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52
localities, by the localities and the County Council, by
the Country Council alone, and finally by the Government
alone, or in conjunction with all or any of these
municipal authorities.
(ii.) That the Government be urged to take steps imraediate'y
to undertake certain extensive work of public
benefit to be carried out in convenient sections with
a view both to giving workmen permanent employment
away from large cities and to aiding them in
times of exceptional distress, such works to include
afforestation, reclamation of foreshores, and making
of a national road round the coast, etc.
68.—Letters were also received from the Tooting Branch,
Social Democratic Federation, and the Clapham Branch, Independent
League, on the subject of the lack of employment, and in
compliance with the request of the latter Association a deputation
of five of the unemployed were invited to attend a Meeting of a
Committee of the Council. The deputation however did not
attend.
Polling
Districts.
69.—The Council, being of opinion that the Polling District
consisting of the Clapham South Ward, had become
unwieldly, made application to the London County
Council to divide the same into 3 Polling Districts, for greater
convenience at elections. A similar application was also made by
the Battersea Borough Council. The London County Council in
reply stated that having already made Orders dividing the electoral
division into polling districts for parliamentary and county
purposes, they were advised that their power to again alter the
division for county purposes was extremely doubtful, and that the
County Council considered that it would be inexpedient to alter
the parliamentary polling districts without a corresponding alteration
for County Council purposes; that in the circumstances the
County Council regretted it was unable to accede to the requests of
the Borough Councils, but had thought it desirable to call the
attention of the Local Government Board to the applications, as
further illustrating the need for an amendment of the law with
respect to the provision of polling districts.