HC Deb 09 March 1871 vol 204 c1669
MR. PIM

asked the Vice President of the Council, Whether the provision of the Elections (Parliamentary and Municipal) Bill, for taking the votes of the Electors by ballot, are intended to be applied to the election of Commissioners for Towns under the Local Government Act, and the Towns Improvement (Ireland) Act, or under private local Acts; and, if not, whether he will consider the propriety of extending the scope of his Bill so as to include all elections for Town Commissioners as well as Town Councillors?

MR. W. E. FORSTER

Sir, I think it will be scarcely possible to extend the scope of the Bill so as to include any elections except the Parliamentary and municipal ones. But I have little doubt that if the principle of the Ballot is—as I hope it will be—adopted in those elections, it will ultimately be extended to others.