§ MR. HENRY HOBHOUSE (Somerset, E.), who rose to move the Second Reading of this Bill, said that it had been introduced to remedy certain minor administrative defects in the Act of 1894. By Clause 2 of the Bill it was intended to save the time of Parish, and District Councils by removing the necessity for recording the names on all divisions unless a substantial minority desired it. The next clause enabled a Parish Council to be dissolved at any time on the petition of the parish meeting, where there were less than 300 inhabitants, or 50 electors in the parish. Clause 4 dispensed with the necessity for an audit of parish accounts, where there had been no receipts or expenditure within the year. Clause 5 did away with the anomaly which prevented persons chosen as additional guardians from taking part in sanitary and highway works, where the Poor Law and District Council areas were identical. Clause G settled a doubt that had arisen as to the status of a Rural District Councillor who had ceased to be a Guardian.
§ Notice taken that 40 Members were not present; House counted, and 40 Members not being present,
§ The House was Adjourned at Twenty-five Minutes before Eleven of the Clock till Monday next.