The Local Government Bill was read a second time on
Thursday in the House of Lords without opposition. Lora Ripon, who had charge of the Bill, represented it as not changing anything in the Poor-law except the mode of electing Guardians,—which, however, as Lord Salisbury re, marked, was no slight exception, seeing that it trans- ferred the administration of the Poor-law entirely from the hands of the present Guardians into the hands of Guardians chiefly appointed by the poor themselves. He also thought that the handing over of so many charities from the parochial officers named by the founders of those charities, to an elective. Parish Council, was a very needless and dangerous proposal, and he objected to the powers given 'to the Parish Council to seize on the land rented by the farmer and owned by the landlord, against their will, and devote it to the labourer. These are the points in which it is possible or probable that Lord Salisbury will amend the Bill.
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