§ CAPTAIN JESSEL (St. Pancras, S.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the Local Government Board has as yet come to a decision as to the request forwarded by the City of Westminster and other borough councils, in accordance with the London Government Act, 1899, in favour of triennial elections.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. WALTER LONG,) Bristol, S.I have received applications from most of the metropolitan borough councils asking for Orders directing that the whole of the councillors shall retire together in every third year. There are technical questions of difficulty in connection with this subject upon which I have determined to take the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown. On receipt of that opinion I shall be prepared to come to a decision with regard to the course to be adopted in the matter.