These Boards would be put under the control of a
central Representative Council, consisting of eighty-two elected members and twenty-four nominated members, plus the Irish Chief Secretary, who would, however, have no vote. The elected members would be chosen by the Irish people on the Local Government register. The nominated members would be selected in the first instance by the Crown, and afterwards by the Lord-Lieutenant. The Council would have complete control over all matters now vested in the eight Departments named by means of ita resolutions, but the Lord-Lieutenant might reserve any resolution. Mr. Birrell, in naming the boroughs and counties to return members, mentioned the significant fact that the towns of Newry, Galway, and Kil- kenny would not return members to the Council. In other
words, these townlets, though they are thought populous enough to send a Member each to the Imperial Parliament, are not thought of sufficient importance to be represented in an Irish Local Council ! Yet the Liberals who support Mr. Birrell's proposals are determined to maintain the present distribution of electoral power in the United Kingdom.
