§ Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee read.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA AND BURMA (THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE)My Lords, during the Second Reading debate on this Bill I promised my noble friend Lord Jessel that I would give an explanation of an Amendment made in the House of Commons and circulated with the Bill, with reference to the City of London Municipal Elections Amendment Act, 1867. The explanation is that, as this Bill removes the qualification of actual occupation of premises within a ward in respect of a voter at Aldermanic elections, it was considered necessary to make provision in the Bill to amend Section 6 of the Municipal Elections Amendment Act, 1867, by omitting those words in that section prescribing a form of declaration to be made by voters at City elections declaring that the voter is an occupier of premises in the ward in which he votes. It was found, however, after the Bill had made some progress in the House of Commons, that Section 6 of the Act of 1867 had in fact been repealed as long ago as 1887. It was therefore unnecessary to include words in the Bill dealing with this point, and the Amendment to which my noble friend referred alters the Bill in that respect.
§ Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee.—(The Duke of Devonshire.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.
§ House in Committee accordingly: Bill reported without amendment.