In asking for leave to introduce the County Boards Bill in the House of Commons on the 18th March, Mr. Sclater-Booth made the following remarks in regard to how it would affect the Government of County Asylums. They show that the action of the Medico-Psychological Association last year has not been without result. "In the third place, the County Boards would have the very important power of reviewing the workhouse accommodation of each county, and of providing for the accommodation in the

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... uses of imbecile and idiot paupers, whether children or adults. He wished this power had been granted long ago. He did not provide in this Bill for any direct power over the lunatic asylums, but the Boards would be empowered to inquire into the lunatic asylums and enabled by their influence to check their future enlargement. It was proposed last year to give the County Boards a considerable share in the management of the lunatic asylums, and he had no doubt that before long some plan would be devised by which their management would be given to these County Boards. But long familiarity with the Public Lunatic Acts had convinced him of the very great difficulty of dealing with those Acts by means of a few clauses in a Bill of this kind. It would be most unsatisfactory, without a review of those Acts, to place the administration of the lunatic asylums in the hands of the County Boards."