MR. PRITCHARD MORGAN (Merthyr Tydvil)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in view of the fact that the Commissioner appointed by the Privy Council to inquire into the question of whether or not a charter of incorporation should be granted on the town and borough of Merthyr, made a recommendation that the charter be granted, he will explain why the Privy Council have now refused to grant such charter?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.I am informed by the Privy Council Office that the Commissioner appointed by them was instructed only to investigate the allegations contained in the Petitions for and against incorporation, and to furnish a Report with a view to enable the Department to decide on the nature of the representation that should be addressed to the Crown. It was not part of the duty of the Commissioner to make any recommendation for or against the application for incorporation, his Report being confined to the statement of facts which he was instructed to furnish.