ABSTRACT
The names of the Commission of Inquiry have long since been published, and that of Miss Octavia Hill is not among them. The government has let slip the opportunity of doing efficient work and bringing sound practical knowledge to bear on the subject of the housing of the poor, by neglecting to appoint Miss Octavia Hill on the Royal Commission for that purpose, for the reason, we presume, that she is a woman, and that such an appointment would be without a precedent. They cannot at least plead that the omission was caused by forgetfulness of her exceptional suitability for the office The Times on two occasions, and many other newspapers had pointed out to them the fitting course they should pursue. "Surely," said the former, "the exclusion of Octavia Hill's unsurpassed experience on so foolish a ground as sex is almost incredible," and as early as the 25th of February Mr. Pennington and Mr, Carbutt had brought the question before the notice of the House of Commons. It is no insult to the present Members of the Royal Commission to say that not one of the gentlemen appointed possesses the practical experience and the personal knowledge which have made Miss Hill's enterprise during the past fifteen years so steadily successful and so unassumingly useful. But it appears that the present Government dare not take so new a step as to appoint a woman to a place ordinarily filled by men, whatever be her individual qualifications.
