NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE elections to supply annual vacancies in the Municipal Coun- cils took place on Wednesday. Though interesting in their re- spective localities, the results of these struggles have lost much of their political importance from the fact demonstrated at the last general election, that superiority in the municipal legislature has a very partial and uncertain influence on the choice of Members to the House of Commons. At Leicester and Bristol the Re- formers displaced Tories; but at Liverpool, Norwich, Hull, and other towns, nothing, apparently, was gained by the overthrow of the corrupt old corporations. Other influences were too potent for the Reformers. The proceedings of sonic of the Councils created active enemies to the Liberal candidates. Mr. EWART suffered from the introduction of the Irish system of education into the Public Schools at Liverpool; and the expenses attend- ing the establishment of an improved police, and the cost of pensioning dismissed officers, must in a certain degree have produced discontent. These causes have also a local opera- Ron; and therefore something like a reaction would not be sur- prising. Few of the returns made on Wednesday have been reported; but the information received up to the present time affords no pretence for boasting to either party. The Liberals have the advantage in Liverpool, Northampton, Exeter, Andover, Bewdley, Totnes, Kidderminster, Leicester, Boston, Nottingham, Coventry, and Stamford ; the Tories in Norwich, Hull, Dover, Shrewsbury, Kingston, St. Alban's, Bridgnortle Poole, York, Grantham, Colchester, and Warwick. In Bristol an equal num- ber of each party was returned.
