Last week we recorded the surrender of Mr. Wheatley, the
Clyde Socialist who is the new Minister of Health, to the extravagant Poplar Guardians. He promised that he would rescind the Mond Order, which fixed a maximum amount of relief, and would relieve the Guar- dians from the surcharges they had incurred. On the night of Friday, February 8th, an official statement was issued from the Ministry of Health to the effect that the Minister's action had given rise to "considerable mis- understanding." His action
"does not involve or imply any alteration in general Poor Law policy. The Poplar Board of Guardians will remain in exactly the same position as every other Board of Guardians in the country, and will be subject to precisely the same limitations and restrictions. Any expenditure on relief which is excessive or otherwise unlawful, whether incurred by the Poplar or any other Board of Guardians, will continue to be liable to surcharge and disallowance."
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