§ MR. JOHN BURNS (Battersea)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether in order to prevent disadvantages resulting to certain localities by detached and isolated provision of relief works for the deserving unemployed, he will cause to be issued, as soon as practicable and before distress deepens, the 1893 Circular to all the Local Authorities in the United Kingdom, so that uniform action can be taken by responsible bodies to mitigate distress arising from want of work: and whether he will also recommend to Town Councils, boards of guardians, and other authorities the advisability of unifying and cooperating with all charitable and other agencies so as to prevent over-lapping and waste.
The following Question also appeared on the Paper—
§ MR. KEIR HARDIETo ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a grant in aid from the public funds to aid local authorities in meeting the distress now prevailing, due to lack of employment.
§ MR. WALTER LONGAlthough I am sorry to say that there has recently been an unusual increase in pauperism, in the Metropolis, yet so far as my information goes the number of unemployed in the country generally does not appear to have increased of late, and the break in the cold weather is evidently favourable to work. The employment by Local Authorities of men on works to which they are not accustomed and which arc hastily undertaken is open to considerable objection and might even lead to an increase in the difficulties which it is desired to meet. I hardly think the time has come for urging the Local Authorities to proceed in this direction. At the same time, I have every sympathy with the object that the hon. Member has in view in making the suggestion, and I am giving the matter my unremitting personal attention. I shall continue to do so dining the Recess, and if it appears to me that it would be desirable that Circulars of the kind suggested should be issued, I shall certainly issue them, or take any other action which seems to me to be expedient. I may add, with reference to the Question to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, of which the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydvil has given notice, that I could not undertake to apply to my right hon. friend to make a grant of the kind referred to in that Question.
§ MR. KEIR HARDIEsubsequently put his question to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
§ MR. WALTER LONGI have answered it. Obviously it is one that should have been addressed to me. I am not prepared to ask my right hon. friend to make any such grant.