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io. The Council also attended in state the laying by H.R.H.
Princess Christian of the foundation stone of St. Andrew's new
Parish Hall, Earlsfield, on the nth May, 1907; and the dedication
by the Bishop of Southwark of the new aisle of St. Mary Magdalene's
Church, Trinity Road, Wandsworth Common, and the
opening of the new Parochial Hall in connection with such church
on the 19th October, 1907.
Representation of Wards.
11. The Local Government Board Inquiry into the representation
of the Wards of the Borough, referred to in
the last report (page 37), was held at the
Council House on the 18th November, 1907. Plans and statistics
prepared by the Council's officers showing the area, rateable value,
and population of each of the existing Wards, the Polling Districts,
and the Rate Collectors' Districts, and of suggested reapportionments,
were put in evidence, and the Council expressed
the opinion that the facts which determine the apportionment of
Members amongst the Wards change so quickly in the Borough
that any re-arrangement at the present time would be of short
duration; and, moreover, there having been no official census since
1901, the population must be taken as at that time, which would
be very misleading, or be based upon estimates which may be
inaccurate; that an alteration of the Wards of the Borough at
present would be premature; and that no further steps should be
taken in the matter until the result of the Census of 1911 is
known. Several residents in the Borough gave evidence in favour
of and against any alteration being made in the representation of
the respective Wards. In February, 1908, the Local Government
Board informed the Council that, having considered the evidence
given at the Inquiry with reference to the proposals for the alteration
of the number of Wards and of the apportionment of the
Members of the Council among the Wards together with the
report of their Inspector thereon, the Board had come to the conclusion
that no sufficient case had been made out for giving effect
to the proposals at the present time.
12. In June, 1907, the Council passed the following resolution,
viz.:—
Suggested
Division of
the Borough.
"That in the opinion of this Council it will not be for
the benefit of the Borough that any part of it shculd be
separated therefrom."