§ MR. ROWNTREE (Scarborough)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board how many and which Quarter Sessions boroughs have appealed to the Local Government Board (under "The Local Government Act, 1888," sections 35 and 38) from decisions of the County Council with respect to the 1056 declaration of highways to be main roads, and how many and which of these appeals have been decided; what are the guiding principles upon which such decisions have been founded; in how many and in which cases is the result of the appeal to establish connecting links within the boundaries of the borough between the different main roads converging upon that borough; and in how many and in which cases does the arbitration of the Local Government Board leave the said boroughs without any main road leading to the railway station, or to the harbour (in case of a sea port), or to the market place, or to any place which may be regarded as the business centre of the borough?
§ *MR. RITCHIEThe Local Government Board have received appeals under the Local Government Act from nine Quarter Sessions boroughs. They have given their decision in the case of Dover, Carlisle, Grantham, Scarborough and Banbury. With regard to the principles on which the Board base their decisions, and the details of the several decisions at which the Board have arrived, I can only state generally that, before coming to a decision, there has in each case been a local inquiry by one of the Inspectors of the Board, the representatives of the borough and of the county have had full opportunity of submitting at the Inquiry any representations which they deemed necessary, and the decision of the Board has been given after full consideration of the circumstances of each case.
§ MR. ROWNTREEThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered the last paragraph of the question.
§ MR. RITCHIENo, Sir; there are details into which I cannot enter as to the decision of the Local Government Board. They are reserved for future inquiry, and I do not think it would be convenient that I should state in this House all the decisions we have reserved for future consideration.
§ MR. ROWNTREEPersons feeling themselves aggrieved can have recourse to a local inquiry, and in that case would it be inconvenient for the Local Government Board to give reasons for their decision. If so, what remedy can the right hon. Gentleman suggest?
§ *MR. RITCHIEI am afraid there is no remedy after the Local Government Board has come to a decision and issued 1057 an Order. There are no means by which, the question can be re-considered.
§ MR. ROWNTREEI will call attention to this matter on the Estimates.