Lord Kimberley made an important speech to the Norfolk Chamber
of Agriculture on Saturday, in which he advocated the establishment of County Councils for the management of all local questions, except the administration of justice and the police. His main object appears to be to check centralisation, but he also desires a certain consistency in administration, and sees none between a Democratic Parliament and a strong bureau- cracy of inspectors. He pointed out, moreover, what is often forgotten, that already the Boards of Guardians who are elected have more difficult and important functions to perform than any remaining to the Magistrates. Lord Kimberley seems to think that elected members and magistrates should both sit on County Councils, but gave no hint of the way in which he would have them vote, whether together _or" as separate Houses. In the former case, the elected members might in any year be swamped by a fresh batch of nominations to the Magistracy.
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