§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what qualifications are required to secure a vote in the election for Belfast Harbour Commissioners.
§ Mr. ConcannonThe qualifications for electors entitled to vote at an election of the Belfast Harbour Commissioners are as laid down in Section VIII of the Belfast Harbour Act 1883.
To qualify for registration as an elector a person must on 1st November preceding the election reside within 20 miles of the harbour office and possess one of the following qualifications:
- (i) he must be the registered owner of a vessel belonging to and registered at the Port of Belfast of not less than 50 tons net register, or the registered owner of two or more vessels having an aggregate tonnage of not less than 50 tons net register, or the registered owner of shares amounting to not less than 50 tons net register in such vessel or vesels; or
- (ii) he must be rated as the occupier of premises within the borough of Belfast on a specified minimum net annual value, at present £210; where two or more persons are rated as joint occupiers of any such premises they shall be respectively entitled to be registered if the premises are of such a value as would when divided by the number of persons rated as occupiers give to each a sufficient net annual value to entitle him to vote.
A registered company occupying premises of the requisite net annual value or owning a ship or ships of the qualifying tonnage is entitled to be registered as an elector.
§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what qualifications are required for nomination as a candidate for election to the board of the Belfast Harbour Commissioners.
§ Mr. ConcannonThe qualifications for candidates for election to the board 297W of the Belfast Harbour Commissioners are as laid down in Section IV of the Belfast Harbour Act 1883.
A candidate for election to the board of commissioners must reside within 20 miles of the harbour office and must also possess one of the following qualifications:
- (i) he must be the registered owner of a vessel belonging to and registered at the Port of Belfast of not less than 300 tons net register or of two or more such vessels having aggregate tonnage of not less than 300 tons or the registered owner of a share or shares amounting to not less than 300 tons net register in such vessel or vessels; or
- (ii) he must be rated as the occupier of premises within the borough of Belfast on a specified minimum net annual value, at present £900, or as one of several joint occupiers of such premises on a specified minimum net annual value, at present £900 for each of the joint occupiers; or
- (iii) he must possess in his own right or in the right of his wife real estate in the United Kingdom of a net annual value of not less than £200 or personal estate of a gross value of not less than £5,000.
The valuations referred to at (ii) are amended from time to time.