§ MR. LEWIS (Anglesey)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board, whether he is aware that a great difficulty is felt by the clerks of the County Councils, in view of the great pressure to which they will be subjected in future by "The County Elections Act, 1888," in having to get the whole of the County Registers (including those of Parliamentary voters) prepared, printed, corrected, indexed, and bound between the 12th and 20th October; and, whether he cannot see his way, by legislation or otherwise, to extend the time allowed for the preparation and printing of such registers.
§ *MR. RITCHIEI have already, in reply to other questions, stated the difficulty which will attend an alteration of the dates of the stages of registration, and the necessity in connection with the County Council elections, which are to be held on the same day as the municipal elections—viz., the 1st of November—that the registers should be completed not later than the 20th of October. I have also stated that I will endeavour, so far as possible, to arrange that the revision shall be promptly proceeded with by the Revising Barristers, so as to secure the completion of the revision at an earlier date than that permitted by the Act, and then to allow a longer interval for the printing, &c., of the registers. As the hon. Member is probably aware, a Bill has been introduced on this subject, and the measure will receive the careful consideration of the Government.