29 JANUARY 1927, Page 3

A great deal of discussion has been caused by a

circular issued by the London Municipal Society and National Union of Ratepayers Associations on Poor Law relief. As Mr. Neville Chamberlain, about a year ago, invited frank discussion of the Government's draft proposals for Poor Law reform, it cannot justly be said (though it is being said) that the circular is an attack on the Government. The circular points out that under the Government's scheme the responsibility for fixing the rate of relief would simply be transferred from the Guardians. to the County Councils and County Boroughs. Everybody . knows that the municipal areas are the happiest hunting ground of the Socialists. If the Government's scheme were put into effect it might be expected that the SocialiSts would move heaven and earth to fix the rate of relief nearly as high, if not quite as high, as it was in Poplar and West Ham.

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