The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-04-12 00:00:00

DORSET MENDICITY SOCIETY.

The =Dual meeting of this society was held on
Tuesday, at the Shirehall, when there were present—
Vi.o mat Portman (in the chair), Lord Digby, Captain
woliams, C. J. T. Hambro, Esq., and Captain
Amyatt.
Captain Am Tomo read the following report
'Dorchester, sth April, 1681.
"My Lords and Gentlemen.—ln laying before you the
elereoth annual report of the Dorset Yeadicity Society
I regret to say that during the past year there has nut
been AM' &Mille in the amoent of vagrancy, but that
the number of casual admisions to our unions in 1840
ex,ceded three of 1879 by 1.944, the total being 13.111
against 11,947. or an increase of 17 per cent. Notwith.
standmg this increase, it is satisfactory to be able to state
that the committals under the Vagrant Act show a telet-
hon of over IX, per cent. as compared with the year
previ ti the establishment of this society.
The annual census of vagrants and tramps was taken
throughout I),reet on the 31st ult., whoa it was found
there were 42 such persons in the county on that night.
" The observation as to the clue of perform passing
through the county, which was noted in last year's rep wt
still holds good—vis., that the great majority are able-
bodied men, Sono Ads out of employ, and, although there
may be sons@ readied in trade it is probable that the class I
who are admitted to the casual wards will be &monied the
last of the community to experience the benefit of any
revival in the manufacturing districts, from whence they
modly come.
"Au exceptionally severe winter, combined with the
geseral depression in trade, have made heavy dements nn
the funds of the society ; the amount paid for bread. Mei.
fir... 14 that of all former years.
"The exoe'a'ii'uro and receipt. have been es follows
tspenditure : Also aunt pail for bread. £145 1.. Postage.
le-. 61. stationoqr and printing, XII ls. 61! : ca leer's
carpooled is. 7e. £llll Os. 111. Itiesipta
Silence in hand 314 Dnember, 1879, £lB 11sSi; -
scriptions and sale of ticket.. LIS) 2s. 9d balance due to
treasurer 314 Decemba 1880, £22 6t. 91.—total, £l6l Os.
114.
-Darin the past three yeses the memento to the bakers
ha:. hem as (^flows —f,• 1878, £ll.B 6. 11. roe 12016 h.
at bread : in 1679, £192 Is. 11. for 1E072%. of been.,; in
.Cll5 1, tor 174061 b. of bread, arainst an oversee of
17 in former years It will thus be seen how exceptional
have here the demands on the societs'e fund., and hoe
much need there is for increased support on the part of th
Oar.
In cone'ution it may be stroll again to °horns. chat the
&tie& of the twisty la the repression of profesaional
vagrancy. :t does not presume t • attempt to extort:Mob
it sit +other, but it claim. to and the in at effluent
means yet discovered of rood -ring to those realty in is.
the food which they required. mod at the gams toue of
cheek/as imposition lay oderinz to the applu ant (if as
hamster) what to bins is many intively ,
potnti of breed. It is on thee.- go 'and that the society
ask. for the cordial sueport and assistance o' the
authorities sad the public to genet .I—without who, firm
and coutioned ce...memation it l, l,a,isusssble to carry cut the
aptem which was first established in this county eleven
ye ri since.'
The CHAIRMAN asked what Was psi I for the bread?
Captain Arran replied 20. por lb.
The CHAIRMAX enquired if that was supposed to
iodide some compeneotion for the trouble occasioned'
The CHIEY COSSTABLE replied in the affirmative,
nul sail nacos the baker, received some premium
they would not take the trouble to supply the brat
He then gave soon particulars as to the working of
the mendicity system in other counties. Capt tin
Amyatt added that at present there is only about £lO
available for current expenses, and it WM nec 'scary to
take some steps to meet the payments fur the remainder
of the year.
The CHAIRMAN said they owed about 1:20. He
therefore thought thee should resolve " That every
effort should be mule to raise a sufficient sub-
scription to pay the debt of VD and to
enable the system to be continued on its present plan,
lout of necessity it is expedient to re ince tho supply of
bread from 11b, at the discretion of tho hon.
secretary." He considered they must give Captain
Amyatt authority to reduce the quantity from lila. to
Vb. No doubt belle-pound was • good piece of bread
if it was a cam of wanting it, and many of the tramps
sot two or three ticketa, anti in that way they Rot
more bread. He thou :ht if they resolved as he had
pna you d that would meet their requirem
Captain Assume said this would be sufficient, and
sided something mat bs done. The plan had been
&looted in Hereford-hire.
Captaias Wit.units mop:tired how it had worked in
that county ?
Captain ANTATT explained it hod only been
commenced in February lad. There was a general
4411,4 the society should hot be allowed to drop. It
had drops,cl In Septemtotr, but was retived in
February, when several of the principal county people
met and decided as he had mentioned.
The Climaxes remarked it should b mentioned
an immense number of people described as tramps
were persons out of work, but there were a large
tramher of old fashioned tramps about still. He would
give an instance in point that cams to his knowledge.
There was a tramp in the workhouse at Blandford on
the morning rafter the great snow, and the master
advised him not to go out in such weather, and ha
would use his authority sufficiently to give him per-
mission to remain another day, as it was unfit to go
out. The man replied, "Not go not! Why to go
out such a day se this is worth from 10.,. to 154. to me."
And be would not stop in on any account. He men-
tioned this to show that people would go on giving
money Instead of ticketa, and, to a certain extent,
encourage that class of vagrants. We all knew very
well when people saw persons begging on a day like
that he had referred to they could not help giving
money —it was human nature. At the same time, the
aneolots showed they were not all people out of work
who begged, He mentioned these facts to endeavour
to induce people to give additional enhscriptions. As
soon as the public became aware the last time the
society was In want of foods they came forward very
readily.
The resolution was then *wooded by Lord DICHIT,
anal adopted.
The Noble CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the
report, which was agreed to.
The proceedings then terminated.