§ MR. WHEELHOUSEsaid, he would beg to ask the President of the Poor Law Board, Whether it be the intention of Her Majesty's Government to take any step, during the present Session, fully to exempt Public Hospitals, Infirmaries, Dispensaries for the Sick, and endowed Almshouses from liability to rating to the Belief of the Poor?
§ MR. GOSCHENreplied that that was a very large Question—a much larger one, indeed, than it appeared to be as put by the hon. Member. It would be very difficult to confine any such exemptions to public hospitals, infirmaries, dispensaries for the sick, and endowed almshouses. The Sunday schools, for instance, had been omitted from the list; and again, there was the question of endowed schools. If they were to exempt endowed almshouses the question would arise whether endowed schools should not be admitted to a similar privilege. Then they came to the public buildings, municipal buildings, and county buildings. The question was, in fact, an exceedingly large and complicated one and it was not the intention of Her Majesty's Government to take any steps in the matter this Session.