§ Mr. CLELANDasked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been directed to the circumstances attending the election of parish councillors for the parish of Aspeden, in
2080Wthe county of Herts, on 14th March of this year; whether the chairman put the names of the candidates to the meeting not in alphabetical order; whether the chairman declined to grant a poll, although the same was demanded by five parish electors, and declared the six candidates who received the highest number of votes at the said meeting duly elected as parish councillors; and, if so, whether the Local Government Board proposes to take steps to ensure that the orders of the Board governing such elections shall be duly carried out in the future?
§ Mr. BURNSI have communicated with the clerk to the parish council in the matter. I understand that in one case the name of the candidate was by accident not put to the meeting in its alphabetical order. As regards the demand for a poll, I am not prepared, on the information before me, to say whether the chairman was justified in refusing his assent. With respect to the last part of the question, I may point out that the validity of the proceedings in a case of this kind may be questioned by an election petition.