§ 39 Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Health if he will consider, in view of the present degree of unemployment and the possibility of men moving from one town to another, the withdrawal of the Order that persons seeking shelter in casual wards twice in the same month shall be restricted from departing for three days; and will he issue circulars to all boards of guardians that men moving about the country in search of work, and compelled through lack of means of subsistence to apply to the, casual wards, shall not be compelled to perform the tasks but shall be given every facility to leave early to obtain freedom to seek work?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe period within which a casual is entitled to discharge himself is prescribed by Statute, but under the Casual Poor Relief Order, 1925, guardians are empowered to allow the discharge of a casual before the expiration of the prescribed period of detention in the circumstances referred to in the latter part of the question. I do not think that there is any need for the issue of a further circular in the matter.
§ Captain WEDGWOOD BENNHas the right hon. Gentleman recently authorised a new oakum picking as one of the tasks of casual applicants?
§ 52 and 53. Mr. R. RICHARDSONasked the Minister of Health (1) what profit was made in the Unions 311 of Farnham, Canterbury, Milton, Droxford, Exeter, Bath, Bridge, Mailing, Hailsham, Fordingbridge, Honiton, Wellington, Somerset, out of the task of stonepounding, without reckoning the cost of maintenance of the casuals, in the latest year for which he has or can obtain information; taking all the unions together, what is the profit for one day's work of a casual at stonepounding; whether there were any age limits above or below which stonepounding could not be prescribed; and will he abolish stone-pounding as a task;
(2) whether he is aware that work on the land and in the garden, washing of garments, towels and other materials pro vided by the guardians for the casual ward, scrubbing and cleansing the ward, and chopping wood, which tasks he stated on 9th April were in common use in the casual wards, were not mentioned among the tasks prescribed for male casuals in Schedule C of the Casual Paupers Order of 1882, or mentioned in the printed copies of the tasks of works which were directed by Article 15 of that order to be posted in conspicuous places in the casual wards and in the yards or rooms where the casual paupers were set to work; will he make inquiries as to who is responsible for these omissions; whether he will amend the Casual Poor (Relief) Order, 1925, by mentioning work on the land and in the garden, washing, scrubbing and cleansing, and chopping wood among the tasks prescribed for males, and also require that these tasks shall be posted in the casual wards in accordance with Article 17 of the new order; whether he will suspend the power to impose oakum picking and stonepounding as tasks until he has made inquiry what pecuniary profit has been made in the use of them: and whether they have been contributory causes towards starvation cases and prosecutions?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI will make inquiries as regards the profit, if any, made out of the task of stone-pounding. If the hon. Member will read Schedule C of the Regulations of 1882 he will see that among the alternative tasks prescribed for males are digging or pumping or cutting wood or grinding corn, and for females, washing, scrubbing and cleaning or needlework, and these alternatives are reproduced in the Casual Poor (Relief) 312 Order, 1925, which also enables other tasks to be prescribed with my approval. While I am prepared to consider any representations with regard to the tasks of oakum picking and stone-pounding, or any alternative proposals submitted by a board of guardians, I do not, as at present advised, think there is ground for suspending this part of the Order. The proviso to Article XI of the Order of 1925 provides that a casual shall be excused from the whole or any part of such task of work if it shall appear that the task is not suited to his age, strength or capacity.
§ Mr. RICHARDSONIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that sometimes after the stone is pounded and sold it is sold for less than it originally cost, and would he not advise guardians to take into consideration anything rather than this brutal work? Also will he ask the guardians to reconsider the whole matter with a view to ending this system?
§ Captain BENNDoes the right hon. Gentleman really think it is right to perpetuate such degrading tasks as oakum picking and stone-pounding?