§ MR. W. EWARTsaid, he wished to ask the President of the Poor Law Board, Whether there will be any objection on the part of the Board to introduce a Clause into the Poor Law Bill, or Poor Law Amendment Bill, which would render it legal on the part of Guardians of the Poor in England and Wales to expend Poor Rates in relief to women and girls who may be received into accredited Houses of Refuge, or Homes, for the purposes of moral and industrial training?
§ MR. C. P. VILLIERSsaid, that he was aware of the scheme to which this question referred, and that it was favoured by some very excellent and benevolent individuals, and on that account it had received the very attentive consideration of the Poor Law Board. He was bound, however, to tell his hon. Friend that it was the opinion of those who had had most experience in the administration of the Poor Law, as well as those on whose legal advice the Board depended, that this scheme was beyond the province of the Poor Law, and almost at variance with its purpose. The 1618 Poor Law only undertook to relieve destitution and to take charge of the children of destitute persons. The proposal of his hon. Friend was for the purpose of applying the rates for the maintenance of adult persons not under the supervision of the Guardians, and in places not subject to the jurisdiction of the Magistrates. The Legislature might change its policy in this respect, but he could not but think that the greatest care would be required, if it did so, to guard against some of the evils to which farming the poor was formerly subject, and which rested upon somewhat the same principle.