We hope that as time goes on an increasing number
of the former Guardians will be brought back into service. There is a reasonable expectation that this will happen, as the intention of the Ministry of Health is that medical treatment shall be properly co-ordinated with ordinary relief. Ultimately the Poor Law, as we have known it, will be " broken up." It has had a long history—since the year 1601 when the famous Act, the " 43rd of Eliza- beth," was passed and instituted the Overseers of the Poor. In 1728 the " workhouse test " was established and was not repealed as being too oppressive until 1796. The widespread destitution after the French Wars brought chaos to the Poor Law and led to the appointment of the memorable Poor Law Commission of 1834. The Report of that Commission is well worth re-reading to-day, for there is not one of our present problems in regard to the relief of unemployment which is not there dealt with in principle. * * * *
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