§ Mr. GLANVILLEasked the President of the Local Government Board if it was in accordance with his instructions that the Local Government Board auditor ruled that the Bermondsey Board of Guardians must be surcharged if they continued to pay out-relief to a parishioner whilst her son-in-law, on whom neither she nor the guardians had any claim, provided her with a lodging gratuitously; whether it is necessary before relief can be given that the son-in-law should refuse to shelter the applicant; and whether he will take steps to see that the action of the board of guardians in refusing to be bound by such a harsh view of their duties is endorsed?
§ Mr. LONGI understand that at the last audit of the accounts of the guardians of the parish of Bermondsey the district auditor raised the question whether in a certain case in which weekly relief had been granted by the guardians there was destitution justifying relief from the poor rates, but that no surcharge was either made or threatened. As regards the powers of the guardians to give relief I would refer to my reply to-day to a question to my right hon. Friend the Member for the South Molton Division.