the efficient working of the institution that two nurses should be had occasionally for the smaller workhouses, and permanently in the larger workhouses, and thus the Government would

investigate matters. Since then the second nurse is required. The scandals Local Government Board of England as which arose under the system of pauper well as of Ireland has taken note of the nursing cannot arise again, because the importance of the matter, and they have Local Government Board Order which both issued orders forbidding the employ- forbids it is now well carried into effect. Lent of pauper nurses. The right honour- But it will be impossible for one nurse able Gentleman the Chief Secretary to do all the work when there is a conhas taken notice of the subject, and in siderable amount of sickness about, and order to provide for efficient nursing a second nurse will probably be found has put in this provision, that there very cheap investment. Under these shall be one trained nurse in each work- circumstances, I think it is necessary for house. That is sufficient, no doubt, for a good many of the workhouses in Ireland, but in the large workhouses I fear more will be required, and I cannot see why the regulation which gives one nurse for a small workhouse. should not assist that care of the sick poor in the give us two nurses for a large one. The way it ought to be encouraged. honourable Member for Dublin has put down an Amendment making the law in Ireland equivalent to what it is in Scotland, which asks for rations as well as salary. I have taken the more moderate line, and asked that, wherever a second nurse is required, the Imperial Treasury shall grant half of the money required for the payment of that nurse. It will not take a very large sum of money to do this, because out of 159 workhouses in Ireland not more than half would ever require a second nurse; sometimes they may be required in exceptional cases of epidemics of fevers or special sickness; but, even in that case the amount of money to meet this state of things would be very small. I believe the payment to a trained nurse is not more than £24 or £25 a year, and, if the Imperial grant were respon. sible for half of that payment, it would simply take £12 or £13 a year for the payment of the second nurse. The ment will not be required for more than 70 or 80, or at the most. 100 workhouses. It cannot be construed in an

pay

extravagant way, because the guardians will have to pay half the salary and all the rations as well. All that the Imperial Exchequer has to do will be to pay £12 or £13 a year whenever a

MR. GERALD BALFOUR: I cannot recommend the adoption of this Amendment to the Committee; the result of it, if it were adopted, would be that we should be having twotrained nurses in many workhouses where one would be quite sufficient. What I am very anxious to do, and what this Bill does, is to secure that in every there shall be one union in Ireland trained nurse, and if the large unions. require more than one for any special emergency they can very easily arrangeto do so.

in Ireland-that

nurses

There are other difficulties in the way of adopting this Amendment difficulties which it would not be very easy to explain to the Committee; but I may say that if we were at the present moment to ask for all the trained nurses is, trained coming within the recognised definition of a "trained nurse," and as laid down in the regulations in Scotch workhouses -very serious difficulties would undoubtedly arise. Under these circumstances, I do not think that this is a question which it is desirable that we

should raise here.

*MR. JORDAN: It is the same old story; the Chief Secretary has made up

his mind, and the Amendment, reason-union in Ireland that no more than one able as it is, will not be adopted. I can trained nurse is necessary on any occaadduce at least one reason why I think sion. An infirmary requires separate the Amendment of the honourable nurses by day and separate nurses by Baronet opposite is a reasonable one. night. Now that the guardians know To my certain knowledge I know that that the cost will be cast upon them, the Local Government Board in Dublin they will be very much opposed to getat present are insisting upon the guar- ting a proper nursing staff. I had an dians appointing additional additional trained Amendment down extending the Amendnurses in workhouses. If the Local ment of the honourable Baronet, and Government Board are insisting on that, following the Scotch precedent of the they have a right to pay part of the Treasury not only paying half the salary. In the union I am connected salary, but also the rations as well. I with there are three trained nurses, and am sorry that the Chief Secretary has recently the Local Government Board opposed this, and I hope that the honourinsisted upon us appointing a trained able Baronet will go to a Division night nurse. The tendency of the upon it. Local Government Board is to altogether supersede the system of pauper assistance by a system of trained nurses. They insist upon guardians appointing trained nurses, and if the guardians do not want them the Local Government Board ought to pay something towards the expense they are causing.

MR. JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.): While I hardly think it is desirable to introduce these contentious things into the House, I would ask the Chief Secretary whether it would not be possible for him to give this matter some further consideration. I must myself confess that it seems to me that some further extension of the system of trained nurses is very desirable. I am sure we all admire the careful consideration which the Chief Secretary has given to the whole question, and I would earnestly ask him to consider whether some extension of the

provisions of this clause could not be made. One trained nurse, I admit, is quite sufficient for some institutions, but it is not sufficient for all institutions. I would again ask the Chief Secretary if he cannot consider this Amendment favourably.

MR. CAREW (Dublin, College Green): After the speech of the Chief Secretary it will be taken as an authority by every Mr. Jordan.

*SIR T. LEA said that he did not think the right honourable Gentleman's arguments at all conclusive, and that he should not withdraw the Amendment.

Question put

"That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the clause."

The Committee divided:-Ayes 199; Noes 150.-(Division List No. 111.)

And it being Half-past Five of the clock, the Chairman left the Chair to make his Report to the House.

Committee report Progress; to sit again to-morrow.

House resumed.

CANALS PROTECTION (LONDON) BILL. Read a second time, and committed for to-morrow.

SOCIETIES' BORROWING POWERS BILL. Read a second time, and committed for to-morrow.

House adjourned at 5.40.