§ MR. WARMINGTON (Monmouth, W.)asked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether he is aware that the magistrates of Monmouthshire in Quarter Sessions have, under "The Local Government Act, 1888," constituted an Electoral Division, called the Raglan Division, with a population a little over 2,000; another Division, called the Magor Division, with a population of about 2,300; another Division, called the Llanvihangel Division, with a population of about 2,200; whilst they have constituted another Division, called the Abergavenny Division, which has a population of 8,000; another Division, called the Rhymney Division, with a population of more than 8,600; another Division, called the Christchurch Division, with a population of more than 8,000; whether he is aware that similar inequalities are to be found in the constitution of the other Divisions of the same county, so that there are 12 Electoral Divisions, with an aggregate population, mainly rural, of 34,544, returning 12 members, and five Divisions (two sub-divided), with an aggregate population, mainly artizan and urban, of 54,363, returning only seven members to the County Council; and, whether the Local Government Board will take steps, if it be in their power, to secure compliance with the requirement of Section 51 of the Act, which directs that—
The Divisions shall be arranged with a view to the population of each Division being, so nearly as conveniently may be, equal.
THE SECRETARY TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. LONG)(who replied) (Wilts, Devizes)said: The Local Government Board have been furnished with a statement as to the Electoral Divisions which have been constituted in Monmouthshire; but they are not in a position to state the facts 1246 as regards the population of the several Divisions. The Board have no information as to the considerations which influenced the Justices in constituting the Divisions; but I may observe that the Local Government Act directs that regard shall be had not only to population, but also to the other considerations specified in the provisions on this subject. The duty of constituting the Electoral Divisions devolves on the Court of Quarter Sessions under the Statute, and the Board could not undertake to review the decision at which they have arrived.
§ MR. OSBORNE MORGAN (Denbighshire, E.)asked, whether the hon. Gentleman was aware that in other Welsh counties—and notably in Denbighshire—inequalities as gross as, and even grosser than, that referred to had been sanctioned by the Quarter Sessions of such counties acting under the powers of the Local Government Act, 1888?
§ MR. WARMINGTONasked, whether there was any power to compel the Court of Quarter Sessions to comply with the requirements of Section 51 of the Act?
§ MR. LONGThe limits of the Statute are extremely wide; and a particular Amendment, introduced not at the instance of the Government, but by hon. Gentlemen opposite, has enabled the Quarter Sessions to take these departures, which otherwise they could not have taken. They are called upon by Statute to take into consideration local peculiarities, &c. The provisions of the Statute are so wide that it would be extremely difficult to prove that the requirements had not been observed.
§ MR. ARTHUR WILLIAMS (Glamorgan, S.)Does the House understand that, whatever injustice may be committed by the Quarter Sessions in constituting the Electoral Divisions, there is no redress whatever?
§ MR. LONGThe hon. Gentleman took a prominent part in the Committee on the Bill, and this power was fully considered. It was decided to leave absolute discretion in these matters to the Courts of Quarter Sessions, and with this decision the Executive has no power to interfere.