§ Mr. WILLIAM THORNEasked the President of the Local Government Board if he was aware that within the past few clays one of the lady members of the Salford Union Guardians devoted two hours of her time to stone-breaking, with a view to testing whether such work was suitable to the union inmates, and before completing the two hours' work she went to the guardians' meeting, and moved a resolution asking for the abolition of this task as a labour test; if he was aware that when artisans are set to do stone-breaking it has an effect upon the hands which prevents them from following their usual occupation; and whether, in view of the feeling existing against this task, he was prepared to advise the guardians that it be abolished?
§ Mr. BURNSI have seen a newspaper account of the incident to which the lion. Member refers. I agree that stone-breaking is not an ideal task, as it is rather skilled work, and operates somewhat unequally upon those who are tested by it. It is, however, a common form of employment for labourers, and, although I should not press its adoption as a task by boards of guardians, I should hesitate to prohibit it.