§ Sir J. LEIGHasked the Minister of Health whether he has taken into consideration the Report of Mr. H. J. Cooper upon the administration of poor relief by the Poplar Board of Guardians, which contains evidence of illegal and wasteful expenditure; whether he proposes to sanction further loans to the Poplar Board of Guardians; whether he, will exercise his power to prevent further payments to that authority from the Metropolitan Common Poor Fund; and whether he will, if needful, promote legislation to avert a continuance of the malpractices disclosed in Mr. Cooper's Report?
§ Sir A. MONDYes, Sir. I have issued a special Order regulating the relief of able-bodied persons in Poplar, and any loans sanctioned since the issue of the Order have been limited to the sums estimated to be required to meet the lawful expenditure of the guardians. The payments to be made from the Metropolitan Common Poor Fund will in no case exceed the sums which would have been paid by the guardians if the scale prescribed in the Regulations had been strictly observed. I should not hesitate to promote any legislation if it is found to be necessary.