§ MR. WALTERbegged to ask whether the attention of the President of the Poor Law Board had been drawn to a case, reported in last Saturday's papers of a circumstance that had occurred in reference to a poor young woman who, in the last stage of pregnancy, and utterly destitute, had been, as was alleged, refused admittance into Lambeth workhouse?' He wished also to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the Poor Law Board had not the power to compel the Guardians to do their duty in such cases as that reported, without the intervention of the police; and, further, whether, if the right hon. Gentleman had noticed the case, he had taken any steps in the matter?
§ SIR JOHN TROLLOPEsaid, he had seen the report referred to, and had directed inquiries to be made into the whole case. Mr. Hall, the Metropolitan Poor Law Inspector, had that day, by his instructions, proceeded to Lambeth workhouse to investigate the matter, and to report the result of his inquiries to the Poor Law Board; but when he (Sir J. Trollope) left his office, half an hour since, Mr. Hall had not yet returned. So soon as he had possession of the facts himself, he should be ready to state them to the House. As to any power in the 1065 Board of Gnardians to call in the authority of the police to aid them in their duty, he knew of no such power, which he conceived would be wholly opposed to the entire spirit of the Poor Law Act.