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11
of things they wear at school and at all times, and
that proper bedding accommodation is conspicuous
by its absence—they would I venture to think agree
that a system that stops short at figures requires to be
eliminated from the list of real remedies.
To such a ludicrous impasse has local administration
been brought, that in addition to this schoolchild
question, there are others of a far more trifling
character, that thanks to the modern craze for the
mere multiplication of authorities and departments,
are dealt with in parts and reported upon and about
by at least two or three different sets of officials and
their properly constituted authorities.
The absence of a bolt, or a broken hinge on the
door of a sanitary convenience may be subject matter
of sufficient gravity for complaint to the first
authority, and after investigation by their officers will
be reported to the Health Department of the Borough
Councils to be dealt with by them. In other cases a
broken line on a skylight may be reported upon by a
second authority, first to that authority and through
them to the Town Clerk, and ultimately to your
officers, who are already on the ground, and may have
the matter in hand.
Almost every month brings its fresh authority
with a new Jurisdiction, and as though all these were
not enough, there are still more in the shape of voluntary
quasi—public organisations, each and all
determined to dare and do the Londoner to death by
inspection and re-inspection. Of course all this