§ MR. HASTINGS (Worcester, E.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he will lay 111 upon the Table of the House any Reports made to the Board by County Councils in England and Wales on the subject of the alterations in county boundaries proposed by the Boundary Commissioners?
§ *THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. RITCHIE, Tower Hamlets, St. George's)Nearly all the County Councils of counties in England and Wales which would be affected by the alterations in county boundaries proposed by the Boundary Commissioners have made Reports to the Local Government Board on the subject. The representations affecting each county have already, almost without exception, been communicated to the County Councils interested, and the proposals as regards the parishes comprised in different Unions have also in almost every instance been communicated to the Boards of Guardians, and have been considered by them. Publicity has, therefore, been given to the representations, and the Board have no reason to doubt that those interested in the question have full information on the subject. As the Return would be a voluminous and costly one, my hon. Friend will not, I trust, under the circumstances which I have mentioned, think it necessary that a Return should be presented.