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the whole metropolis, it is proposed that they should be
subjected, in some degree, to the control of a central authority
representative of the entire body of metropolitan ratepayers.
The London County Council is accordingly invested by
this Bill with certain powers of control over the guardians
(Clauses 9, 10, 13, and 15), and is also made the successor of
the Metropolitan Asylums Board (Clauses 16 and 17). Touch
will be maintained between the County Council and the
guardians by a provision that the representatives on the
Council of the area covered by each union shall be ex officio
members of the board of guardians for that union. There
will be no other ex officio members and no nominated
members (Clause l8).
In the case of indoor relief, it is proposed to extend the
machinery already provided in connection with the Common
Fund to strictly analogous expenditure.
At present the entire cost of the maintenance of children
in schools, and of casuals in casual wards, is charged upon
the Common Fund, although the administration remains with
the several boards of guardians, and the Bill applies the same
principle to the maintenance of the inmates of workhouses,
infirmaries, and other poor law institutions.
The County Council is empowered by the Bill (Clause
12) to transfer indoor paupers from one union to another
in the metropolis, and thus obviate a waste of accommodation,
which prevails to a considerable extent under the present
system.