23 MARCH 1929, Page 3

On Wednesday, in the House of Lords, the third reading

of the Local Government Bill was carried. The Govern- ment introduced an interesting amendment governing the relations between County Councils and local voluntary hospitals. ' As the Bill stood, consultation between the two parties was limited to the question of accommoda- tion. Under the amendment, the consultations may be used for deciding also upon the treatment. The reason why Mr. Chamberlain did not originally provide for this wider consultation was that he feared that the hospitals would resent interference. Apparently the hospitals did not see a wider consultation in that light, and in the circumstances the amendment is a great improvement.

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