§ VISCOUNT DRUMLANRIGinquired if Mr. Drouet, against whom a coroner's jury had returned a verdict of manslaughter, was still at the head of the pauper establishment at Tooting; also, what number of children were still there?
§ MR. BAINESstated, that Mr. Drouet had certainly not been convicted of any offence whatever; but he had been put upon his trial upon two or three criminal charges, and that circumstance was sufficient to induce him (Mr. Baines) not to take any further steps as regarded that individual. When the cholera broke out in Mr. Drouet's establishment in the beginning of January last there were 1,372 children in the house, who had been sent there by thirteen different unions. As soon as the cholera made its appearance, the 566 Poor Law Board issued circulars to all those unions, pressing on them in the strongest terms the necessity of providing, without delay, suitable places for the reception of those children, in order that they might be removed at the earliest possible period. That circular had been repeated from time to time. Twelve out of the thirteen unions had been able to provide places for the reception of the children, which they deemed suitable. The thirteenth union—that of Chelsea—had reported to the Poor Law Board that, notwithstanding every endeavour on their part, they had not been able to meet with a suitable place. And, no doubt, there would be a difficulty in procuring suitable accommodation for them. The workhouse was already full, and the owners of private property were naturally unwilling to receive into that property persons coming from an establishment where the cholera had existed. The number of children now at Mr. Drouet's was 223, consisting of those belonging to the Chelsea union, and of others from other parishes, who had laboured under cholera, but were now convalescent, although they had not yet been certified as in a fit state to be removed. He was happy to add, that no fresh case of cholera had occurred in Tooting since Saturday the 13th January last.