§ MR. W. H. MYERS (Winchester)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board, whether he is aware that, out of the four alternative days fixed for the poll for the parish council elections, three fall within Passion Week; and whether he will instead allow the poll to be taken on any day during the week ending Saturday 28th March?
§ MR. CHAPLINThe regulations provide that, if there is a poll for the election of parish councillors, it shall be taken on Monday, March 30, unless the County Council fix the previous Saturday, 28th, or the Tuesday, 31st, or Wednesday, April 1, following. The County Council can fix Saturday, March 28th, for the day of election if they deem it necessary on the ground of the three other days mentioned falling in Passion Week. I could not make the alteration suggested now.
§ MR. F. S. STEVENSON (Suffolk, Eve)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the chairman of a parish meeting would be liable to a fine if he were to convene the meeting for the election of the parish council for Thursday the 26th of March; and, whether the election would be held to be invalid by reason of the fact that it did not take place on the 9th of March?
§ MR. CHAPLINThe regulations which have been issued by the Local Government Board will not admit of the elections of parish councillors being deferred until Thursday, 26th March, as suggested by the hon. Member, and there would be no legal authority for holding the election on that day. It is clearly the duty of the chairman of the parish meeting to convene the meeting for the day prescribed—viz., 9th March, and the provisions as to the penalty apply where the meeting is not convened as required by the regulations.