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" LABOUR COLONIES.
"(15) That the time has arrived when the Local Government Board should
" promote legislation for the establishment of labour colonies for the compulsory
" detention of habitual vagrants until they have acquired power to work and
" self.constraint.
"(16) That this Conference approves and affirms the resolutions passed by the
" executive council of the Association of Poor Law Unions in England and
" AVales at their meeting in September, 1903, as follows :—
"(a) That boards of guardians should be grouped in suitable areas to provide
" labour colonies for vagrants.
"(b) That such colonies should be established and governed by the joint
" committees of the boards of guardians of the unions in the said areas.
" (c) That habitual vagrants should be sent to such labour colonies by magistrates.
"(d) That the expenses of each colony should be spread over the unions in
" the areas served by such colonies.
"CHILDREN OF VAGRANTS.
(17) That the powers of the poor law guardians under the Poor Law Acts
" of 1889 and 1899 to assume and exercise, in certain circumstances, parental
" rights over the children of pauper parents, should be extended so as to confer
" similar rights over the children of habitual vagrant
" GENERALLY.
"(18) That, in order to give practical effect to the foregoing resolutions, this
" Conference is in favour of uniting with the County Councils' Association, the
" Association of Municipal Corporations, the Association of Metropolitan Borough
" Councils, the Magistracy, and the Association of Poor Law Unions of England
"and Wales for the following purposes, viz.:—(a) To enlist the sympathy and
" co.operation of members of Parliament ; (b) to appoint representatives to wait
" on the Local Government Board ; (c) to give evidence before the Inter.
" Departmental Committee of the Government on the Vagrancy Question ; (d) to
" take such other measures as may be thought desirable in support of the
" resolutions arrived at by the Conference.
" That a Committee be appointed to give effect to this resolution.
"That the Committee do consist of the following members :—
" Four to represent the County Councils, seven to represent the County Borough
" Councils. For the Corporation of London and Metropolitan Borough Councils,
" your Medical Officer and three other members. The Committee to have power
" to add to their number."
The fact being established that Small.pox is largely spread by vagrants, it
is evident that additional powers are necessary for dealing with an evil which
necessarily increases with the extension of habitual vagrancy.