§ 23. Sir ROBERT NEWMANasked the Minister of Health whether county associations, corresponding to those for the blind, are being formed to deal with persons over school age suffering from deaf-dumbness or acquired deafness, in order to reduce the social and industrial hardships of their affliction and to ensure that previous public expenditure on their education may become economically remunerative; and whether he will take steps to enable local authorities, such as boards of guardians and education committees, to pay affiliation fees to these associations and the expenses of delegates who may attend the occasional conferences of these bodies?
§ The MINISTER of HEALTH (Mr. Chamberlain)I understand that there is a movement on foot for the establishment of county associations of this kind, and I have already intimated to those who are moving in the matter that, while I am prepared sympathetically to consider applications made by boards of guardians for my approval of the payment of subscriptions to associations for aiding the deaf and dumb. I see at present no sufficient ground for sanctioning the other payments which are suggested.