Sir William Harcourt produced the London Municipal Bill on Tuesday.
Its general idea, which is the absorption of all Municipal functions by a "Common Council " of 240, elected by the householders of thirty-nine districts, is sufficiently discussed elsewhere ; but we may mention here that the area taken as " London " is that under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Board of Works ; that the method of election is to be the same as that of the School Board, and that the Lord Mayor and Deputy Mayor will be elected by the Council. Each district will have a district Council, which will perform such duties as may be entrusted to it by the Common Council, the expense being met by a local rate, to be approved by the Common Council, and added to the general "City Rate." The taxation of parishes will, therefore, still vary. All officers of the absorbed Boards and Councils are to be utilised or provided for, but there are to be no more Aldermen, that title being disliked by the men whom the Government hopes to see become candidates.. No provision whatever is made for the control of the new Common Council by any State Department, and there is apparently no check upon expenditure, though there is a State audit.
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