HC Deb 22 January 1847 vol 89 cc269-70
MR. HUME

, seeing the right hon. Home Secretary in his place, would now put to him the question of which he (Mr. Hume) had given notice. It was only necessary for him to state, that at the end of the last Session, on the 25th of August, he (Mr. Hume) placed on the Table of the House certain resolutions, arising out of the examination before the Select Committee on District Asylums; and in those resolutions he asked the House to take certain measures relative to the Poor Law Commissioners, as he believed their continuance in office would be detrimental to the interests of the country. He was then requested by the right hon. Baronet, on the ground that he (Sir G. Grey) had not had time to read the voluminous documents placed before him, to postpone the resolutions until he had had an opportunity of perusing them. The right hon. Gentleman had had that opportunity; and he now wished to ask the right hon. Baronet whether it was the intention of Her Majesty's Government to take any measures respecting the Poor Law Commissioners. He (Mr. Hume) had added to the question of which he originally gave notice, a reference to the report and evidence taken before the Andover Union Committee; and he might also observe that some additional information, bearing upon the same subject, had since been obtained by the House of Lords. Upon the answer he should receive to-night would depend the course of his conduct.

SIR G. GREY

said, that the subject had undergone the consideration he promised; but the hon. Member and the House must excuse him if he did not answer the question, particularly as regarded the report on the Andover union, until the statement his noble Friend (Lord J. Russell) was about to make this evening, on the law of settlement, had been heard. No resolution had been reported by the Committee on District Asylums, but the evidence taken before it had been duly considered. Since the appointment of the Committee, the Poor Law Commissioners had exercised no power, but they had previously appointed boards of management in different districts of London: however, in only one district, the eastern, had the power been acted upon; and in the others no further step had been taken, though compulsory measures were in contemplation.