View report page

8
THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1894.
That which may be regarded as the first instalment of the
long promised reform of Local Government in the Metropolis,
has taken place in the passing of the Parish Councils Act,
technically known as "The Local Government Act, 1894" and
which received the Royal Assent on the 5th March, 1894. As
originally drafted, it was intended to apply to the provinces
only; but, owing to the pressure put upon the Government
by some of the London Members when the bill was in
Committee of the House of Commons, and after its second
reading, amendments were introduced by Mr. Fowler, the
President of the Local Government Board, making it applicable
in part to the Vestries and District Boards of the Metropolis.
The Act does not interfere with the time or method of
election of Members of District Boards of Works, they having to
be elected as heretofore by the constituent Vestries ; the rating
qualification of members, however, is done away with, and
henceforth any person, whether male or female, whose name
appears upon the Local Government Register or the Parliamentary
Register of Electors of the Parishes within the
District will be capable of being elected.
The following is a summary of the more important
provisions of the Act so far as it affects the St. Saviour's
District.
Sect. 31.—The qualification of Members is to be the same
as that of Urban District Councillors mentioned in the
Act—that is to say:
Sect. 23 (2).—A person will not be qualified to be elected
unless he is a parochial elector of some Parish within
the District, or has during the whole of the twelve
months preceding the election resided in the District.
It would seem that an elector may be chosen from
either of the Parishes by the elective Vestry.
Ibid.—No person will be disqualified by sex or marriage for
being elected.
Sect. 31 (2).—At the first meeting after the annual election
of Members, the Board is to elect a Chairman for the
year.