Mr. Gosehen's Metropolitan Poor Relief Bill passed its second reading
on Monday. Under its provisions, the whole cost of in- -door relief in London will be thrown on the Common Fund, as the cost of the sick now is, and rates will be equalized throughout London to the extent of one-half the total amount. The effect of this will be to discourage out-door relief a little,—not much, for there are never 1,000 beds vacant in the metropolis, and if guardians build they must spend local money,—and the Board will obtain power to enforce attention to its orders. As London ought to be a single Union, with paid inspectors for guardians, and the President of the Poor Law Board for chairman, all these changes are good, though of course the local-self-government men are very much annoyed. What is now needed is some distinct evidence that official work is cheaper than self-governing negli- gence, so as to induce the ratepayers, who after all rule, to cry out for the change.
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