The Local Government Bill for England and Wales has passed
through the remainder of the Committee and the Report stage at lightning speed, with but unimportant amend- ments. It was determined yesterday week that the first elections under it are to be on November 8th of the present year, or such later date in the present year as the Local Government Board may fix. If the District Councils fail to make the necessary orders for bringing the new Act into operation for more than two years after its passing, the Local Government Board is to exercise the requisite authority for bringing the Act into operation which the District Council has allowed to lapse. Mr. Tritton's proposal not to permit any Parish Council to meet in any place where intoxicating liquors are sold, was rejected by the narrow majority of 18 (70 against 52); but on the Report on Thursday, a modified clause with the same drift was accepted by Mr. Fowler and passed. Evidently the Temperance party have the deepest belief that the body to which the adminis- tration of charitable trusts is to be committed will get drunk at the first practicable opportunity, by way, we suppose, of qualifying itself for its new responsibilities. On Tuesday, the provision forbidding permanent pasture to be broken up was modified, with Mr. Ba1four's consent, so as to allow the Parish Council to order its being broken up, with the consent, in writing, of the landlord. The Report of the Local Govern- ment Bill was agreed to on Thursday, and the Bill was, we believe, though too late for us to know before going to press, read a third time and passed in the Commons yesterday. The House of Commons was to adjourn yesterday until Monday, February 12th. The House of Lords will take the second reading of the Local Government Bill on Monday, January 22nd, and the Committee stage on Monday, January 29th, and will deal with the votes of the House of Commons on the Employers' Liability Bill in the interval between these dates.
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