The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1866-02-13 00:00:00

POOR LAW INQIFIRY.

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On Thursday, Mr. Hawley. Peer Law leroster for
this district, attended at the Beard room of the Salisbury
Workhouse, in order to awaitt into certain oharges
preferred by the Board of Clatrelivrardens and Overseers
of the three perishes in this city, against Me. John
Wismar, the medical °Meer of the union, and Mr. Hoary
WiUlat Norris, relieving taw- There were about
nine or ten of the guardians premed.
The charts apinet Mr. Wirer was for hating omitted
from the district medical book the names of certain
patients which appeared in the soldieries book.
Mr. Whirr admitted the omismioes, and explained
that they were almost untivoidable. lie made the books
up for the meeting of the Board ever/ Monsletharaing
before he went out, and during the 40 be °'7,70,1
saw people whose DOOM did not appear is the
pieced before the Bred at their 11101:4011 011 Mendel
evening. In the case of incurable patient', he thought
that it was not necessary that be should enter their
names. He suggested that the Hoard should admire the
rme plan as was carried out at the fildeibury Union,
of giving an order to the relieving oSeer to provide such
patients with all thist they required for three smooths,
at the end of which period the orders were revised by
the Board.
The Inspector said there could be DO ObjetaoD to
that sown.; but there mast be an agreement to that
offer between the medical officer wed the Board. It
was very important that all the medical books should be
fully written up. He presumed that if Mr. Wismar
would pledge himself that no further mairene should
ores the Board would be satisfied.
Mr. Whirr thought that as he was well kaowe to I
most of the members of the Board for mum years, he I
might have been spared having to answer mil •
trumpery and frivolous
Mr. G. Richardson, tturairman of the Board of
Guardians, said that it ODA the unanimous with of the
Board that the books should be properly mitre up.
There were cases where relief had been yen for years,
and the Beard knew nothing. of the
The first complaint spier Kr. William Henry
Norris, the relie officer, was for the irregular pay-
MO" or 'DU for which he received cheques fortnightly.
Mr. Folliott, of the Old George Inn, stated that the
tickets for wine and spirite supplied by him were not
taken up for three or four weer, sued sometimes Kr.
Norris did not cull upon him for • longer period. In
far there was no specified time for payment.
A member of the Board said that cheques were tared
to Mr. Norris fortnightly.
Mr. Merlow, Matcher, sherd that he had supplied
meat to the poor, off and on for some yeses. The orders
were signed by Mr. Norris. The payments IWO net
made in • regular manner. Mr. Norris immorally celled
oar in three weeks: aomesimes at longer intfrvals-16
or 17 weeks. In November Mot, he held 14 weeks' ticker
tied up ready for delivery, and there might have been
three weeks' moat owing for besides. There was no bill
of any DOPOILDi minering unpaid at present. Mr.
Norris might have sailed mos without having the
Maker, at • thee when his (Mr. Marlow's) coustu was
attending to the shop. Sometimes sere or eight weeks'
ticker were left. Sometime in November, Kr. Norris
paid L'ls on wooer. leaving seven or thrlit weeks
unpaid. On the 2nd of December. • further instalment
of £lO wee paid. Mr. Norris produced • reeisipt book
and witness wrote his eases on a stamp, but did not
afar any date. That was always carried out by Mr.
Norris himself. Sometime., be found. PaYstettle were
antidated six weeks or two months. Money was
generally paid on amount, ones in three or four weeks.
The Inaiector Mr. Marlow ought himself to put the
date of payment, and if the account remains open to
show the balance. There an great inegelarities in con.
ration with these payments. There are no weekly
vouchers as there ought to be. It is evident that there
is • mere running amount bermes the eontimaters and
the relieving oilleer, which is altogether wrong, and
contrary to the orders of the Poor Law Board.
The next ease spinet Mr. Novi" was for having
neglected to comply with an order given by Mr. Wismar
the medical Maw, for noutiehrtent to • seek child
belonging to a men named Cornish.
It appeared that Mr. Wieser, who was celled in to see
the child, found that it suffered more freak want than
desire, and gave an order, on the 6th of November,
for nourishment, with which order, wording to the
statement of Mrs. Oornish, Mr. Norio refused to comply.
She also sthted that, after selling on Mr. Norris several
times without any effect, she went to Mr. Pierer,
who verde a nor for her on the Saterdey evening.
She called on Mr. Norris with the Dote, but be told her
to call on Sunday morning, when she did so,tind be gave
her an order for four loves, put did not give bar any
nouridiment for the sick child. He did not call for
several days afterwards in order to inquire into the ere.
Several of the gurdiana said that it was the duty of
the relieving officer to have inquired into the ems, in
order that the child might have had what wee Deressl7.
Me. Norris, in explanation, said that be did not give
relief to the child beers. he Irma not retain whether
the paresis were married. He told the woman to
fetch Cornish, but she said that he wiseld not come.
The books were produced and the entry was found,
hat Mr. Norris admitted that the entry was made after
the books bad been signed by the chairman. He
admitted that he had not carried out the instructions of
the Poor Law Board as respected visiting the child, but
rid that if the medical °Kier had given specific in-
structions in the order, he should have complied there-
with.
Mr. Pierre said that Mr. Norris's present state-
ment and that which Ise made to the Poor Law Board,
in tome correspondence on the rubjeet, differed from the
esplaDation which he made to the board at the time.
When be was before the Board be said that he had
made inquiries on the Saturday. Sunday, and Moeday,
and that be knew nothing about the parties, good or
bed.
The Inspector said that he should lay the ease before
the Poor law Board.
Another case of neglect was mule against Mr. Norris
respecting • person named Elisabeth Dimmer. In this
case he did not go to wee her, but gave her two leaves
It wee alleged that them could be little erre in this
case, as the woman lived very near to the relieving
olhoer, and be "id not visit her from the 4th to the Stli
of November, although be had been ordered by the
Board of Guardians to inquire into the cams
The Inspector intimated his intention of reporting
this ore to the Poor Law Bred.
There was another charge against Mr. Norris for not

paying all the paupers weekly 7
Mr. Norris admitted the neglect in several lustiness,
but said that be had left the money assorting to the
directions of the paupers Some women were afraid of
their husbands getting the money and spending it.
Some el the guardians observed that the relieving
officer, according to his own showing, acted in oppoaltion
to the orders of the Board in not punctually paying the
paupers every week.
The Inspector said that be should also report that:sae
to the Poor Law Board.
The next charge preferred by the Board against the
relieving offioer was that of habitual drunkenness.
The Inspector said that he thoaght there would be a
difScnlty in proving this charge, unless positive evidence
could be given. Unless they could prove the charge it
would be melees to go on with the case.
Mr. Pinckney said that Mr. Norris generally MOO to
the Board intoxicated, and he did so particularly on the
20th of September last.
The Inspector said that if that was the opinion of the
heard he would make a representation to that effect to
the Poor Law Board, and Mr. Norris could forward any
oommunLation by way of defence.
• • • • •

Mr. Norris denied that on any omission he had at-
tended the Board in a state of intoxication. He had
lately had several seizures, and this had compelled him
to abstain from atimulants.
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Some ecevereation here took place between the In•
Spector ited the Guardiaas ; and Mr. Richardson handed
to Kr. Hawley • servo of recommendations with
regard to Union rennagement
The Inspector said that be would reply to there re-
commendatioes at his lesteare, as they were worthy of
consideration. One of these recommended that the
supply of quinine and cods' liver oil should not be paid
for out of the istlery of the surgeon. With regard to
this resommendation, they could have • divitensary of
their own, or they oould have these articles *applied
through eltemiste
A vote of Houk' to Hr. Hawley for the impartial
way in orhich he had croeducterd the Inquiry clewed the
proceedings.