The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1872-02-27 00:00:00

TEIR POOR LAW.
no the &Isar.

We have beer regarded to publish the following
letter width has Wee addressed to tho Poor Lew
Board : _

Doreheater. 17th February, 1872.
I observe that Mr. E. H. Wodebonse, the Inspeotor
from the Poor Law Board, attended at the Beard-room of
the Ottardians of the Weymouth Union 011 Tuesday
isst, and offered some suggestions relative to the wi
ministration of out-door relief --and that amenget other
things be 'unseated.
" That out-door relief aboul I not ho &on to any
able bodied widow with one child only."
*. That Is CO.. of any able bodied widow with more
than one child it may he desirable to take one or more
et the children into the workhouse j preference to
giving out-door rider and "Thul the relieving °Moor
ebouLl visit widows with children in roolpt of relief at
least once a month."
_ .

_
I fake it for granted that Ur. Wodehoase could not,
what he made Mem suggestlene, have boon scanslnted
with the twadltioe sad circumstances of muiy of these
poor natortnnate bet deserving women—or have been
aware that they realise sixpeneo and one loaf of bread
only per week for ea* child. Now take the moo of a
women with two Andrea. &a dose ebarwork—bat
menet, ease avenge. daring the summer months get
mere am three dap' work • week, and In the winter
meathe lem—for tide she gets 104. or Is. • day. This
et ls., the *het rate, would be 3i. And of this she
has to tar at leeel 44. • day to some other woman to
look atter her alarm while she last work, and Is. 61.
21. week for she rent of a room. This loaves her.
faith's; her mat et the lowest rate, &1., end with thia
and the ellowaeas for her &Urea, together Is. 61.
sad two loaves of breed, she km to keep herself four
days gad her elilldree tie whole week, and to find her-
setteed alliris,ln cloths*, shoes, firing, and the tn tny
othar... of life.

-It 11r. Weida— ad- bad kaown this he would surely
hays felt that thaell poor endures stood in need of
sympathy and probation, reds*: than snob severe
restrictions al thud sureested. They suffer too =hay
privations already, and If the suggestions made were
baaad upon they moot, of neeissity, suffer still more,
and what may we iszpoet would be the result—why
that it would have the offset of driving them t.) one of
three resoaree.. del is, either to draggle throagh
by soliciting aid from private charity, or to do so by
sews disreputable mode of living. or by going into the
workhouse with their &Urea at • very far heavier
OXPOOSa to that IMOParan thus they are at present; It
esaaot be exposed that • widow with children can at
Qs Omsk do more than support herself, and if she
does this. II is bat to amok& that she
should be allowed for the seaport of her children the
Mae 1111011114 Wig all the tisardlims pay to strangers
for the supped of the ehildreu sent by them from the
workhouse to other *ass to be kept.
dm the trembles end privations of Quo poor dewing
objects are not birdied upon them by any sot of their
owe, but are oilamitles tirh they could not avoid,
they ought, I take It, to be objects of pity and oxen.
passion ; bet it they receive bat little or no pity or
oompereiou Iron ma, I trust they may, at least, be
ooesoled by the hope that the Lord who bath add, Re
will be • father to the fatherless and • husband to the
widow, will appear for their help and their protection.
I beg you will excuse me for thus addressing you,
bet I hope I slain ever oonskier It not only a duty but
• privilege to stand up in defence of them who ars
unable to dofund theniselves.—l have tho honour to be,
gentlemen, your very obedient servant.