§ MR. C. E. SCHWANN (Manchester, N.)On behalf of the hon. Member for the Prestwich Division of Lancashire (Mr. F. CAWLEY): I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board, whether, in view of the fact that at the recent District Council Election a large number of voters were prevented from voting at Droylsden, although in the booth before the time for closing the poll, the Government will propose such an alteration in the law that voters in the booth at the time for closing the poll may have papers given to them and so be enabled to exercise their franchise?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. T. W. RUSSELL,) Tyrone, S.I have made inquiry of the Returning Officer and am informed by him that although there were persons outside one of the polling booths at eight o'clock prepared to vote, every person who had a ballot paper given to him within the booth until eight o'clock was allowed to place it in the ballot box. The suggestion of the hon. Member will be considered by me before any new regulations are issued by the Local Government Board as to elections, but I cannot hold out any expectation that in respect of these elections a course different from that adopted in the case of Parliamentary, Municipal, and County Council Elections can be prescribed as regards voting after the time fixed for the closing of the poll.