§ MR. BARKER (Penryn and Falmouth)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if he is aware that the Greenwich Board of Guardians held an inquiry into alleged irregularities in the consumption of stores by outside officers at the Grove Park Workhouse, on the statements of the assistant cook, and that such charges were held to be true; if he is aware that the assistant cook was dismissed by being called upon to resign in consequence and that the two engineers implicated had their wages subsequently raised, and that the Local Government Board refused to sanction the increases; that, despite this refusal, the guardians are paying the increases out of the local rates, and that these two officers are related to members of the Greenwich Board of Guardians; and will he state what steps the Local Government Board propose taking in order to ensure their decision being adopted.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSIt is the fact that the Local Government Board have recently declined to sanction an increase in the salaries of the engineer and assistant engineer at the Grove Park Workhouse; but I have no information on the other matters referred to in the Question. I will make inquiry on the subject.