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Advertisements were then inserted in all the London daily papers, and in
all the local newspapers circulating in Westminster, announcing the adjourned
meeting of the Conference, and inviting all intending candidates to attend
In addition to this, the Vestry Clerk of St James's, who acted as honorary
secretary to the Conference, specially invited all known or suggested candidates
to attend the meeting, so that every possible step was taken, not only to
secure a representative meeting, but to ascertain the views of all candidate#
intending to present themselves to the electors
The second meeting of the Westminster Conference was held on the 6th
October when several intending candidates addressed the meeting Eleven
names were put to the vote, and the choice of the meeting fell on Messrs
Burroughes and Ross, two of the sitting members of the board, the Rev W
M Sinclair, Vicar of St Stephen's, Westminster, Mr Clifford Probyn, a
member of the Vestries of St George, Hanover Square, and St Martin-in-the
Fields, and Mr William Winnett, a member of the St James's Vestry, and
Chairman of this Committee
A Central Executive Committee was appointed to promote the return of the
five approved candidates, and although the further progress of the movement
is beyond the scope of any reference to your Committee, it is within the
knowledge of the Committee that meetings were arranged and held in every
part of the Division, at which the five Candidates were present
The result of the election has already been published, but your Committee
think that the following statement, which illustrates in a remarkable degree
the operation of the cumulative vote, is worthy of careful consideration
No of Voters No of Votes
Sinclair, Rev W M 4568 7145
Ross, James , 4558 6546
Probyn, Clifford 4,167 5616
Burroughes, J S 4026 4894
Winnett, William 3710 4359
Spink, H B 2342 8310
Hoare, H E 1072 3221
Hutchinson, J H 530 1349
While regretting that Mr Winnett failed to obtain a seat, your Committee
consider it a matter of congratulation that four of the candidates selected by
the representatives of the ratepayers were returned, and that the other
elected candidate holds somewhat similar views with regard to the economical
administration of the Board as his colleagues Only one candidate supporting
the policy of the majority of the late Board (Mr Hoare) presented himself to
the Electors, and he was rejected by a decisive majority At the same time it
is a matter of deep regret to your Committee, that in spite of all the efforts
that have been made, and in spite of exceptionally favourable weather on the
day of election, only 8,708 voters of Westminster attended the poll, or only
638 more than in 1882, leaving the large number of about 25,300 abstentions