§ MR. PICKERSGILL (Bethnal Green, S.W.)asked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether he has been advised that by Section 54, subsection 5, of "The Local Government Act, 1888," the Board is empowered, upon its own initiative, before the appointed day, to make an order altering the boundary of any Electoral Division of a county, or the number of Electoral Divisions in a county; and, if so, whether he will exercise this power in certain cases, in order to redress some of the inequalities committed by Quarter Sessions in constituting Electoral Divisions?
§ THE PRESIDENT (MR. RITCHIE) (Tower Hamlets, St. George's)Section 54 of the Local Government Act contains provisions as to alterations of counties, boroughs, and certain other areas; and there is a clause which enables the Local Government Board to make an Order in pursuance of that section without any application by the Council of a county or borough. I am not prepared to state that the clause referred to does not admit of a construction which would allow of the Board's issuing an Order with regard to the boundaries of Electoral Divisions; but it was clearly understood, in the discussion on the Bill, that there was to be no appeal to the Board as regard the decisions of the Courts of Quarter Sessions in respect of Electoral Divisions. I cannot undertake to review the decisions of the Courts of Quarter Sessions in this matter.