ELECTION EXPENSES.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1809, 8 December 1879, Page 3

ELECTION EXPENSES.

A Parliamentary return gives the returning officers’ charges at the last general election, and the amount per head per householder, calculated upon the number of inhabited houses in 1871. Of the uncontested counties in England and Wales, Bedford stood lowest, with a charge of Jd. per head per householder ; and Montgomery highest, with a charge of la 3Jd per head. Of the contested counties South-East Lancashire showed the lowest proportion of charge, viz., 4£d per head ; and Radnor the highest, or 4a per head. Among the cities and boroughs in England and Wales which were not contested the charge ranged from an infinitesimal fraction of a penny at Harwich, whore the total expenditure of the returning officer was only 6s 6d, for 919 householders, to lid per head at. Hertford ; whilst of the contested constituencies Richmond (Yorkshire) stood lowest, with a charge of 2ld per head, and Radnor borough highest, with a charge of 3s Old per head. In the return for Scotland the number of families is given, as being the closest possible approximation to the number of householders, and the charge per head varied in the uncontested constituencies from "020 of a penny in Argyleshire to 3139 din Feebleshire j and in the contested constituencies from 3 306 d in Caithness to Is 2G4Od in the Wigtown burghs. Prom five Irish constituencies no returns had been received, but of the remainder Cork, with a charge of 08d per head, was the lowest of those which were ancontested, and Downpatrick, with a charge per head of Is 2 C3d, highest} and of the contested constituencies Leitrim was lowest at 313 d per head, and Portarlington highest with a charge of Ss 11 61d per head.