Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/1149

 AREA AND POPULATION'

1097

presided over by a Commissioner of the Sovereign, who in the former assembly has a deciding vote, but in the latter named only a deliberative vote. He is the chief magistrate in the province. The Commissioner and the members of the Deputed States receive an allowance.

Each of the communes forms a Corporation with its own interests and rights, subject to the general law. In each commune is a Council, elected for four years directly, by the same voters as for the Provincial States, provided they inhabit the commune. All the Dutch inhabitants 23 yi age are eligible, the number ol members varying from 7 to 45, according to the population. The Council has a right of making and enforcing by daws concerning the communal welfare. The Council may raise taxes according to rules prescribed by common law ; besides, each commune receives from the State Treasury an allowance proj>ortioned to the total number of its inhabitants and to the share which its non-contributing inhabitants have failed to pay towards local taxes. All by daws may be vetoed by the Sovereign. The Municipal Budget and the resolutions to alienate municipal property require the approbation of the Deputed States of the province. The Council meets in public as often as may be necessary, and is presided over by a Mayor, appointed by the Sovereign for 6 years. The executive power is vested in a college formed by the Mayor and 2—6 Aldermen (wethouders), elected by and from the Council ; this college is also charged with the execution of the public law. The Municipal Police is under the authority of the Mayor ; as a State functionary the Mayor supervises the actions of the Council; he may suspend their resolutions for 30 days, but is bound to inform the Deputed States of the province.

Area and Population. I. Progrkss and Present Condition. Population at various census periods

1829. 1849.

2,613,487 3,056,00

1869 1889

3,579,529 4,511,415

1909

5,858,175

Area (excluding water) and the population, according to the communal population lists for December 31, 1914 and 1918 : —

Provinces

Area:

English

square miles

(1909)

Population

Dec 31, 1914

Dec. 31, 1919

Per sq. mile 191-»

North Brabant Guelders. South Holland North Holland Zealand. Utrecht. Friesland Overyssel Groningen Drentlie. Limburg.

1,920 1,939 1,181

1,006 707 525

1,243

1,296 881

1,028 847

670,030 681,824 1,537,419 1,202,652 239,670 307,547 372,625 410,826 345,649 188,775 385,682

729,011 726,390 1,604,284 l,288,«2e 246,882 335,461 885,362 43-..047 363,077 200,879 450,012

379 374 1,4~0 1,209, 349 640 310 336 412 201 581

Total.

12,582

6,339,705

6,831,231

542

Of the total on December 31, 1919, 3,401,348 were males and 3,429,883 females.

According to the result of the census taken December, 1920, the country had a population of 6,841,155.