MR. PICKERSKILL (Bethnal Green, S.W.)asked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether his attention has been called to the fact that a large number of homeless poor, comprising men, women, and children, sleep nightly on the Embankment and other open spaces of the Metropolis; and, if he will make special inquiry to ascertain whether the Guardians of the Metropolitan Unions fulfil all the requirements of the Law as regards providing accommodation for such persons?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE BOARD (Mr. LONG) (Wilts, Devizes)(who replied) said: The Board have no information beyond what has appeared in the newspapers with respect to the number of poor persons who sleep on the Embankment and in the open spaces of the Metropolis. Having referred this morning to the Report of the superintendent visiting officer of vagrant wards for the past month, I find that there are only three wards in which persons have been refused admission. The refusals were only high in number in two cases, respecting both of which the Board have asked for explanations. In all cases of refusal care is taken to ascertain, if the applicants are women or children, whether they are in a fit condition to move on.