POPULATION AND REPRESENTATION. (To TUE EDITOR OF TILE " SPECTATOR:1
SIR,—I quite agree with your correspondent "11." that the question of the redistribution of seats is a most important one. But I think the inequalities Which exist in representation would be better illustrated by taking particular constituencies, and comparing the number of electors with the number of sit- ting Members. For instance, if we look at towns containing about 20,000 electors each, we see that the representation is of
this nature :-
Constituency Number of Electors, Sitting Members.
London (City) ... 22,916 4
Bradford 27,610 ... 2 Bristol ... ... 21,994 2
Wednesbury ... 20,845 ... 1 Again, if we arrange according to the number of sitting Members, the figures will be as follows:— Members. 2 2 2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1
Constituency.
Hackney Finsbury Tower Hamlets ... Grantham Durham (City) ... Sandwich Wednesbury Dudley ... Dewsbury Kinsale ...
Portarlington
Number of Electors.
-1-1,723
••• 43,756
,•• 41,451
.•. 2,350 2,116 2,041 ••• 20,845 ••• 15,138 ••• 10,506 197 142
Now, I am sure that no one who merely glances at these statistics will deny that borough representation requires a most careful and complete revision.-1 am, Sir, &e., H. W. W.