§ Mr. W. THORNEasked the Minister of Health of he is aware that the Newcastle Board of Guardians have a bank overdraft of over £500,000 which must be liquidated in equal half-yearly payments spread over a period of three years; that the guardians in question have been 1656W compelled to raise their poor rate by 8½d. in the £; and if he can give any reasons why the West Ham Poor Law Commissioners have not been compelled to liquidate their outstanding loan in a like manner to the Newcastle Board of Guardians?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe hon. Member is, I think, under a misapprehension as to the amount of the debt which the Newcastle Board of Guardians have been required to liquidate over a period of three years. According to my information the sum due to the bank by the guardians is little more than one-half the sum which he names. The position of the West Hans Union is in no way comparable with that of the Newcastle-on-Tyne Union. As I have explained in answer to previous questions on the subject, repayment of debt by the West Ham Guardians has been temporarily postponed in order to avoid further borrowing by the guardians. I have every reason to believe that under the present administration not only will further borrowing be avoided, but also after the current half-year repayment of debt will be made substantially in excess of the sums which the guardians of the Newcastle Union will be required to provide.