The Government did not gain much by compelling the country
Members who had spent Christmas in the country to travel back to London on Boxing-Day—when the trains and stations are much crowded, and many of the best trains are taken off. When the House of Commons assembled at 12 o'clock on Wednesday, the Ministers were inundated with questions asked by irritated Members ; and when at last the Parish Councils Bill was resumed, the Committee only succeeded in clearing threeout of the host of amendments out of the way, and those three were not of much importance. They were intended to strengthen the Boards of Guardians against rash and inex- perienced members, but they were not very wisely adapted for their purpose. On Thursday, Mr. Balfour moved his amend- ment intended to make the Guardian for each parish a repre- sentative chosen by the Parish Council,—or, in case of no Parish Council, the parish meeting,—instead of forcing another popular election on the parish, and Mr. Balfour thought that in this way a better class of men might be secured as Guardians. But the amendment was rejected by a majority of 57 (152 to 95). On Thursday also an amendment disqualifying illiterates from having their votes registered by others was unfortunately rejected by a Government which seems to attach special value to the votes of illiterates. There was a majority of 38 against the amendment (107 to 69).
