312 The Library. parishes remains to be seen. The multiplication of authorities for carrying various Acts into effect, is as a rule fraught with unnecessary expense, and in this respect the simplification effected by the Act is to be commended. It seems probable that the section will result in the wider adoption of the principal Act, especially if the scheme of travelling villa ge libraries were practically accomplished in each county. Section 1 1 is intended as a safeguard against extravagance on the part of the Parish Council. Thus before incurring ex- penses which would involve a rate exceeding threepence in the pound, they must obtain the approval of a Parish Meeting. If they wish to borrow money the County Council and Local Government Board must give their consent, and in any event their expenses must not exceed sixpence in the pound for any year. But this does not include expenses under the Adoptive Acts, which are to be shown separately on the demand note. In parishes where there is no Parish Council, the rate when added to the expenses under any of the Adoptive Acts is not to exceed sixpence in the pound. Section 57 authorises the appointment out of their respective bodies of a joint Committee by two or more Parish Councils. So far, we have been discussing rural parishes only. But the Act by no means stops at them. Urban districts, and even the metropolis, come within its scope. Section 62 provides that an Urban District Council may resolve that the powers, &c., of any existing authority acting in the urban district shall be trans- ferred to such Council, and thereupon the authority is to cease to exist. This is, perhaps, limited to a very few cases, since the Urban Authority as a rule executes the Act in urban districts, and the further provision that the Act is not to be adopted for any part of an urban district without the approval of the District Council is of no importance, as the Act cannot be adopted for part of such a district. In my opinion this does not apply to the metropolis. But section 33 applies to the administrative county of London, county boroughs, ordinary boroughs, and urban dis- tricts, and it authorises the Local Government Board on the application of the Council (or in the case of London of the Sanitary Authority), or any representative body, to make an order conferring on the Council, Sanitary Authority, or other representative body within the borough, all or any of the powers, duties, or liabilities of a Parish Council.
