Mr. POINTERasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he has any official information showing that in the Sheffield Union Workhouse at Firvale, in consequence of inmates eating food intended for the pigs, the swill tubs are now kept locked to prevent a repetition of the occurrence; and, if so, what action does he intend to take?
§ The PRESIDENT of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Burns)No, Sir; I have no such information. On the contrary, I am informed that there is no foundation whatever for the suggestion referred to in the question.
Mr. POINTERMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that these statements have been repeated many times over in the local Press of all political persuasions, and that at a meeting of the unemployed the other day a man gave corroborative evidence of his own knowledge that he could vouch that these were facts? In view of this statement will the right hon. Gentleman cause inquiry to be made?
§ Mr. BURNSI have caused inquiry to be made, and I am satisfied that the statement is not true. The fact that this statement appeared in some newspapers is an additional reason for disbelieving it.
Mr. POINTERIf corroborative evidence is given from other sources, is that a further reason for disbelieving it?
Mr. POINTERasked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the number of the inmates of the Sheffield union workhouse at Firvale who have been sent to prison during recent months, namely, 66 in May, 69 in June, and nine during the first six days of July; and whether, in view of the statement of the master of the union that the inmates preferred prison to the workhouse, he will cause an inquiry to be made into the circumstances causing such a number of punishments?
§ Mr. BURNSI have made inquiry and find that the correct number of the cases taken before the justices is as follows: May, 47; June, 63, and the first six days of July, 8. It appears that in May, owing to the large number of applicants for relief on test labour, 27 single able-bodied men, who had been thus relieved, were given orders for the workhouse. The master of the workhouse has informed the guardians that the reason for the increase in the number of men brought before the justices is that the single able-bodied men above referred to have resented the change, and have repeatedly been insubordinate in consequence.
Mr. POINTERMay I point out to the right hon. Gentleman that single able- 244 bodied men are mentioned in his reply, and my information goes to show that most of them were married men? [Cries of "Order."]
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member is not entitled to give information—only to seek it.
§ Mr. BURNSIn answer to that portion of the supplementary question that is, I believe, in order, my information is that they were nearly all able-bodied men. The charges against them were:—May: Absconding with union clothing, 5; destroying clothing, 11; refusing to work, 30; abusive language, 1–47. In June the figures under the four heads were 4, 12, 43, and 3, and, in addition, seeking admission when drunk, 1–63. Most were able-bodied.