Poplarism
1924 1924 1920s 8 pages SIR ALFRED MOND INTERVENES. In June, 1922, after loud complaints from the absentee capitalists and employers of Poplar, Sir Alfred Mond tried to compel the Poplar Guardians to limit the actual relief given in Poplar to the Mond Scale. He issued what is known as the "...
| Main Author: | |
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| Institution: | MCR - The Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick |
| Language: | English English |
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London : Independent Labour Party
[1924?]
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10796/AEC7C134-E173-4A35-882B-2FE6C0F1BB65 http://hdl.handle.net/10796/95D176EA-226A-477A-93C2-3C69FB5F0345 |
| Summary: | 1924
1924
1920s
8 pages
SIR ALFRED MOND INTERVENES. In June, 1922, after loud complaints from the absentee capitalists and employers of Poplar, Sir Alfred Mond tried to compel the Poplar Guardians to limit the actual relief given in Poplar to the Mond Scale. He issued what is known as the "Poplar Order." Under it, all relief granted in excess of the Mond Scale was declared to be illegal unless sanctioned by the Minister. Every case in which such excess relief was granted was to be specially reported to the Minister. Sanction would only be given where exceptional circumstances were proved to exist. The Guardians told Sir Alfred Mond that they would not carry out the Order. He used many weapons to compel us to comply, but the Order never was obeyed by the Guardians, neither was it enforced by his own Department. We have been relieving according to our scales ever since June, 1922, and none of the Health Ministers who succeeded Sir Alfred Mond have made any further attempts to prevent us. Sir William Joynson-Hicks did a little talking, but was not nearly so bold in office as he seems to be now that he is safe out of office. JOHN WHEATLEY ACTS. Mr. Wheatley did what any sensible man would do in his position. He rescinded an Order that should never have been issued to one Board alone, and relieved us of the special threat of surcharge contained in the Order. The fact that the Order rendered illegal relief given in excess of the Mond scale placed on the Government District Auditor the duty of surcharging the Guardians with the cost of the excess. But no surcharge had been made up to the time of our interview with Mr. Wheatley. The books of the Guardians for the period in question have not even yet been passed. Presumably the Auditor was waiting to see which way the cat would jump. Now he knows, for the Labour Minister has definitely stated that even if the surcharges are made, he will waive them in accordance with his powers. This is quite an important matter since, once a surcharge is made and upheld in Court or by the Ministry, the individual Guardians concerned are open to an action in the Courts for the recovery of the money. Of course, the money would never be paid and the Guardians would be made bankrupt and debarred from service on public bodies. It will be seen that Mr. Wheatley's action did not give fresh powers to Guardians, or remove any check. Neither did it afford new opportunities for the exploitation of public funds by the Socialists. Guardians all over the country are still liable to surcharge at the hands of the District Auditor in respect of any cases in which the relief given is, in the Auditor's opinion, more than sufficient to relieve destitution. Subject to this safeguard 6
15X/2/209/47 |
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| Physical Description: | TEXT |