Mr. C. T. Ritchie, President of the Local Government Board,
has issued a circular to the Metropolitan Vestries, asking them to consult with the Guardians, and commence any works that are practicable at once, the severe weather throwing many able- bodied men out of employment. He adds that in many parishes work in street-cleaning might be found for unskilled labourers, that work being urgently required irrespective of the falls of snow, and being especially suited to the unemployed. That is sensible enough on one side, the streets wanting care badly enough ; but on the other side, the order, unless very carefully carried out, will add heavily to rates which press on classes only just above the poor. Everybody preaches about thrift; but the preaching can have little effect when a tecarrent accident like a fall of snow places thousands in danger of starvation. Cannot the Unions connected with the
building trade, the unskilled labourers in which always suffer first, do something to improve this state of things ?
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