§ MR. A. F. JEFFREYS (Hants,) BasingstokeI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board, whether, in the event of the parish meetings not being held on 9th March, as fixed by the Local Government Board, nor on the seven days before or after 25th March, as fixed by the Act of 1894, any penalty would be incurred; and, if so, from whom that penalty would be recoverable; and, if from any cause the parish meeting were not held on 9th March, would the present Council continue in office for another year?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. HENRY CHAPLIN,) Lincolnshire, SleafordIf the chairman of the parish council neglects or refuses to convene a parish meeting for the election of parish councillors he is liable to a fine not exceeding £100. If the chairman, from illness or other sufficient cause, is unable to discharge the duty, or if there is no chairman, the meeting is to be convened by the clerk to the parish council, or if there is no such clerk, by the overseers of the parish. There is no express provision as to a penalty if there is a failure to convene the annual assembly of the parish meeting. It appears to me that, if no meeting for the election is held, and there is consequently an entire failure to elect parish councillors, the present councillors will go out of office on 15th April, but the County Council may order a new election.
§ MR. WINGFIELD-DIGBY (Dorset, N.)asked the right hon. Gentleman if the fine of £100 was provided for by a clause in the Parish Council Act or by an order of the Local Government Board.
§ MR. CHAPLINI cannot speak with certainty, but I think it was by an order of the Local Government Board.