Another largo measure that came before the House on Weduawlay
was the Ministry of Health Bill, which was read Another largo measure that came before the House on Weduawlay was the Ministry of Health Bill, which was read a second time. All will sympathize with Dr. Addison's plea fur a central authority devoting its whole attention to the publin health, and assuming all the powers which have been assigned to various Departments. No one will regret the disappear:nue of the Local Government Board, the most hide-bound of all public offices. Yet it would be unsafe to assume that the bad traditions of the Board will disappear with it. Dr. Addison said that the new Department would take over all the Poor Law institutions dealing with sickness, and that the Poor Law administration as we 1mow it would be transformed. We can only hope that the services of the many able and devoted men and women who have acted as Guardians will be
whatever the new; system nosy be. There is a great deal of thoughtless prejudice against the Poor Law. People will cheerfully take unemployment donations to Nbids they aro not fairly entitled, where they would reject Poor Relief as "tainted" because it is not given without proper inquiry. But this prejudice must not be allowed to obscure the fact that our Poor Law administration is admittedly the last in the world. Dr. Addison himself declared that the Poor Law infirmaries were excellently managed. It would be a great pity if the local Committees which maintained them were swept away in the supposed interests of Reooin-Aruetion.
