HC Deb 25 March 1895 vol 32 cc23-5
MR. J. W. CROMBIE (Kincardineshire)

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland, whether in cases where, as in Aberdeen, a new city parish has, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1894, been formed out of the urban portions of several surrounding parishes, any pauper who had a settlement in any of those parishes prior to the change will by the Poor Law Acts now have his claim against the parish council of the rural part of that parish, and not against the new city parish, not with standing any order to the contrary made by the Secretary for Scotland under the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1894; and, whether, if this is the case, he will bring in a Bill to amend the Poor Law Acts in this sense.

THE SECRETARY FOR SCOTLAND (Sir GEORGE O. TREVELYAN, Glasgow, Bridgeton)

A clause has been inserted in my Orders in the Aberdeen and other cases for the special purpose of obviating the result which the hon. Member deprecates. I see no reason for bringing in a Bill.

MR. D. CRAWFORD (Lanark, N. E.)

I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether a parish council will have power to erect a public hall under Section 24 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1894?

*THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. BALFOUR, Clackmannan and Kinross)

A parish council, outside a burgh or a police burgh, is empowered— To provide or acquire buildings for public offices and for meetings, and for any purposes connected with parish business, or with the powers or duties of the parish council. These powers are very wide, though not so wide as those originally proposed in the Bill, and approved by this House. In practice, any parish council desiring to exercise them will, doubtless, approach the Local Government Board with a view to obtaining its sanction to the raising of a loan; and it will be for the Board in the first instance to decide whether the particular building proposed is of such a character as to fall within the terms of the Statute.

MR. C. B. RENSHAW (Renfrew, W.)

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that in certain parishes in Scotland the number of candidates nominated for the parish or ward is less than the number to be elected for such parish or ward; and whether, in such cases, the returning officer will be entitled to declare the candidates so nominated duly elected, and the Board will order a new election to fill the vacancy or vacancies arising from failure to elect, or whether the nominations so made will have to be disregarded, and an order will be required for a new election of the ward or parish.

SIR G. TREVELYAN

I am informed that the returning officers have reported to the Local Government Board a few cases in which the number of candidates nominated is less than the number allocated and to be elected. In such cases the returning officer will intimate at the proper time that the persons nominated have been duly elected, and the Local Government Board will thereupon order a new election to fill the vacancy or vacancies, in terms of the 18th Section of the Act of last year.

MR. RENSHAW

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that in certain Scotch parishes divided into wards the same person has been nominated as candidate for the parish council in more than one ward; and whether, at the pending election of parish councillors, the person so nominated can withdraw from his nomination to more than one ward; and, if not, on what occasion, in the event of his being returned for more than one ward, he will have to declare for which ward he elects to sit; and, when he has so declared, how the vacancy caused will be filled.

SIR G. O. TREVELYAN

When the same person is nominated for more than one ward he can withdraw during the period allowed for withdrawal, unless the effect of withdrawal would, in the words of the Act— be to reduce the total number of persons nominated below the number necessary to supply the vacancies to be filled. Where a person is elected for more wards than one, he must signify, at or before the meeting of the provisional parish council, which will be held on Thursday, 11th April, his decision as to the ward which he desires to represent, and the Local Government Board will thereupon duly order a new election to fill the vacancy or vacancies thus arising.