The London clauses of the County Government Bill are passing
with unexpected ease. The opposition has, in fact, been confined to two points,—the selection of Aldermen, which the Liberals resist, and the control of the police, which they desire to transfer to the County Council. An amendment forbidding the selection of Aldermen was negatived on Tuesday by 192 to 148, but Mr. Ritchie reduced the number of co-opted members to one-sixth of the whole. The Council will therefore usually consist of some hundred and fifty members,—a very good number. Mr. Stuart moved the amendment for trans- ferring the control of the police, and was strenuously supported; but no leading Liberal intervened in the debate, except Mr. Childers, who suggested a division of the police into Imperial and local bodies. It was felt, how- ever, that to give the control of 14,000 men to an untried body was unwise, and the amendment was defeated by 220 to 150. Little of a contentious character now remains in the Bill, as the clauses creating District Councils are to be with- drawn, and it is possible, therefore, that the remaining two- thirds may be passed in much less time than the first third has occupied. The Bill as amended will be but a skeleton of itself; but the popular Councils, once elected, will soon accrete powers.
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