§ Mr. ROWLANDSasked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to an inquest held on the body of a necessitous girl, Winifred Terry, aged 17, on 4th March last, where it was shown that two doctors, one of whom was the Poor Law medical officer of the district, recommended that, as she was very seriously ill, she should be at once removed to the workhouse infirmary; that application was duly made to the relieving officer, who did not give any order for removal; that the relieving officer pleaded, among other defences, a special instruction of the East Preston guardians 220W cautioning the relieving officers as to giving orders for the workhouse, and stated that on the 9th February last the relieving officers were called into the board room and the chairman explained the wishes of the board, which were that cases were not to be sent in for medical treatment under any circumstances other than that of urgent necessity; will he say if he has seen the verdict of the jury and the letter from the coroner to the guardians calling their attention to their responsibility for the poor of the district and the need for securing the admission of acute cases without delay; and will he ask the Poor Law inspector of the district to examine the application and report book of the relieving officer to see whether all the applications made on behalf of the deceased girl were duly entered; and will he also ask the inspector to impress upon the board the importance of prompt medical relief when necessary for the sick poor and the danger of interference with the duties of relieving officers in cases of illness?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELMy attention has already been called to this case and I am in communication with the guardians of the East Preston Union in relation to it. The facts appear to be substantially as suggested in the question, but the information which I have received appears to prove that the girl's death was in no way due to the fact that she was not removed to the infirmary.