The Express.
London, England, 1867-02-09 00:00:00

LAW OF FORFEITURE.

Mr. C. FORESTER asked the Secretary of State for the
Howe Department whether it was his intention to intro-
duce a measure for the abolition of the law of forfeiture
on convictions of felony, founded on the provisions of the
bill which obtained the :assent of this house in the last
session.

Mr. WALPOLE was understood to say there were pro-
r14i1:111/ in the bill in question to which he could not give
his approval. He should consult the Attorney-General,
nod aster suoh consultation would probably himself bring
in a bill.
After an observation from Mr. HADFIZLII,
The house went into committee of supply, when the
usual formal vote was agreed to.
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE.

Mr. GLADSTONE eked the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer whether he could give the bowie any information as
to the course which WWI to be taken by the government on
Monday next. He meant as to the precedence of the im-
ponant queation of which he (the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer) had giver, notice.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
intended that the first business on Monday should be to
call attention to that paragraph in the Queen's speech
which had reference to the representation of the people.
He trusted the bowie would not press him to state the
terms of his motion more specifically, but would wait for
the discussion on Monday next.
METROPOLITAN POOR.

1 Mr. HARDY explained the provisions of his bill for
' the improved accommodation of the sick poor of the metro-
polis, prefacing it by an elaborate review of past legisla-
tion, and of the various inquiries into the subject,
including those of the Loner/ commissioner and of the
commission of medical men appointed by himself last
recess. Prom these he showed that the chief improve-
ments requisite were greater cubical space, increased venti-
lation, and more complete classification of the poor;
and, assuming that he had to deal with about 34,000 per
noes, including children, he proposed to obtain these
im-
provements by placing all the imbeciles in separate estab-
lishments, by removing all children above two years to
' separate schools. and by providing new accommodation
for 2,000 lunatics, and for 700 or 800 fever and small pox
' patients, either by erecting new buildings or hiring old
ones. The infirmaries for the remaining sick poor would
be placed under separate boards of management, for many
of the evils in their condition sprang from their being
managed under a system originally intended for the ordi-
nary poor ; and of these boards one-third of the members
would be nominated by the Poor-law Board from persons
resident in the district or union rated at not less than
1001. a year. By this means he hoped to secure
more efficient inspection, and to give facilities for
training nurses and for educating medical officers.
For the relief of the out-door sick be proposed to
establish central dispensaries; and to require that the
medical officers, instead of making up their own medi-
cines, should, in all cases, give prescriptions. The bill
also provided that the local acts m the metropolis (ten in
number) should be repealed, and that the whole metro-
pelis should be placed under the Poor-law Board. Mr.
Hardy next discussed the equalisation of poor rates,
pointing out various objections to the principle, and inti-
mated that, though he could not consent to equalise the
metropolitan rates, the bill would throw on the common
furl the charges for lunatic, fever, and small pox
patients, me ism officers, dispensaries and medicines, re-
gistration, vaccination, and the maintenance of children
at school. To illustrate the effect of the distribution of
these charges, 00,000/. in amount, he mentioned that,
while it would add lid. in the pound to the rates of the
City of London Union, it would relieve St. George's,
Southwark, of ls. in the pound, and would not amount to
more than a penny rate over the whole metropolis. The
last feature of the scheme—which altogether was very
favourably received by the house—was a power to the
Poor-law Board to point proper officera where the guar-
dians refused or neglected to do It.
Mr. Ayrton. Enfield, Dr. Brady, Mr. Locke, and
Alderman Lusk made some general remarks in approval
of the principal of the bill, and leave was given to bring
it in. . _ .....