§ SIR F. CHANNING (Northamptonshire, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the statements in the last Report of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children that many cases of neglect and cruelty to children have arisen from a lump sum having been paid to widows who have thus been tempted into reckless and dissolute courses, breaking up their homes; and whether he will address a circular to County Court Judges urging them to invest such compensation in the way best calculated to secure continuous benefit to the children as well as the widow concerned, and to vary any order or award, under subsection (9) of the First Schedule of The Workmen's Compensation Act, 1906, either at their own discretion or on any reasonable representation made to them by the police, or by any society or otherwise.
§ MR. GLADSTONEI have seen the statements in the Report referred to in the Question, and I propose to communicate with the Society with a view to obtaining particulars of the cases on which the statements are based. When this information is obtained, the suggestions made by the hon. Member will be carefully considered. I agree that all possible steps should be taken to protect the compensation paid in these cases, in the interests both of widow and children.