The Express.
London, England, 1862-12-16 00:00:00

THE LANCASHIRE DISTRESS.

CENTRAL RELIEF FUND.
The monthly meeting of the general committee
of this fond was held yesterday afternoon in the Mayor's
Parlour, at the Manchester Town-hall The Mayor of
MaNcalwren, as chairman of the committee, presided.
There were present the Earl of Derby, Lord Egerton of
Tattoo, Sir .1. E. Sbottleworth, Colonel W. Patten, M.P.,
sad other members of the committee.

The Hoo. SKILL-TART reed the minutes of the previous
meeting, which were confirmed. The report of the Cen-
tral Executive Committee was next read. It contained
the following passage:
" The Central Executive Committee regret to report
that, sines the last meeting of the Central General Com-
mittee, the want of work, and consequent indigence of the
population, have rapidly increased throughout the cotton
distncts. Every week manufactories have been closed ; and,
besides the workmen thus thrown out of employment, many
others, who, while their savings and other resource. were
medergoing exhaustion, had been unwillingto seek assistance,
have been compelled to aceept relief for their familial,- The
information given by the district relief committees com-
prises 490.757 workpeople ; of whom 244.616 are reported
to be wholly without employment ; 167,591 ere on short
time; and 18,550 are in full work. Your committee are,
however, aware that these returns do not comprise all occu-
pation dependent on the cotton trade, in which employment
and wages are rednced. They particularly observe that, in
tome districts, colliers and mechanics working only half time
are omitted. The increase of indigence has been so rapid, that
the returns to the committee for the last week in November
report 106,243 persons as relieved, solely by the hoards of
guardiaos—that 179,986 were aided by the relief oonirnit-
tees only ; while 162,726 received assistance from both
these sources. So that 448,995 persona were dependent
either'on parochial aid, or on voluntary charity, or on both
combined, The weekly loss of wages had risen to 164,3851.,
or to an annual, loss of resources to the workmen of
8,f48,030/. The average earnings of operatives in the cotton
districts is a steady trade provides an increase of 6s. per
head weekly for each member of the family ; and 2s. per
bead is regarded, by your committee as the average mini-
mum rate of income on which it is prudent to attempt to
sustain the health of this population. This rate of aid re-
quires, in their opinion, a separate provision of clothing,
and & supply of coals to each indigent household. One-
third of the weekly loss of wages has, therefore, to be sup-
plied, to raise the average income to this standard ; and
about 3d. per week,Or one-eighth more, is needed to supply
fuel to household ; and medicine, attendance, sod news-
lards to the sick. The weekly outlay on this scale would
amount to 60,4831. per week. The rate of relief, both from
parochial rates and charitable funds, has been undergoing a
gradual nse, and in some districts has reached this
Audited ; but in many others it is still considerably below
it. The total weekly expenditure of the boards of guar-
dians on out-door relief was last week reported by Mr.
Farnall to be 1/1,5441, 7.. 4d., being 15,7761. 18e. lid. in ex-
cess of the weekly outlay in the corresponding week of
last year. If the boards of guardians wen to TIM this
weekly outlay to 20,0001., your committee are of opinion
that it would not be prudent to reckon on a smaller weekly
expenditure by the district relief committees, in addition
to unacknowledged private charity, than about 30,000/.,
without taking into account the extraordinary outlay still
required for clothing. Your committee have therefore
found it impossible to anticipate all the forme or the extent
of aid required by the population. With half a million of
indigent persons dependent for subsistence on these funds,
there is, as yet, no general provision for medical attendance
each as is organised under boards of guardians. No calcu-
lation can be made of the cost of emergencies, such as an
outbreak of fever, or other disease, nor are your
committee satisfied that adequate provision has
in all cases been made emit such visitations.
Your committee regret to state that they anticipate an in-
creased pressure for some time on the relief funds as other
resources are exhausted. The rate of relief given makes no
provision for that part of the rent of 100,000 cottages, in-
habited by the unemployed population, which is not Paid.
A large proportion of these houses is the property of small
tradesmen, who, besides the ruinous reduction of their in-
come from retail business, will probably encounter a large
annual loss in cottage-rents. The small manufacturers, who
have risen from the ranks of the working men, and who
either rest loom-sheds or mills, or have built and furnished
them in part with borrowed money, have to pay rent, or
the interest of mortgages endgame, as well as rates and
taxes, and many of them will encounters certain ruin if the
want of a supply of cotton continue. This ruin will extend
to other classes connected with them—such as working
mechanics and other small master tradesmen. Your com-
mittee do not consider 'it expedient to offer an opinion on
the probable duration of this distress—a question which is
affected by so many contingencies, that different opinions are
entertained by experienced and well-informed men. If
it be prolonged it will impoverish various classes in suc-
cession."
The report was adopted unanioronaly.
Mr. Madura then read the report of the collectiug com-
mittee.
Alderman Goanssv, ex•Meyor of Manchester, paid it was
a matter for congratulation that but few cases had occurred
where labour had been refused in oonsequenee of a larger
amount being given from the relief fund than the parties
could realise by their employment, and these cases bad
been in the main very satisfactorily answered. He thought
it most detirablo that all such cases should be carefully in-
quired into, in order to disabuse the minds of persons
at a distance, so that their liberality might not be restrained,
for he felt sure greater aid would be needed before their
troubles were ended. Ho had received private information
that a large number of shopkeepers in Manchester were feel-
ing the pressure arising from want of business, combined with
the demand for poor-rates, to such an extent as would involve
many of them he feared in ruin. He could not give names
or lo:alities or their creditors would close upon them, and
in a rhea time they would be recipients of the committee's
bounty, but he bad the facts. A factory operative had
saved enough to open a shop, for which he paid 66/, per
annum. He had a wife and two children. He took stock
every week, and last week his proßta were a little over 15s.
With the mod rigid economy it cost 12s. for food, and he
had to pay rrs. a ,seek in poor rates, which came rather bard
upon him. as the overseers were requiring payment of the
rate laid in June last before the beginning of the grew year,
whilst former usage was to give credit until March. This
man stated that if pressed for payment now his business
would be closed—and that was the case of very mane others.
It was moss desirable that the liberality of the public at a
distance (the available means of Manchester were pretty
well exhausted) should have every motive given to it for
the exercise of its benevolence, for unless ample funds came
in for months to come, the rates would become no
heavy as to press down more and more of the shop-
keepers, thus creating a new race of recipients of charity.
lie loped that the committee might see tit to make repre-
sentations to the overseers of Manchester and other places,
asking them to be as considerate as possible towards those
shopkeepers, whose mesas were always on the stretch, for
to his knowledge alarge proportion of them lived from hand
to mouth, and kept up a respectable appearance with the
greatest difficulty.
The report was adopted.
Lord Defter thought it would be more convenient if
Mr. Commissioner Farnall read his report at this meeting.
The executive committee had already met, and the course
suggested was that pursued at the last monthly meeting,
Mr. FABIeALL accordingly read his report, which was as
follows :
" To the Central Executive Relief Committee.
"My Lords and Gentlemen,—A reference to thy tabular
report, for the week coded the 6th instant, on 27 meow in
the cotton manufacturing districts, will show you that
there is an iucresse in the nuruher of perilous receiving
parochial relief, as computed with the number so relieved is
the previous week, of 3,014 persons. This increase of 3,014
is explained as follows :—There is an increase at Ashton-
under-Lye., 466 ; Barton-on-Dwell, 1233; Blackburn, 48;
Bolton, 172; Chorley, 168 ; Chorlton, 1,063; Glossop 112;
Lancaster, 9; Leigh, 49; Macclesfield, 191; Manchester,
1,580; Preston, 189; Prestwich. 190; Rochdale, 52 ; Sal-
ford, 120; Warrington, 68 ; Wigan, 365 • total. 4,966.
There is a decrease at Suroley, 286; Buy, '43; Clitberoe,
31 ; Gantang, 26 ; Oldham 1,124; Saddleworth,
140 ; Stockport, Zit ; Todmoetlen, 66 ; total, 1,9-52 ;
making a net increase of 3,014. I have re-
ceived no returns from the clerks of the unions
of the Fylde and Haslingden for the week ended the sth
instant, sod I have thereto?* inserted in my tabular report
their figures for the week ended the `29111 ultimo, and I am
unable to state whether there has been an increase or a de-
crease in either of these places. The figures entered for
Bolton represent an increase of pauperism as compared with
the week ended the 22nd ultimo, and those for Oldham are
also compared with the same week. There were on the Gth
inst., 271,983 persons receiving parochial relief in the onions
adverted to; in the corresponding week of last year 57,535
were so relieved ; there is, therefore, an increase of 214,448
is receipt of parochial relief, or 372'7 per cent.
Weir ta ritsel weekly cost of outaloor relief on the 6th inst.
was 18,7280. Se. 10d. ; in the eorrespoodiog week of last
year it was 2,852/. 13s. 3d. ; there is, therefore, an increase
of 15,8751. 151. 7'd.. or 51i5.5 per cent. The average per-
CelliAgil of pauperism on the poplation of these unions on
the Gth iast. was 1:1.7 ; in the corresponding week of last
year it war 29. The average amount of ont-door relief per
head per week, both in money and in kind, in these unions
on the 6th Jost. was tS. 5,1 A. ; the lowest was Is. Id. ; and
the highest le. 141.. at Glossop. (if the 271.903 persons
receiving parochial relief co the 6th inst., 12,527 were in-
door paupers. The amount of money in the hands of the
treasure's of the above anions on the 6th Jost. was 55,453!.
19s. sd. ; in the previous week the amount wee 45,6261. Bs.
7d.--I am, my Lords sad Gentlemen, your obedient servant,
"B. W. FAILSALL, 'Special Commissioner.
" Manchester, Dec. 15."
FAnNALL added, that having already given reports
of the distressed unions of Stockport and Ashton, he had
sow to present a ret of the exact condition of the union
and township of Blackburn :—'• The union of Blackburn
contains 24 townships, within an area of 43,569 acres ;
its population numbers 119,9.67 ; and its net rateable value
was 238,6991. in IM6. The present weekly expenditure
of this union in oat-door relief was. oaths 29th ult., 1.3471..
and the cost of in-maintenance for that week, at the rate of
34. per head per week, was 741., making a keel weekly ex-
peaditure in relief alone of 1,4211., which is at the rate of
73,8921. par annum. The expenditure of this union out of
the poor rater for ell otherrpthloses than relief, for the year
ended Lady-day, 1862, was 1 1661. • this sum. therefore,
added to 73,M. spent in • alone, makes a total annual