The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-11 00:00:00

THE BOUNDARY COMMISSION.

The long-expected report of the Boundary Commis-
sioners was issued on Tuesday to members of Parliament,
but not to the public. We have been favoured with a
copy of this important document in anticipation of our
own. It is a large octavo volume, containing 471 pages,
and a large number of beautifully-executed and coloured
maps from the survey over which Colonel Sir H. James pre-
sides. The work costs 2s. The total number:of districts
was eighteen. To each were appointed two assistant
commissioners—one a barrister, the other an- officer of the
Royal Artillery or the Royal Engineers. There were 266
inquiries in all. The commissioners were—Lord Eversley
(chairman), Mr. Russell Gurney, M.P., Sir John Duck-
worth, Sir Francis Crossley, M.P., and Mr. John
Walter. They say that in all cases the assistant-com-
missioners have personally inspected the existing and
Proposed borough boundaries. They acknowledge the
courtesy of the local authorities. They mention that there
was a general indisposition on the part of persons
residing in the immediate neighbourhood of boroughs to
their premises being included within the parliamentary
boundary ; but that in almost every case this indisposition
was attributable to the fear that an extension of parlia-
mentary boundaries would be followed by a corresponding
extension of municipal area, and that consequently they
would become liable to the payment of borough rates.
The commissioners then point out some peculiarities in
various boroughs, which need not be detailed. They give
the following summary of their recommendations as to
boroughs :
Boroughs existing before 1867 :
Extension proposed 81
No ditto ... 116-197
Boroughs constituted by " The Representation of the
People Act, 1867 " :
Extension proposed ... ... 3
Contraction ditto ... ... 4
Contraction and extension ... 2
No alteration ... 1-10

Total number of boroughs, 207.
In recommending extensions or alterations of boundaries,
the commissioners have endeavoured to adhere to the
well-known limits of parishes, townships, or districts under
local boards of health ; but in cases where such boundaries
would include too large an area, they have recommended
the adoption of other well-defined limits, such as railways,
rivers, cue.
The number of counties and divisions of counties affected
is thirteen, and in only two instances have they found it
necessary to recommend alterations in the temporary
divisions as constituted by the Act. As far as practicable
they have adhered to the old-established divisions of
hundreds. In Somersetshire they have followed the more
modern arrangement of petty sessional divisions, and in
the West Riding of Yorkshire they have recommended
that certain parishes and townships should he sepa-
rated from the rest of the Wapentake of Morley.
There are two special matters to which the commissioners
call attention. Ist. Wherever additional districts are in-
cluded within boron ghs, which ,like Nottingham, are counties
in themselves, the freeholders in parts added will, in the
absence of any provision similar to that contained in the
31st section of the Reform Act of 1832, still vote for the
county, notwithstanding that the freeholder within the
existing parliamentary area vote for the borough only. 2nd.
Compound householders in parishes not within existing
borough boundaries, but which may be wholly or in part
added to boroughs„ will be precluded from qualifying as
oters in 1809 unless Some special provision is made for
their protection similar to that contained in the Represen-
tation of the People Act. The commissioners conclude
with expressing their obligations to Colonel Sir H. James,
Mr. Lambert, of the Poor-law Board, and Mr. C. W.
Freemantle, their secretary.