[TO THE EDITOR OF THR "SPECTATOR.']
Sin,—In your "News of the Week" of last Saturday you state that "the only defect in the legal arrangements appears to be this, that the returning officer must count the votes himself," and that "Parliament should next Session authorise the employment of additional counters."
Allow me to point out that Parliament has already done this. In addition to the general powers given to the returning officer by Section 8 of the Ballot Act, "to appoint and pay such officers . . . . as may be necessary for effectually conducting an elec- tion in manner provided by this Act," there is a special provi- sion in Schedule I., par. 48, that "in the case of a contested election for any county or borough, the returning officer may, in addition to any clerks, appoint competent persons to assist him in -counting the votes."—I am, Sir, &c., H. HARDCASTLE.
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