§ MR. PICKERSGILL (Bethnal Green, S.W.)asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Islington Board of Guardians last Thursday unanimously passed a Resolution in favour of the appointment of a Royal Commission—
To inquire into the expenditure and conduct of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, as to the purchase of land for the erection of hospitals, the purchase of hospital ships and wharves, and as to the general management of hospitals under the charge of the Board.741 That Mr. Elliott, the Chairman of the Guardians, and also a member of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, remarked that—He was not at all satisfied with what was going on at the Board, and that clerks were receiving large commissions.And, whether he will take the necessary steps to extend the powers of the Commission now sitting on the Metropolitan Board of Works, so that it may also inquire into the proceedings of the Mepolitan Asylums Board, or, in the alternative, appoint a new Commission for that purpose?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)The Government are not aware of any sufficient ground for appointing either a new Commission to investigate the proceedings of the Metropolitan Asylums Board or to extend the powers of the Commissioners now sitting with regard to the Metropolitan Board of Works, so as to include an inquiry as to the Metropolitan Asylums Board.