In that year the Conservative Government established county and district councils and Lord Rosebery became the first chairman of the London County Council.

Six years later the Liberals set up parish councils in the rural districts, with parish meetings where the population did not exceed three hundred.

In 1899 the Conservatives displaced the old London vestries by borough councils, and in 1902-3 abolished in England the school boards created in 1870, and made the county council the local authority for public elementary education.

Scotland was allowed to retain its school boards, and strong but unsuccessful opposition was made in London and the chief cities to the suppression of the specially elected education authority.
[Illustration: THE RIGHT HON.

JOHN BURNS, M.P.
_Photo: Moyse, Putney._] As far as rural England is concerned, county councils, district councils, and parish councils are, generally speaking, very reluctant to put into operation the wide powers they possess.