§ MR. H. J. TENNANT (Berwickshire)To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to a Return of the Corporation of the City of Manchester setting forth the rateable value of the various wards, the numbers of limited liability companies in those wards and their rateable value, from which it can be deduced that as 349 much as 45 per cent. of the rateable value is in some cases unrepresented at municipal elections; and whether he can propose any method of altering the system under which representation is so partial and capricious.
(Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I have not seen the Return of the Corporation of Manchester referred to in the Question. I have received particulars sent for the purposes of the Return, moved for by my hon. friend, from which it appears that the rateable value of the premises at Manchester, in respect of the occupation of which no persons are entered in the lists of municipal electors, because the hereditaments are occupied by corporations, or joint stock or other companies, amounts to 32 per cent. of the total rateable value of the city. I am not able to promise to introduce the legislation which would be necessary to alter this state of things