2 Mr. Arthur H. Muir on 



i. Belfast City Corporation. — For the purposes of Muni- 

 cipal Government the City is divided into fifteen wards, which are 

 of various sizes, and in which the number of voters ranges from 

 2,400 in Smithfield Ward to 5,713 in Pottinger Ward. Each 

 Ward is represented on the City Council by three Councillors and 

 one Alderman, thus making a Council of sixty. 



Most of the great English Cities have an Official so far unknown 

 in Belfast, viz: an Elective Auditor. It will be said that the Cor- 

 poration Accounts are audited by the Local Government Board 

 Auditor, but practically he confines himself to the question as to 

 whether the payments are properly authorised and are legally made. 

 The functions of the Elective Auditor are different. He acts for 

 the ratepayers. He is more particularly concerned with the 

 question of whether the payments are wisely made, and whether 

 the various departments are being worked on an economical and 

 businesslike basis. He reports to the ratepayers on the under- 

 takings of the Corporation from a business point of view, and 

 brings the light of his business experience to the gloomy shades of 

 overstaffed offices, and expensively managed public departments. 

 He also draws up reports on the financial aspects of the aspirations 

 of committees anxious to develop fresh schemes at the expense of 

 the ratepayers, and endeavours to keep the citizens posted up in 

 the true facts of the various matters in hand. The office should 

 be created in Belfast. 



The Lecturer then gave descriptions of the following Undertak- 

 ings : - Public Health, Upkeep of Monuments, Roads and Bridges, 

 Maintenance of Order, Public Baths, Lodging House, Public 

 Parks, Cemeteries, Free Libraries, Municipal Technical Institute, 

 Fire Brigade, City Surveyor's Department — Planning of Streets, 

 Supervision of Drainage and Sewage Disposal, Passing of Plans 

 for New Buildings; Ulster Hall,. Scavenging, Markets and Abattoir, 

 Gasworks, Electric Light Station, Tramways. 



Referring to the Planning of new streets, the cities of the 

 United Kingdom lack a power which is very necessary, namely; 

 the power of planning out the lines on which the City shall develop, 



