On Tuesday in the Upper House the Agricultural Produce Bill
received a second reading. This is mainly concerned with the *marking and grading of eggs, fruit and other produce. Lord Stmdbroke explained that it enacted the recommendations of Lord Linlithgow's Committee. We notice that it increases the bureaucratic powers of the Ministry of Agriculture, which would arrange the standards, the grade designations, etc. In the House of Commons the Minister of Health moved the second reading of the Local Authorities Bill. The interesting part of this concerned the Metropolitan Poor Law Mind, particularly the contributions by which the richer unions subsidize the poorer. (When blaming Westminster of late for doing too little for her poor, we do not forget that this city contributes scores of thousands of pounds every half-year to her poorer neighbours.) The richer do not complain of their payments, but of the use to which some unions put the subsidy, taking an undue proportion. - The free use of other people's money has demoralized such 'unions as Stepney arid Poplar. The solution proposed is to give to the.' Metropolitan Asylums Board control of the moneys provided by the Common Fund. The record of the M.A.B. and its members gives us good reason to hope that they will improve matters.
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