§ MR. HOGAN (Tipperary, Mid)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been drawn to the decision of the 466 Elham Guardians to increase the existing accommodation for casuals at the Union workhouse, instead of providing a casual ward at Folkestone, from which a large number of casuals have to walk; and whether, in view of the fact that Elham Union is over five miles distant from Folkestone, it is intended, during the coming winter, to subject applicants for relief in Folkestone, men, women, and children, to the necessity of walking over five miles before they obtain that relief?
§ MR. H. H. FOWLERI understand that the Guardians of the Elham Union have had under consideration the provision of additional casual wards, and that they resolved that these wards should be erected at Elham, and not at Folkestone. I have not, however, as yet received any application from the Guardians on the subject. When that is received it will be my duty to give the proposals of the Guardians my most careful consideration. Since the previous question of the hon. Member as to the casual ward arrangements of the Union was put to me, the Local Government Board directed the Inspector of the district to visit the wards and report fully on the subject. The facts are these:—The casual wards of the Union were erected in 1886, and are about the best wards in the County of Kent. They are built on the cellular system, and accommodate 20 men and 10 women. Each cell is warmed by a hot-water pipe and fitted with a bell. The beds are straw mattresses and rugs on a wooden platform. There are day rooms, and a disinfecting and drying room. This is the only building which has been certified by the Local Government Board as the casual wards for the Union. There have, however, during the present year frequently been a larger number of male casuals than could be accommodated in the certified wards. Temporary accommodation has in these cases been provided in a building containing two rooms, which, prior to the erection of the new wards, was used as the casual ward. This building is used once a fortnight as a temporary stable. To provide sleeping berths on the occasions when there has been an overflow wooden platforms raised from the ground have been fixed, the bedding being a straw mattress with two rugs. The provision for women and children in the certified casual ward is 467 four single and six double cells. When the number of women has exceeded the accommodation in the certified wards it is the practice to provide for the surplus in the receiving ward. On three occasions during the year when there was a small excess in the number of women the receiving wards happened to be occupied by cases which had not been examined by the Medical Officer, and then the overflow was provided for in one of the two rooms of the old building, but, of course, not in one which was occupied by men. As to the situation of the proposed new wards, I may observe that casual wards are not intended for residents in Folkestone, but for vagrants moving across the county, and that as regards several workhouses a casual ward at Elham is on a more direct route than wards at Folkestone would be. As I have already stated, the Guardians have informed me that the relieving officer has instructions to make provision for the conveyance by train of persons who, in consequence of age or infirmity, should not be subjected to a journey on foot to Elham, and in cases of illness he is also instructed to find the applicant a home at one of the common lodging-houses at Folkestone. With reference to a statement which I believe has been made that tramps of both sexes have been put into one room, I can only say that if any workhouse master is guilty of such a course he will be instantly dismissed.