§ MR. AUSTIN (York, W.R, Osgold-cross)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if his attention has been called to a recent election of Way-Wardens to the Pontefract Highway Board, when two ratepayers were duly-elected for the Ackworth district; whether it is true, as stated, that they can lawfully sit, but are not entitled to exercise voting power; and whether he will take steps to rectify this anomaly in the constitution of these Boards by a Bill to abolish any property qualification that may exist?
§ *THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. RITCHIE,) Tower Hamlets, St. George'sI have no information as to the facts with regard to the election of Way-Wardens in the case of the highway district to which reference is made in the question. I communicated with the clerk to the Highway Board when notice of the question was given, but have not as yet received any reply. I infer from the question that the two ratepayers alluded to were not qualified for election, as required by the Statute. Any person living in the parish, or any adjoining-parish, and having an estate in houses or lands within the parish, in his own right, or in right of his wife, of the annual value of £10, or a personal estate of the value of £100, or being the occupying tenant of houses or lands of the annual value of £20, whether resident within the parish or in any adjoining parish, is eligible for election. I cannot hold out any expectation that the Government will be able to introduce a Bill during the present Session dealing with the property qualification in these cases.