§ MR. CROOKS (Woolwich)I beg to ask Mr. Attorney-General whether it is proposed to amend the rules in lunacy to allow of the appearance before him of the representative of the local authority in eases where an application is made to deal with the estate of a patient in a county asylum; whether he is aware of the circumstances under which a sum of only £30 a year was recently allowed by the Master in Lunacy in respect of the maintenance of a lunatic named Samuel Waters, at the London County Asylum, Claybury, whose estate approximates to £900, the said lunatic having no dependents, and the cost to the ratepayers of his maintenance and lodging at the asylum amounting to about.£39 a year; and whether he will consider the advisability of giving an opportunity for the asylum authorities to appeal against such an order.
§ THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Sir JOHN WALTON,) Leeds, S.The Master in Lunacy heard in this case the representatives both of the London County Council to whom the asylum belongs and of the guardians. The allowance of £30 a year was made at their suggestion. If it is proposed to increase this a fresh application should be made to the Master, or an Appeal, which he is quite willing to allow, brought from his decision.