§ MR. WILBRAHAM EGERTONsaid, he wished to ask the President of the Poor Law Board, Whether he is prepared to introduce Clauses in the Union Chargeability Bill to give powers to guardians to reconstruct Unions; and whether he will fix a later day after Easter for going into Committee?
§ MR. C. P. VILLIERSsaid, in reply, that it was not his intention to introduce any clauses into the Bill giving power to the guardians to reconstruct Unions. It would not be fair to confer this power upon guardians alone. Whenever a question arose as to severing parishes from different unions, it excited generally great differences of opinion amongst the guardians. There was a power given by the 6 & 7 Vict. to the Poor Law Board to separate parishes from, and add parishes, to a union. The Board had exercised that power, and meant to exercise it in future, when the interests of the parishes required. With regard to the day fixed for the Committee on the Bill, he had not heard that the day named would be generally inconvenient, and he should hope to be able to bring it on at that time; but perhaps he would be able to give a final answer on that subject on Monday.