§ Sir GEORGE TOULMINasked the President of the Local Government Board 1883W the number of children over three years of age at present reared in the Dover workhouse; whether, in the autumn of 1911, the boys' dormitory was overcrowded and beds had to be placed in the boys' play-room; whether he can state how much the board of guardians expended in boarding-out children for the half-year ended 30th September, 1911; whether he is aware that the master of the workhouse stated at a recent meeting of the board that neither the boys who were at school nor those who had left school had any industrial training; and whether he will urge upon the guardians the necessity for the immediate removal of all children over three from the workhouse?
§ Mr. BURNSThe number of children over three years of age at present in the Dover workhouse is 139. I am informed that no beds for the boys were placed in the boys' playroom, but another room with ample floor space was converted into a dormitory with twelve beds. For the half-year ended 30th September, 1911, the Guardians expended £13 in boarding-out children. I have no information as to the statement attributed to the master of the workhouse. I have already urged the guardians to remove healthy children of school age from the workhouse, and the matter is receiving their attention. I am strongly in favour of the immediate removal of the children, and have instructed my inspector to confer with the guardians on the subject.