270 THE BRITISH APPROACH TO POLITICS

effect of these regulations is that all persons who have a Parlia-
mentary vote have also a local Government vote., except those
who live in rooms which they do not furnish themselves. Since
the rates for local expenditure are levied on land, houses and
other buildings, it is argued that these persons are not ratepayers
and should not have a voice in determining how the rates are
spent. The chief effect of the rule is to exclude young people,
over twenty-one, but still living at home; they will, however,
obtain a local vote if they can point to rooms in the house which
they occupy and furnish. The rule is not entirely logical, for if the
young people are contributing a proportion to the family expenses
they will be affected by the rates; and landladies who let furnished
apartments protably bear the rates in mind when fixing their
rents. Peers are the only people who, though disqualified from
Parliamentary voting, possess a local vote. As a general rule,
anyone qualified as an elector in the area of a local authority,
may become a candidate for election to that authority, but no one
may try to become a member of an authority which employs him.
Persons who have been Councillors and mishandled public money,
and anyone who has received Public Assistance at any time during
the year before the election, are disqualified from standing. The
dates of elections are fixed at regular intervals by Act of Parlia-
ment, and the voting is governed by rules similar to those for
Parliamentary elections. Candidates do not, however, have to
deposit money with the Returning Officer.

THE PARISH.

Although all England is divided into Parishes for Church
purposes, the Parish, as a local authority, exists only in the
countryside. Where the population is less than three hundred,
there is usually no Council, and affairs are managed by a Parish
Meeting which all the ratepayers may attend. In the larger
parishes a Council of from five to fifteen members is elected,
usually by a sfcow of hands at a Parish Meeting in April, and holds
office for three years. The duties of either Council or Meeting are