Question

When did Government set up a Royal Commission to investigate how councils dealt with important functions like water supplies, drainage, and street cleaning?

• A. 1833
• B. 1839
• C. 1848
• D. 1898

Answer 1

The correct option is A 1833

The 1835 Municipal Corporations Act was a logical step in the reform of the constitution. There were about 250 of these towns, each of which had received a Royal Charter at some time in the past to have its council or corporation. There were great variations in how the corporations were chosen and how they functioned but in over 180 of them, only the members of the Corporation were allowed to vote. Normally they re-elected themselves or brought friends and relatives onto the council. The Commission found generally that power was held by a small number of people because so few townsfolk could vote. They also found evidence of corruption with the council members becoming rich at the expense of the town's inhabitants. Hence, Option A is correct. Among the rest, the Court of Session Act 1839 was repealed, in 1848 Public Health Act was passed and in 1898, the Libraries Offences Act was passed. Hence, these are incorrect.