ould be outrageous to expect the
Dispensary Officers to add the heavy medical duties under the Act to
their present responsibilities without adequate payment. Indeed, the
extension of the medical benefits to Ireland would make inevitable an
early reform of the whole Poor Law system. This is one reason why the
Unionist Party, when it returns to office, should be ready to tackle the
subject without delay. To no department of the work will it be asked to
apply greater sympathy, knowledge, tact and firmness, than to the
problems of the Poor Law Medical service.

During the last three years the Irish Unionist Party has made three vain
attempts to bring the reform of the Irish Poor Law before Parliament.
Its Bill, which now stands in the name of Sir John Lonsdale, asks for
the appointment (as recommended by the Viceregal Commission) of a body
of five persons with executive powers to carry out the recommendations
made by that Commission. These temporary Commissioners would have
authority to draft all necessary schemes, to consolidate or divide
existing institutions, and generally to reform the whole administration
of the Irish Poor Law service. The Bill assigns to them an executive
lifetime of five years--hardly, perhaps, an adequate time for the
establishment of reforms which, in their making, must affect nearly
every aspect of Irish life, and, in their operation, may reconstitute
the basis of Irish society. It is to be supposed that, when the whole
Unionist Party addresses itself seriously to the question, it will give
further and careful attention to the principles of reform before setting
up this, or some other, executive machinery. I can think of no more
thirsty or fruitful field in Ireland for the exercise of the highest
constructive statesmanship that the Party may possess. The need is
urgent, the time is ripe, all the circumstances are favourable. The Old
Age Pensions Act and the Insurance Act, if not vitiated by further
increases in Irish taxation, will greatly simplify the task of Poor Law
Reform. The former Act has reduced the number of old inmates in the
workhouses; the Insurance Act should lead to a reduction in expenditure
on outdoor relief. Moreover, it may be hoped that the infirm and pauper
classes will be henceforward, like the old age pensioners, a diminishing
fraction of the population of Ireland. They are, to a large extent,
flotsam and jetsam over the sea of Ireland's political troubles. Land
agitation, w