The National Register.
London, England, 1818-03-23 00:00:00

alio nidt 3it vititti-94

t!)ut IttQ, Conattution anb

MONDAY, MARCH 2J, ISIS.

superintend the rates, is, we think, an excellent nne. It
1.; calculated at once to relieve the overseer, and be a
check Upon his proceedings—to prevent the evil arising
from arbitrary and tyrannous conduct, and to insure a
just distribution cf the parish money. it must be highly
satisfactory to the inhabitants thus to have the controul
and disbursement of their collective funds more imrue-
diatrly in their own hands, and we have no doubt but
that the unfortunate persons who are justly entitled to
paroehial aid, will be materially beneirtted.by it. In the
w:mis of the act,
" Every inch select vestry shall and is hereby empowered
and required to examine into the state and condition• of the
poor of the parish, and • to inquire into and determine upon
the proper objects of relief, and the native and amount of
the relief to be given ; and iH each case shalt take into consi-
deration the character and conduct of the poor person to be
relieved, and shall be at liberty to distinguish, in the relief to
Sr granted, between the industrions and deserving, and the
idle, extravagant, or profligate poor."

This provision wi!l be of essential service in repress.
ing the pretentions of idleness and fraud—and svlien
impostors find they can no longer receive encourage-
ment in either, they will adopt new habits, and be in.
duced to bewnie useful to society. But the most im-
portant part of this Act in our opinion is the following,
which we shall give at length.

" had•whereas by an act passed in the folly-third year of
the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the churchwardens and over -
seers of the poor aro directed to set to work certain persons
therein described : and whereas, by the laws now in force,
suticient powers arc not given to the churchwardens and
overseers,. to enable them to keep such persons fully and
constantly employed; be it farther enacted, stns it shall be
lawful for the clitirchwardemi and overseers of the poor
of any parish, with the consent of the inhabitants thereof in
vestry assembled, to take into their hands any laud or grentid
which shall belong to such parish, or to the churchwardens
and overseers of the poor of such parish, or to the poor there-
of; or to purchase, or to hire and take on lease, for, and on
account• of the parish, any suitable portion or portions of
portions of hind within or near
.to such parish ; and to em-
ploy and set to work io the cultivation of such land, on. ac-
count of the parish, any such per,uas as, by the existing
laws, they are now directed to set to work, and to pay to
such of the poor persons so employed as shall not be siip•
ported by the parish, reasonable wages. fur their work ; arid
the poor persons so employed,.sball have such and the like
remedies for the recovery of-their wages, and r kali be subject
to such and the like punishment fur misbehaviour in their
empklment, av other labourers in husbandry are by law
entitled and cubject tn.
" Provided, and lie it further enacted, that for the promo-
tion of industry amongst the poor, it shall be lawfol tar the
churchwardens and overseers of the poor of any. parish, with
the consent of the inhabitants in vestry assembled, to let any
portion or portions ofsneli parish land as aforesaid, or oldie
land to be so purchased or taken nn account of the parish, to
any poor and industrious inhabitant of I lie parish, to be by
him or her occupied and cultivated on 11:s or her own account,
and for his or her own benefit, at such reasonable ncut, anti
lot such term as shall by the inhabitants in vestry be fixed
and determined.

" Provided, and be it further enacted, that no stun exceed-
ing the rate or assessment at One shilling in the pound upon
the annual value of the property in unv parish assessable to
the rates for the relief el dm poor, shall be raised, expended,
o applied in any one year in purchasing, building, and re.
pairing any buildings or land by this act authorized to he
p t11311.1.C11, taken, built, or repaired ; and in fitting up, pre-
paling, and furnishing such buildings, and in stinkii,g such
laud, or for any one or more of such purposes or objects,
Hitless the major part of the inhabitants,. in vestry as's:lidded,
shall consent thereto, nor until two-ants:Limns en value of
the inhabitants assessed to the relief the poor (whether pre-
sent .in /melt ve try or not) shall have also signed their con-
sent thereto in the vestry or parish-book."

This is an adarirahle provision in every point of view.
It tends to promote habit: of industry in the persons
employed, while it augments the funds appmpriated iii:
the relief of the poor. It enables those win arc able to
work, to earn their bread by honest industry, and in
authorizing the Churchwardens to let portions of the
land to poor inhabitants, it affords them an opportunity
of gaining a subsistence in a meritorious way, accom-
panied with a of independence that will sweeten
all their labours, and stituulate them to continued
exertion. Nor are these the fatly benefits to be derived
from it, for it will contrifiute greatly to a more general
cultivation of the country, v.iich is everyday beemaing
more repiisite to meet the demands of as increasing
population. Tf we are not mistaken, the experiment has
been successflilly tried in Kent, which has probably
(for we have not the Report jock be4:..ve to lea to
the ado/n.441 of ;ac idea.

Pmci: 9:(f.

We have. ever been of opinion, with many nth( r
writers, that the multiplication of large thrills is es.
tremely pernicious to the habits and welfare of 3 nation;
it destroys the hiC.ependent spirit of the respectable
yeoman,. when he beholds a neighbour who has acquired
more wealth than himself, buyin; formatter farm till
the whole country round is in his possession. The oc-
cupiers are converted into mere dependants—cap:ire
probably overthrows their comforts—the fiend, Com-
mercial speculation, becomes the presiding deity, and
the interests, hopes and happiness of the poor arc to)
often sacrificed before it. We aro convinced.. that if .Sc.
great landed proprietors would consent to di.vide
estates, and let them off in small portions, of coarse,
varying in extent, according to circumstances, Oscy
would bu doing•more. towards relieving the wretched-
ness of the lower classes than they can possib:y do by
enactments which only affect the result of pauperism,
and not pauperism itself.
An abstract of the principal clauses of Mr. Bourne's
Bill will be fhund in another part of cur paper.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

MeNDAY, March 16, 18If

The llinarrs of LANSI)OWNE preSentvd IWO 1,, nrien% from.
Ireland, for a repeal of the Window Tax, one from ii;iii„
aoii the other iron Belfast. His Lordship observed ilia, v.i,‘
tax wax pi°poseJ in the Irish Parliament by Mr. Con' eeheir
Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer, and adopted as a Afar
Tax only, 'levet theless it was still levied, though the War
ceased. It was a most oppressive 'fax, anal the people of
Ireland did expert that a tax imposed and custitinteil ctit
these grunuds,ls wild, now that the IV aPwas ovi!r, Le entirely
repealed, air considerably reduced.—Petitions read, and or.
demd to lie on the table.