THE PAROCHIAL ELECTIONS.
[To THE EDITOR OF ins "SrEottron.",1 "SIR,—In the Spectator of December 22nd, "H. N." says that I have made "at least two mistakes." One I acknowledge ; it is the Chairman only of the District Council who is a J.P. ex officio. The other I deny. The prefix "Rev." does not apply, in any case of the twenty, to a Dissenting minister. Perhaps "H. N." has never heard of the Clergy List. Every 'name is to be found there. As a matter of fact, only one Dissenting minister has been chosen District Councillor in the region covered by my statistics, and he sits for a parish that is virtually annexed to a town. The technical difficulty of the returning-officer might have been easily overcome. At the first meeting of the parish, it would be natural to put the most experienced and influential parishioner in the chair. Surely it is inconvenient that his services should therefore be lost to the Council.
As for making the cottager feel the pressure of the expenditure which he can control without sharing, it seems to me impossible. Here, a 6d. rate would raise £15, of which all the cottagers together would pay 183., if they could be made to pay anything. This gives an average of is. in sums varying from is. 3d. to 4d. by the year. What is this to men who would have the spending of the balance ? I fear a collision between the Parish and the District Councils. The latter are at present dominated by the large ratepayers. If the former are " captured " by the irresponsible labourer—a sesult which the Radicals desire with an equal want of honesty and good sense—a struggle will follow. But the voting power which can capture the Parish will be equally successful with the District. A reckless expenditure, indiscriminate poor relief will follow. The ratepayer will be driven to his last defences. He must refuse to employ the men who are
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