§ MR. CROOKS (Woolwich)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the Order issued by him, and known as the Outdoor Relief Order, dated 14th December, 1852, to guardians of the poor that relief must not be given outdoor to able-bodied men, or their wives and children, under the Modified Workhouse Test Order, where the man is in the workhouse under this Order for more than eight weeks in any one year, will compel more than 100 families to seek shelter in the workhouse before Christmas; and whether, to avert this, he will suspend or extend the Order for a few weeks.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSMy attention has been called to this matter, and on the 7th instant I informed the guardians 1261 that I was prepared to sanction a departure from the Regulations in force in the parish so as to enable the men now in the workhouse to remain there, and their wives and families to receive relief outside the workhouse, for a further short period in such cases as the guardians may recommend. In this way the point referred to in the Question will, I think, be satisfactorily met.