§ MR. FOLEYsaid, he would beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1483 Whether, there being no division of the Two Hundreds of Offlow in the Census Tables, the proposed division of East Staffordshire includes the whole of Offlow and not South Offlow only, as stated in the Bill for the Representation of the People; and what the estimated population of East Staffordshire will be, exclusive of the present and proposed boroughs?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERSir, the hon. Gentleman is doubtless aware that the boundaries which are traced in the Representation of the People Bill are what are called in the old Act of 1832 "temporary boundaries," and do not constitute any permanent arrangement. Our intention is, as the Bill denotes, to propose the names of some very distinguished and eminent persons to the House of Commons who shall be appointed Commissioners of Boundaries, and who shall have power to appoint sub-Commissioners to inquire into and to determine what shall and what shall not be included in the new boundaries. But it was necessary, under the existing circumstances, that these temporary boundaries should be inserted in the Bill. Since the Notice of the hon. Member has been placed upon the Paper I have received information from those who are cognizant of the circumstances, and I find that there has been some inaccurate statement with regard to the Hundreds of Offlow. I find that the whole of Offlow will be included within the division of East Staffordshire. With regard to the population of East Staffordshire, after deducting the inhabitants of the present and proposed boroughs, I think it will be something about 90,000.