DR. FARQUHARSONI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board has his attention been drawn to the fact that an official inquiry held at the Forest Gate Schools in the month of September, 1893, into the circumstances connected with the death of certain children there by ptomaine poisoning, in the mouth of September, 1893, disclosed grave irregularities in the accounts and in the prescribed dietary; and whethersteps will be taken to prevent the possibility of such occurrences in the future, and to protect the children and the public by placing some effective check on the control of the superintendent?
* MR. SHAW-LEFEVREI am aware of the official inquiry which was held at the Forest Gate Schools by one of the Inspectors of the Local Government Board into the circumstances connected with certain cases of ptomaine poisoning. The inquiry showed that there had been deviations from the ordinary prescribed dietary, but there was no reason whatever to suppose that there was any connection between those deviations and the cases of poisoning. The evidence also showed that the entries in the accounts did not always accurately represent the facts, although there was no reason for supposing that those entries had been made by the superintendent of the schools with any fraudulent intent. The views of the Board as to these irregularities have been communicated to the managers, and by them to the superintendent, and the Board 232 feel sure that they may rely upon such supervision on the part of the managers in future as will prevent the recurrence of any similar ground of complaint.