pro Canto the tax, charging the residue on the landlord. The propor tion of land-tax fixed on Scotland was £47,954, and a proportion was fixed on each county, the commissioners having power to amend the valuation. The collection and management of the tax was given to the commissioners of taxes by the statute 3 and 4 Will. IV. c. 13.