§ MR. BOTTOMLEYI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board 63 whether his attention has been called to a recent case in which the authorities of the Three Counties Asylum, in Bedfordshire, were sued by a Mrs. Brown, the widow of the bailiff of the Arlesey Asylum, for damages for the loss of her husband through typhoid fever, contracted owing to defective drainage, and had damages to the extent of £650 awarded against them; whether he is aware that the authorities were represented by three counsel and produced a number of eminent experts, involving a total expenditure in connection with the proceedings of upwards of £3,000; whether they are now proposing to appeal against the decision; and, if so, whether the Local Government Board will make any representation to them before further expenditure of public funds is incurred, especially in view of the fact that Mrs. Brown is a woman without means and quite unable to boar the expense of protracted legal proceedings.
§ MR. BURNSI have made inquiry into this matter and I understand the facts to be generally as stated in the Question. I do not know the precise amount of the costs incurred in the case. I regret the expenditure involved, but I am assured that every care has been taken to avoid, as far as possible, any unnecessary expense. Three counsel were engaged for the visiting committee, partly because their leading counsel was unexpectedly occupied in another case and partly because the plaintiff was also represented by three counsel. The visiting committee consider that the death of the plaintiff's husband was not attributable to typhoid fever contracted owing to defective drainage, and acting on the advice of their counsel they are moving the Court of Appeal for a new trial or for judgment for the defendant. It is expected that the appeal will be heard in the course of the next few days. I have no jurisdiction which would enable me to interfere with the discretion of the visiting committee in the matter.