§ MR. J. G. TALBOTsaid, he wished to ask the President of the Poor Law Board, Whether it is his intention to recommend the dissolution of the Kensington Sick Asylum District; and, if not, how soon it is likely that the plans for that Asylum, which were submitted to the Poor Law Board for their approval in December last, will be approved?
§ MR. GOSCHEN,in reply, said, with respect to the first part of the Question of the hon. Member, he might state that at present the Poor Law Board could not dissolve a sick asylum district, and they would not be enabled to do so unless the present Metropolitan Poor Amendment Bill should become law. With respect to the approval of the plans, he found when he came into Office that a site had been purchased for the proposed sick asylum for £15,500, which appeared to him a considerable sum, and he had since ascertained that a further outlay would be required for draining and fencing the land. Representations had been made to him against the site, and also against the expense of the asylum proposed to be built, by the managers and the guardians of the two parishes of Kensington, and St. Margaret's and St. John's which form the district, requesting him to stay action in the matter. It had been also represented to him that the existing workhouses of the two parishes, with the adjacent sites, might be so far utilized as to render one of them available for the sick asylum, an opinion in which he was disposed to concur. He had been pressing the guardians to suggest a plan by which such arrangement might be carried into effect; but hitherto, he regretted to say, without success. He had, however, been promised communications from the guardians on the subject, and the further consideration of the plans was reserved in order that he might previously ascertain whether the guardians would cooperate in the arrangement proposed.