COLONEL HOGGsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary to the Poor Law Board, Whether, referring to the probable increase of cost beyond the estimate for the new buildings under the Metropolitan Poor Law Act, he will give an assurance that no contracts should be sanctioned by the Poor Law Board during the Parliamentary recess which will involve the ratepayers of the Metropolis in an expenditure in excess of £400,000, which was the sum mentioned by the President of the Poor Law Board as the probable extreme cost of all buildings necessary for lunatics, fever, and small pox patients, as well as for new district schools?
§ MR. SCLATER - BOOTHsaid, he thought his hon. and gallant Friend could hardly expect him to give a specific answer as to what the Poor Law Board might feel it right to do under a hypothetical state of circumstances, not at all likely to occur. The duty of sanctioning the necessary expenditure was laid on the Poor Law Board by an Act of this Session, and the House would doubtless agree that the duty must be discharged upon the responsibility of that department. He might, however, inform his hon. and gallant Friend that it would probably be necessary to provide more accommodation for the imbecile poor of the metropolis than was contemplated at the time when his right hon. Friend (Mr. G. Hardy) made his statement to the House; but, on the other hand, he had reason to believe that the estimate then made of the requirements in the case 1606 of fever and small pox patients would be in excess of the actual amount.