OUR LOCAL AUTHORITIES. 161 
borne by it. Thus, the poorer neighbourhoods benefit by the larger 
contributions of the richer. The amount paid by the Lewisham 
Guardians to the fund for the year ended March, 1907, amounted 
to £8,537. On the other hand the Guardians get back from the 
fund a much larger amount. 
THE LocaL GOVERNMENT BOARD. 
No one can have anything to do with Poor Law Work, or read 
about Guardians’ Work, without hearing of the Local Government 
Board. The work of this body is an instance of government by 
officials, more after the style of some continental methods in 
comparison with our usual lack of central control and freedom from 
officialism. By the Act of 1834, Poor Law Commissioners were 
appointed for the central control of the relief of the poor, and they 
were empowered to issue general orders and regulations. Some 
years later, with added powers, they were reconstituted the Poor 
Law Board, and in 1871 were re-organised into the Local 
‘Government Board, with supervision of other local matters added 
to their Poor Law Work. The President is a Minister of Cabinet 
rank, and one of the Secretaries must have a seat in Parliament. 
The Board has a large staff, including Secretaries, General 
Inspectors, Medical Inspectors, District Auditors, Solicitors, 
Architects, Surveyors, Analysts, Clerks, &c. 
The orders of the Board are as binding as Acts of Parliament, 
and, as has been before pointed out, are very numerous. Though 
they do not meet in our midst, their influence is felt, and no large 
capital expenditure can be made without the Guardians first 
obtaining their consent, while they have a voice in the appointment 
and dismissal of the chief officers of the Workhouse and Infirmary, 
and in fixing the amount of their salaries. They also make 
recommendations to the Guardians, if occasion arises, as to the 
carrying out of their work, even to the extent of insisting upon 
additional accommodation being built. 
METROPOLITAN ASYLUMS BOARD. 
The Metropolitan Asylums Board having a large hospital at 
Hither Green, to which numbers of patients for scarlet fever, 
diphtheria, etc., are taken from Lewisham and the surrounding 
districts, the management of it may be looked upon as a matter of 
local concern. The Body of Management, however, meets in 
London, and controls all such hospitals within the County of 
London, as well as performing other important duties. The 
Metropolitan Asylums Board was constituted by an Act of 1867, 
and was empowered to provide asylums for the reception and relief 
of the sick, insane or infirm. They also provide hospitals for cases 
of small pox. The Poor Law Board defined the district and 
prescribed the number of members, viz., 54, elected by Boards of 
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