§ MR. STANLEY LEIGHTON (Shropshire, Oswestry)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to a recent case in which, the Mayor of a borough, being a candidate for the appointment of Alderman, presided at the election, and, the numbers being equal, gave a second or casting vote for himself, and returned himself as duly elected; whether, having regard to the principle that a man cannot preside at his own election and return himself elected, the election was valid; and whether the Mayor was capable of acting in the execution of his powers and duties as to elections, within the meaning of Section 67 of "The Municipal Corporations Act, 1872"?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. MATTHEWS, Birmingham, E.)My attention has been called to this case. It is no part of my duty to decide points of law such as are raised by my hon. Friend in the second and third paragraphs of his question. It is for those who dispute the validity of the election to raise the question in a Court of Law.