§ MR. W. THORNE (West Ham, S.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that Charles Robinson, an iron moulder, and Richard Bullen, a carpenter, applied to the West Ham guardians on the 12th June, 1908, to be put to work under the Act of 43 Eliz., c. 2, and that the West Ham guardians accepted their responsibility and liability by asking the Local Government Board for power to act: and, seeing it has been stated by former Presidents of the Local Government Board that it would not be illegal for the responsible authority to set men to work under the Act mentioned, which has never been repealed, whether it is the intention of the Local Government Board to grant the powers asked for, seeing that all the other sections of the Act have been in full force for many years past, so as to enable them to put the poor to work at reasonable wages; and, if such powers are granted, will he state on what date the guardians will be called upon to carry out the powers asked for.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSI have received an application from the guardians on this subject. I gather that it is made under the impression that the wages to be received for the work would not have the effect of constituting the recipients paupers. I have, however, no power to give any sanction or to make any regula- 410 tions which would authorise the guardians to provide work for the applicants on any such terms. It appears to me, therefore, that the guardians should deal with the applications under the Regulations which now control the employment of paupers to whom relief is given by them. Those regulations do not enable the guardians to comply with such an application as that now before them.