The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-04 00:00:00

THE .I..!:fiNCDONI TUESDAY EI7ENJA24 MAY 4, 04.44.

Mr. BANK-ES said the question they would have to
consider when the subject came before the House would '
be, was this the best system of supervision ? He could
not on this subject but agree with the Hon. Member for
Montrose, and the Hon. Member for Oxfordshire, that
the system would prove unsatisfactory. He considered
another system might have been adopted which would
have worked better. It was his opinion that these
boards were objectionable, and the appointment of an
extra Under Secretary of State would have been quite
sufficient to have locked after the affairs of the poor-
laws, in connexion with the Home-office. lie thought
the Government was going out of its
way in thus
creating new offices.
Lord J. RUSSELL said the first point to consider was,
was it necessary to have any central control. By far
the most convenient course for the Govrrnment would be
to return to the old system of administering the law—
namely, by local boards; that system would free the
Government from any charge of abuse in the adminis-
tration of the law. Whatever hardships or sufferings
might be inflicted under the law the Government of the
day would not be blamed for them. But in considering
the subject most people would come to the conclusion,
that whereas, after thirteen years' experience of the law
of 1834, they had been unable to bring the whole csuntry
under one system, so now there existed great difficulties,
and it would not he prudent, or advisable, or even safe,
to bring all parts of the country under one law in respect
of the poor. For that reason, therefore, her Majesty's
Government had thought it necessary that there should
be some central authority who should have the
power to apply the law in particular cases, and to
relax it where necessity existed,—that seine elastic
power was necessary for the proper administration of
such a law. The Hon. Member for Montrose and the
Hon. Member for Oxfordshire said, and it was reiterated
by the Hon. Gentleman who spoke last, that the pro-
posed plan did not give any responsibility. He thought
the Noble Lord the Member for the county of Durham
had taken the proper view of the matter. What they
proposed was, that there should be one person who
should have all authority in regard to the administration
of the poor-law, in the same manner as the President of
the Board of Control had in respect of the affairs of
India, and the President of the Committee of Privy
Council on Trade and Plantations had in regard to trade.
Originally, and even now, those officers had nominal
advisers at their board, but practically all the power
centred in them; the responsibility was not shared by
the others who sat at the board. There would be
responsibility, because the head of the board would
be solely and chiefly answerable for the manner
in which the law was administered, and must be
ready to defend himself whenever Complaint was
made of his conduct. or of that of those over
whom he had control.—(Hear, hear.) He entirely
differed with the Hon. Member for Dorsetshire that they
should institute another office of Under-Secretary in
the Home Department. He bad had some experience
in that office—the Secretary of State for the Home De-
partment was a high officer, and he thought there was
already too much of the administration of details placed
in his hands.—(Hear, hear.) He was responsible for
the peace of the country, the security of the laws, and
the general administration of the criminal law; a great
officer of that kind had enough to occupy his mind with
such matters of importance. He ought at all times to
be ready to give his whole undivided attention, should
the peace of the country be threatened, and he was con-
stantly called upon to revise criminal proceedings, in
order to judge whether it was possible for him to advise
the Crown to exercise the high prerogative of mercy.
It would be impossible for nim to do so, were his mind
incessantly occupied with the dietary tables of work-
houses, or the other details of carrying out the poor-
law. No doubt be would be acquainted with all general
matters connected with that law, but he would not
be obliged to make himself acquainted with the
daily ordinary details of its administration. One great
advantage of the proposed plan was that they would
always have the person who was directly responsible for
the administration of the law in his place in Parliament
to defend his conduct. In answer to the Hon. Member
for ICnaresborough, he felt compelled to decline saying
whether the Government would exclude the persons who
were now charged with the adminstration of the poor-
law from any office under the new law or not ; he could
give no pledge upon the subject. The Government ought
to be free to choose as well as they could those persons
who, in their eyes, were best qualified to administer the
law; they would naturally try to appoint those who were
most likely to obtain the public confidence. Those ap-
pointments were matters for serious consideration, and
ought to be left to the discretion of the Government.
All other matters connected with the administration of
the law could be much better discussed after that Bill
had passed. No doubt amendments were required, but
they ought not only to receive the sanction of, but ought
to be introduced by, the person who was to be responsi-
ble for the administration of the law.
Mr. P. BORTHWICK thought it advisable that the
President of the Board to be constituted under the Bill
of the Right Hon. Baronet should be a new Cabinet
.Minister. He considered, also, that the poor would be
much mere effectually relieved by the administration of
the clergy of the Established Church than in any otber
manner. This Bill, he regretted to see, left untouched
the radical vice of the existing poor-law—namely, that
the estate of the poor was not dealt with by the three
estates of the realm, but was left to be dealt with by a
board, responsible indeed to Parliament, but not forming
a part of the constitution,
Mr. NEWDEGATE wished to know whether the pre-
sident and the secretary of the new Commission now
proposed to be established, would go out of office with
Government.

Sir GEORGE GREY replied that the president and
secretary of the Commission would hold their offices
during the pleasure of the Crown.
Leave was then given to bring in the Bill. The Bill
was subsequently brought in and read a first time.
The remaining orders of the day were then disposed
of, and the House adjourned at a Quarter past Twelve
o'clock.