§ MR. W. ABRAHAM (Glamorgan, Rhondda)asked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether he is aware that 600 starving dock labourers applied for some relief at the Poplar Workhouse on Wednesday last; whether any relief was afforded to these destitute persons; whether he is aware that thousands of dock labourers are out of work, with no reasonable hope of employment in the near future; whether, since November last, 200 of the children of these men have been daily supplied with breakfasts by private charity, administered by Rev. James Chadburn, Poplar; and, if the Local Government Board will take any steps to insure that none of these destitute men, women, and children shall perish from hunger?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Mr. RITCHIE) (Tower Hamlets, St. George's)I understand that from 200 to 300 persons attended at the Poplar Workhouse on the 8th instant, when the Relief Committee were sitting, and requested that a deputation should be received for the purpose of placing before the Guardians the opinions held by the unemployed as to the measures necessary for the relief of the congested labour in the district. The Guardians received a deputation of six. They made no application for Poor Law relief, and expressed themselves as fully aware that the Guardians had no power to start works; but they urged that the Guardians should do what they could to induce those who had the power to provide them with employment. I learn from 1556 an Inspector of the Board who attended the Relief Committee at Poplar this morning, that there were no able-bodied applicants for relief. The Board do not doubt that at the present time, especially in connection with dock labour, there is a considerable number of persons out of employment. I am assured, however, that every application which has been made to the Guardians has been attended to; and I have no reason whatever to doubt that any person who applies for relief, and whose destitution is such as to entitle him to receive relief from the Guardians, will be duly received by them. It is the case, I am glad to say, that breakfasts are given by private charity to a number of children in this district, as in other districts in the East End.