§ MR. REESI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that certain boards of 364 guardians are strongly in favour of the extension of the grant of 4s. weekly now made under The Local Government Act, 1888, in respect of each lunatic maintained in a lunatic asylum, to imbeciles and lunatics certified for treatment in workhouses; that the cost of maintaining lunatics in asylums and in providing asylum buildings bears very heavily upon local funds; that the Act of 1890 provides all sufficient safeguards against improper detention; that in some local areas ample accommodation exists in unnecessary workhouses which could be made available for the reception exclusively of such cases; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSI am aware of the facts of this matter. Some extension of the grant in the direction desired was recommended by the Royal Commission on Local Taxation, subject to certain conditions. As I stated in reply to a previous Question, the matter will receive consideration when the subject of Local Taxation is dealt with by the Government.