§ MR. COBB (Warwick, S.E., Rugby)asked the President of the Local Government Board, If householders, whether males or unmarried females, whose names are entered in the occupiers' column of the rate book, but whose landlords pay the rates, are entitled to attend and vote at common vestries, provided that all rates made or becoming due more than three months previously have been paid; and, whether, looking to the doubt which exists in many rural parishes as to this right, and to the importance of its being thoroughly understood, the Local Government Board will take any steps to make the state of the Law publicly known?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Mr. CHAMBERLAIN) (Birmingham, W.)The effect of the existing law is that householders, whether males or unmarried females, whose names are entered in the occupiers' column of the rate book, but whose landlords pay the rates, are entitled to attend and vote in common Vestries, provided that all rates made or become due more than three months previously have been paid. We have, however, no evidence that there is any such doubt on this question as to render any action on the part of the Board necessary, in the way of communicating with the overseers of the parishes in England and Wales. It will be remembered that there are about 15,000 separate Poor Law parishes.