§ MR. KEIR HARDIE (Merthyr Tydvil)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, seeing that under the Act 12 and 13 Vic., c. 103, s. 20, guardians were empowered, with the consent of the Local Government Board, to spend one-half the average yearly poor rate raised in the parish in emigrating destitute persons at a cost not exceeding £10 per head, he will say whether these powers have ever been repealed; and, if not, whether he will call the attention of Metropolitan boards of guardians to the Act, and recommend them to work in conjunction with the Central Unemployed Committee in selecting destitute applicants who desire to be emigrated.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. WALTER LONG, Bristol, S.)The section referred to has not been repealed, though the effect of subsequent enactments has been to modify its provisions. A board of guardians may, however, assist in emigrating poor persons belonging to the union, and I am now considering the question of recommending the making of arrangements between the Metropolitan boards of guardians and the Central Committee with a view to aiding emigration in suitable cases.