§ MR. ATHERLEY-JONES (Durham, N.W.)asked the President of the Local Government Board, If the election of County Councillors in the County of Middlesex are not to be conducted on the system of single member electoral districts; and, if so, what is the ground for departure from the requirements of the Act; and, whether he is in a position to direct that the requirements of the Statute shall be complied with?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Mr. RITCHIE) (Tower Hamlets, St. George's)The Court of Quarter Sessions for the County of Middlesex have formed single-member electoral districts for the election of County Councillors throughout the administrative county; and where an electoral division is co-extensive with an area for which a separate list of voters has been made, one County Councillor will be elected for such division at the first as well as at future elections. Owing, however, to the large population of several of the urban sanitary districts and parishes, the Justices have found it necessary to divide some of them into two or more electoral divisions, which are not co-extensive with areas for which there are separate lists of voters. In such cases, the electoral divisions within the area for which there is such a list must be combined for the purpose of the first election, and must return more than one County Councillor. The Local Government Act provides for this. A separate list of voters will, in future, be made for each electoral division; and one County Councillor will be elected for each division at all elections held after this has been done.