The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1861-01-11 00:00:00

THE WORKHOUSE COMMITTEE.

The usual weekly meeting of the Workhouse Com-
mittee was held yesterday, in the board room of the
parish offices, Brownlow-hill; Mr. Owen was in the
chair. The other members present were Messrs.
Churchwarden Cropper, Peck, Satchell, Critchley, Scott,
Turner, Goodacre, and Williams.

The Governor reported that the population in the
house was 2,583 ; an increase of 45 over the preceding
wcek, and 378 over the corresponding week of last year.
The patients in the hospital numbered, last week, 764 ;
admitted since, 225 ; cured and discharged, 207 ; died,
33 ; remaining under treatment, 751. There were
41 cases of itch, and 30 of fever. The vagrants relieved
during the week were 191 men, 120 women, and 31
children ; and increase of 79 persons during the week,
and 123 as compared with the corresponding period of
the last year.

The Governor reported that owing to the pressure for
space, he had been obliged to add 93 beds for sick and
infirm women, and 20 for sick men, to those already in
the hospital. Notwithstanding that the small hospital
was full, several sick men were sleeping in the wards
set apart for the healthy. He therefore suggested that
boys under seven years should he sent to Kirkdale, the
infant school located in the recently filled ward for the
juvenile industrial department, and children suffering
from measles transferred to the fever hospital. In
consequence of the immediate want of the blankets in
store, the governor thought that it would be necessary
to invite estimates for the supply of 200 pairs, to meet
the requirements during the severity of the winter.
On "Wednesday it appeared the supply of water failed
at 10 o'clock a.m., the steam was consequently blown
off, and the fires extinguished. The cooking of the
dinner was rendered impossible for a time. There was
no water in any of the high level mains or hydrants, so
that they remedied the defect by attaching a hose to
them. Shortly, however, it was found that the water
was not entirely off from the low level cistern near the
coal-yard, so that by mounting a platform over the feed
cistern of the steam boilers the water was drawn up in
buckets and ropes. The cistern was afterwards filled,
and the inconvenience did not recur yesterday.
With regard to the stock of blankets it was deter-
mined to borrow two hundred or more pairs from the
Industrial Schools.
The following letter was read :

DEAR Sia.---We are compelled, with reluctance, to trouble
you on the subject of a reform in our diet, hoping that you
may, at your earliest convenience, bring the matter under the
consideration of the committee.
As to the quantity of our rations we have no grounds for
complaint, but would more particularly draw your attention
to our diet as we have it presented to us.
In the morning our coffee, whether it may be deficient in
quantity. or defective in quality, we cannot say, but certainly
it is anything bnt good. Our bread and butter, as such, is
very fair. _ _

• ht almost say only, meal, we have strong
this, our chief, I might Our dinners we are unable to have until two p.m., and of
grounds for complaint. th
of ou tt any
paupern g
o h
i exaggeration,
t e
I hall would
rilie
frequently prefer the
dinner
NNianimal food, if properly and
considerately cooked, I doubt not,h
miserable sham we have placed before us. I would here beg
not to be misunderstood. Our
would b,. ample; but such
We have it one day hot, then
is, unfortunately, not the case.
.
two
two days c .1d ; or, we have it two days in the week hot, the
remaining five cold.
The potatoes are not good;
s with the exception of some
or three weeks, I have been unable to partake of the ame. As
" •
to the beer, its quality is very well. known, and assuredly it
forms a very cheerless accompanime.4t to a cold dinner, with
the thermometer down nearly to zero. I need not farther
specify with regard to our diet, but would briefly, with. galld
coffee, beer, and ' on::
permission, suggest an amendment, viz., that oar tea
potatoes be withdrawn, and an equivalent in
money allowed us, so that we may procure these articles for
ourselves. Before any improvement, however, can possibly
take place. it will be necessary to have a cook.
in ear servants, to say the least of it, are most thoughtless and
Periencedfemales, just what might be expected of females
in their pogltion. They cannot cook a potato, never to mention
animal food ; and, as to our having any extras to our stale
dinners, we have certainly had experience sufficient to con-
s
vince us of the utter impossibility of such a thing. Any extra
whatever, that we may procure, is lost in the cooking.
They leave us every
el-Tiling at' eight o'clock. Now, at this
season of the year, and, in a winter of such severity, there are
many things required after that hour. It is by no means un-
common to suffer from a cold or catarrh at this time, when
some warm drink, a warm bath, or so. for the feet, is very ne-
cessary. We are here, however, unable to procure anything of
the kind. lam sorry to say that my colleague, Dr. Shearer,
is very much in want of some such attention at this time. I
saw him this evening procure the kettle, boil the water, get a
little oatmeal, and make some gruel for himself, although
scarcely able to hold his head up.
It is unnecessary to particularise farther as to the many
deficiencies of our attendances they must be obvious. With
these remarks I leave the matter to your just consideration.--
I am your obedient servant,
Workhouse Hospital, January 9, Ma JAMES D. CLEMENT.
The letter was ordered to lic on. the table.
There were no other matters of interest before the
committee.