§ VISCOUNT ENFIELDsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Poor Law Board, Whether any representations from Boards of Guardians in the East of London relative to the distress prevailing in that district have been received by the Poor Law Board; and, whether the attention of the Board has been directed to the subject; and what is the latest information they have received from that locality?
§ MR. SCLATER-BOOTHsaid, in reply, that since June last, when deputations from the parish of Bow, which was in the Poplar Union, waited upon Lord Devon to complain of the pressure of the poor rates upon that locality, no direct representations had been received by the Poor Law Board from the guardians upon the subject; but, in consequence of a letter addressed to the Secretary of State about two months ago, the attention of the Poor Law Board had been continually directed to that question. It appeared that the number of able-bodied persons employed in the stone yard of that district was less than half what it was twelve months ago. A large number of persons—850 in all—had been assisted to leave the district; partly with a view to emigration, and partly to go to other parts of the country where there had been a demand for their labour. On the other hand, he was sorry to say that the distress was now rather upon the increase, and seemed to have reached a better class of people than those ordinarily in the receipt of parish relief. Various measures had been adopted by the guardians to meet this emergency. In the first place, having ascertained that many poor persons 645 were parting with their clothing and bedding in order to avoid applying for relief, the guardians had determined within these few days to make loans of bedding and clothing to persons so circumstanced. Moreover, they had added to their staff of relieving officers and assistants. The Inspector of the district had also been in communication with those gentlemen who on previous occasions had formed themselves into relief committees. No such committees were at present organized, and it was hoped and expected that there would be no necessity for that organization. In the event, however, of circumstances requiring it, arrangements had been made by which the relief committees would act in connection with the Boards of Guardians, and he hoped that the lists of persons to receive assistance would not be made out by them separately—namely, independently—the practice having been found on former occasions to be productive of great inconvenience. The guardians were at present in possession of ample funds to meet all probable contingencies. They had large sums of money in hand, and the rate in the current quarter was only 11d. in the pound, as compared with 1s. 8d. and 2s. 1d. in the two previous quarters of the year. There was every reason to suppose that, unless a severe frost or some sudden emergency should arise, provision had been made to meet all contingencies during the coming winter.