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47
of the Local Authorities concerned, to purchase any company's
undertaking, and that the Council or Local Authorities in combination,
purchasing an undertaking, might sell to any of the
Local Authorities concerned part of the undertaking within their
several districts. This Council approved of the Bill, which was,
however, withdrawn on a statement that the Government had in
draft a Bill on the same subject.
Local Authorities
(Bills in
Parliament).
55.-—The object of this Bill, like the "Borough Funds Act
"(1872) Amendment (London) Bill," referred to in
the last report, was to improve the procedure of promoting
and opposing Bills in Parliament. The Bill
dealt chiefly with the promotion of Bills, but Clause 8 and the
repealing schedule would have rendered unnecessary the consent
of owners and ratepayers to the opposition of an authority to a
Bill in Parliament. This Council petitioned in favour of the Bill,
which however met with considerable opposition in Parliament
and was withdrawn.
Borough
Funds, 1803.
56.—This Bill, which was to the same effect as the lastmentioned
Bill, was introduced in 1903 and received
the Royal Assent on the nth August, 1903.
London
Elections Bill.
57.—The Council petitioned in favour of this Bill, which was
introduced by the Government and proposed that
the alterations of the areas of Parishes and Counties
made under the London Government Act should have effect for
all purposes relating to Parliamentary elections; that where
any area transferred to a Parliamentary Borough abuts on one
division only of that Borough, it should be added to that division,
and that if it abuts on more than one division, it should be added
to one or other division or divided between them in such manner
as the London Government Act Commissioners might determine;
and that the Board of Education might make orders altering the
divisions for elections of the School Board so as to prevent the
boundaries of any such division from cutting the boundaries of
any Parish. The Bill also contained provisions for simplifying the
form of lists and registers of voters in London. Owing to the
opposition of several Members of Parliament the Government
withdrew the Bill.