that you repeated more than once to Chief Inspector Collins that you were making no allegations of perjury against the officers and that the case having concluded as it did, Sir Leo Money had no further interest in it. This does not satisfy me either the officers were speaking the truth or they were testifying to what they must have known was untrue. It is in the interests of the public that I should have material which would enable me to determine what is the proper view to take of officers who are acting as police officers in public places, no matter what the personal feelings of your client or yourselves may be. I must insist upon Sir Leo Money sparing a little of his time to give to the officer acting for me full information upon such matters as I think are material for me to consider. Your suggestion that I should prepare a series of interrogatories which are to be submitted to you, and which Sir Leo Money on your advice, or without it, is either to agree to answer or to refuse to answer, is a wholly impossible proposition, and a moment's reflection, with your experience as Solicitors, will lead you to the same conclusion. It is absolutely and practically impossible to take a statement from a person in any such manner which could be of any use in dealing with a criminal case-with the investigation into which I am not without some familiarity.

The question, therefore, is a very simple one: Will you be good enough, at the earliest possible opportunity, to arrange that Sir Leo Money shall be seen, either at his house, or your office, or at New Scotland Yard, by Chief Inspector Collins, and there and then give a full and frank and detailed narrative upon the matters which I have instructed Chief Inspector Collins to question him. If you will do so, you and your client will have the advantage of knowing that you are assisting the course of justice, but if you decline I must take other steps to procure what is essential for me to have before me.

Board of Guardians on the Administration for the Period 1st July, 1927, to 31st December, 1927.

Presented by the Minister of Health to
Parliament by Command of His Majesty.

LONDON:

PUBLISHED BY HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE.

To be purchased directly from H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE at the following addresses:
Adastral House, Kingsway, London, W.C.2; 120, George Street, Edinburgh;
York Street, Manchester; 1, St. Andrew's Crescent, Cardiff;

15, Donegall Square West, Belfast;

or through any Bookseller.

1928

Price 3d. Net.

Cmd. 3072.

CHESTER-LE-STREET UNION.

REPORT of the Board of

Guardians on the Administration for the period 1st July, 1927, to 31st December, 1927.

Introduction.

The appointed Guardians explained in their first report that when they took over the administration they were faced with abnormal difficulties arising out of the methods of handling the industrial dispute adopted by the old Board.

They are still faced with great difficulties which, however, except in so far as they have been accentuated by the methods of the old Board, may be described as more or less common to all depressed mining and industrial areas, and the appointed Guardians propose in this report to illustrate shortly those which are giving them most trouble.

General Administration.

The meetings of the Board are held weekly. In the administration of out-relief reports are received from the Relieving Officers who make personal investigation at the homes of all applicants for relief. The appointed Guardians pay periodical visits to the Relief Stations and interview applicants for relief and make exhaustive enquiries as to their circumstances, and in unemployed cases ascertain what steps are being taken to obtain employment. In certain cases visits have been made by the Guardians themselves to the homes of the applicants.

The visits to the stations and the homes have had a very beneficial effect.

All accounts for out-relief, maintenance in the Poor Law Institution, Cottages, Homes, etc., are duly examined. Under the present administration all tradesmen's accounts for relief vouchers issued are now paid through the Clerk to the Guardians instead of by the Relieving Officers as formerly.

The appointed Guardians also inspect periodically the Poor Law Institution and Cottage Homes, and since the commencement of their term of office improvements have been made in the Casual Wards, provision being made for the additional accommodation of eight casuals. Improvements have also been made in the Maternity Ward by the installation of a hot and cold water supply.

During December, 1927, there was a mild epidemic of Variola at. the Poor Law Institution, 14 inmates and 1 officer being removed

(2011) Wt. 27465-4969. 875. 4/28. Wy. & S., Ltd. Gp. 2.

to an Isolation Hospital. The whole of the staff and the majority of the inmates were vaccinated, and there has been no recurrence of the disease.

A considerable increase has occurred in the number of male inmates of the Poor Law Institution, and the accommodation has been severely taxed. Several men with farming experience have recently made application to emigrate to Canada with their families under the Empire Settlement Act, 1922.

The accommodation at the Cottage Homes is insufficient, and a number of children have had to be transferred to the Ponteland Cottage Homes, belonging to the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Union.

The salaries of the staff have been considered, and on and after the 1st January, 1928, inclusive salaries were fixed in place of payment by salary and fluctuating bonus.

Weekly Expenditure on Out-Relief.

The following is a statement of the weekly expenditure on outrelief from the 2nd July to the 31st December, 1927: