The Sun.
London, England, 1852-10-19 00:00:00

[BEE.

LAW OF PARISH SETTLEMENT.

Las" night a public meeting of the inhabitants of St.
James's, Piccadilly, was held at the Vestry-room, "to
consider the evils which attend the operation of the pre-
sent law of settlement, and the heavy charges consequent
on the compulsory removal of poor persons to their
respective parishes." Many of the principal parochial
officers were present, together with Messrs. Jacob Bell
and Charles Cochrane.
Mr. GARRETT, the senior churchwarden, took the
chair, and stated that he had readily acceded to the re-
quest which had been made to him of granting the
vestry. room on this occasion ; but the subject was one
of great importance. The removal of poor families from
perhaps a part of a town where they had resided many
years was a great hardship upon them ; in many case
such persons had been sent back to Ireland and else-
where. Some improvement had been made in the law,
but little had been done to effect any permanent good.
He was not aware what proposition was about to be
made to the meeting, but would call on Mr. Bidgood to
state his views.

Mr. BIDGOOD said he was as much in ignorance of
what proposition was to be made as any gentlemen who
had signed the requisition. The object of this meeting
was to call together those who took a part in parish
affairs, to discuss the question, and to hear suggestions
of a gentleman present, showing that something was
looming in the future. (A laugh.)
Mr. W. B. WEST then rose and addressed the xneeting
from a written statement.

Mr. GEESIN thought it would be better for Mr. West
at once to proceed to his plan for the remedy of the evils
of the present law.
After a long conversation,
Mr. WEST handed to each gentleman his plan for the
abolition of the law of settlement, from which we give
the following extracts:—
"It is intended to abolish all the laws relating to set-
tlement and removal in England and Wales.
" These laws being abolished, it is contemplated that
fluctuations will take place among the labouring classes,
some of which may be of a permanent, others only of a
temporary nature; and that there will be advancing or
receding numbers, perhaps in every parish in the king-
dom.
" The plan, therefore includes the means whereby
parishes may be indemnified against damage from such
fluctuations. Attention will be drawn to the manage-
ment and to the means of future economy by the intro-
duction of a system of local averages and returning
periods of adjustment; and to secure vigilance on the
part of the guardians and watchfulness on the part of
the payers, it is intended that they shall claim the benefit
of any advantage that may occur in the locality.
" Each parish is to provide the funds after the cus-
tom now in practice ; and to prevent centrilization it is
intended to continue to the inhabitants of parishes all
local rights, privileges, properties, and institutions,
election of guardians, and other powers they possess,
except the compulsory removal of paupers, which is to
be wholly abolished.
"It is intended to continue the authority of the poor
law board, it being responsible to Parliament.
" It is intended to retain the boards of guardians, and
to continue their present authority.
"It is intended to continue under the Lluthority of
the poor law board the inspectors, auditors, clerks to
boards, relieving officers, and so forth.

" For the effective purpose of this plan data are re-
quired relating to the expense in detail of the eomber
of paupers maintained for the last 10, 20, 30, or any
period of years sufficiently retrospective to embrace
both the seasons of prosperity and of adversity.
" The data should be in a tabular form, and shoui'd
be carefully and accurately stated, being intended for •
present and prospective use.
" Every parish or union to return the number and de-
scription of every paid officer, each to be separately de-
scribed, with the amount of annual salary received by
each.
" Every parish or union to supply a separate return of
the annual expense incurred for building, alterations,
additions, repairs, cleansing, furniture, insurance, water,
gas, and other household charges, the expenditure each
year to include linen, hosiery, drapery, and other arti-
cles usually supplied under this division.
" The expenditure incurred for ascertaining settle-
ments—the charges consequent upon removal—the ex-
penditure occasioned by disputed settlement—and the
amount of legal charge, in cases of litigated removal in
each year.
" The intention of these retrospective statements, is to
elicit the average annual cost that each parish has in-
curred for a given number of years.
"To obtain true data for future charge, all expense
hitherto incurred under the head of settlement, removal
and litigation, should be deducted from the annual
cost, unless disposed of in the manner hereafter pro-
vided.

" The data statistically arranged will supply the ave-
rage annual cost per bead for maintenance, and the
average yearly number of paupers to be supported for a
fixed period, the duration of which to be be determined
by the Legislature.
The data arranged and the system of local averages
adopted, it will determine the proportionate number of
paupers to he annually maintained at the hitherto ave-
rage cost per head, the inhabitants of each parish will
then provide for that number a sum sufficient to meet
their quota, which being estimated by their own returns
will bo a maximum and minimum amount until the
period for re-adjustment arrives.
" At the expiration of the time fixed, re-adjustment
of cost and ro•adjustmcnt of numbers shall take place in
every parish, when the altered circumstances in each
parish will be taken into account.
" It being settled that parishes are to be protected
from injury by reason of pauper migration, those parishes
where the quota charged for the time being exceeds the
amount required for relief, shall pay the balance in the
hands of the local treasurer into a common fund at the
Bank of England, to be denominated the Parochial
Pauper Protection Fund.'
"In each parish where the number exceeds its
average, and thus require an amount above the quota,
it is proposed to indemnify such parish from the protec-
tion fund pro rata ; that is, at is own average estimate
per head per diem.
" The accuracy of such necessity to be guaranteed by
certificate (hereafter described in matter of account)
under the authority of the poor law commissioners, who
will issue warrants for payment from the protection fund
to parishes that may be so entitled.
" This principle will preserve an equitable balance
amongst the payers ; but there may be in seasons of
prosperity, a surplus exceeding all demands upon this
fund.

"It is proposed that this surplus (whatever the
amount may chance to be) shall be invested in Govern-
ment securities, under the title of the Pauper Contin-
gent Fund ; the interest upon which to be carried to
principal, and so form an accumulative fund against
seasons of adversity.
" Changes in population will occur, by which paupers
will cease to bear the relative proportion established at
the commencement; this disproportion it is intended to
re-adjust by the decennial census, when, the relative
proportions being re-established, those parishes in which
population has decreased will be relieved of a propor-
tionate charge. On the other hand, those districts in
which population has increased will be charged with a
proportionate increase of paupers until the next re-
adjustment.
"In case of unforseen calamity or famine, it is pro-
posed that, during the continuance of such visitation,
the price for maintenance shall be adjusted by the aver-
age price of grain settled by the Government returns.
" Matters of account for ordinary purposes to be cer-
tified by the district auditor.
" Special statements of migratory poor account to be
kept and balanced by the chief clerk to each board, and
afterwards examined by the district poor law inspector,
who shall certify (accompanied with an abstract of the
account) to the poor law board; and the accuracy of
such account may be confirmed by the certificate of the
district auditor.
" The Bank of England, after payment of all warrants,
by a certain day to certify to the poor law board the
balance ; which balance shall be immediately invested
in government securities, and, with the preceding gross
sum already invested and standing to the credit of the
account, be published by the poor law board in the next
Gazette."

Mr. CHARLES COCHRANE proposed as a resolution—
" That the present law of settlement is a harsh and un-
just law; unfitted to the wants and feelings of a Chris-
tian country, and, therefore, ought to be greatly modified
or abolished with the least possible delay."
Mr. SMITH moved, as an amendment, that a committee
be appointed from the meeting to watch any measure
which may be brought before Parliament in the next
session, with reference to the alteration or abolition of
the present law of settlement.

Mr. COCHRANE withdrew the original motion.
The amendment was then put and carried, and thanks
having been voted to the chairman, the meeting separated•

LEAGUE BANQUET AT MAN CHESTER.

This banquet is to be held on Tuesday the 2cd No-
vember, instead of Tuesday the 9th. The Council of
the Anti-Corn-law League were probably prepared for
some dodge of the ministry, which, by altering the
meeting of the House of Commons, would place them
at disadvantage, and they therefore did not advertise or
take any steps to fix their banquet positively. The in-
tention was to have
.it two days before the meeting of
Parliament, and the determination to assemble the Com-
mons on the 4th instead of the 11th has led to a change
There 11 11l
for the banquet from the 9th to the 2nd. Th • change
fur
but little doubt that this will be the most influential
gathering the League has evor had. Upwards of 50
members of Parliament have already promised to be
present, and amongst the names not before given to the
public are—Sir James Anderson,
M.P., Greenock;- M.P., Stirling; Mr.
A. M. Dunlop,
M.P., Southampton; Sir
Mr.
M.
Wilson,
Richard 8.. W. Bulkeley, Bart.,
Mr.
B.
ison, jun., M-P•
M. Wilcox.
Anglesea, county;
Mr. W. Williams, bcp. Clitheroe;
dLambeth; Mr. W. H. F. Cogan,
M.P., County Kildare;
jun., M.P„ Aberdeen. Thaen number of
eoofrgveiceT-phroemsipdseonnts,
has been augmented to above 200, and these and the
very large committee formed will embrace a greater
number of the employers of labour than were ever before
collected on such an music