The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-09 00:00:00

The Casual Poor.

Yesterday Mr. H. B. Farnall, C. 8., the Com-
missioner of the Poor-law Board, officially visited
the workhouse of St. Marylebone to make inquiries
relative to the casual 'poor. In the newspapers of
yesterday an account was published respecting the
number of casuals relieved at this workhouse under
the Houseless Poor Act, and it was shown that
during November 4,035 were admitted into the
casual wards. In reply to Mr. Farnall the
Master, Mr. Douglas, stated that though this appeared
an enormous number, yet in point of fact the figures
did not represent 4,035 persons who had been re-
lieved, as some of the persons come back two or three
times a week. In his opinion, the Houseless Poor
Act did not increase vagrancy, that it would not, if
carried out properly, by a test of work being exacted
for the relief of lodging and food. Marylebone was
exceptional in various ways, and was likely to have
a larger number of casuals than other parishes. The
workhouse stood on the high road, and tramps from
the north and west were likely to be directed there
as the best known place. Then the people were
treated humanely, the directions of the Poor Law
Board, as given by Mr. Farnall, being that if people
were willing to have a bath test, anddo a measured
task of work for shelter and a breakfast of dry bread
and gruel, they proved their indigence ; and poor
women, burdened with children, when asked why
they came again to Marylebone, said it was because
they had the privilege there of washing their poor
rags. Amongst the classes who sought the shelter
were persons who were chargeable to the parish, but
who preferred wandering about seeking work to en-
tering the workhouse ; others, who formerly slept
under arches and about the streets, and who now
took advantage of the shelter afforded ; and tramps
from all parts, mostly of the Dick Whittington class,
who came to London to seek their fortunes. Mr.
Farnall visited the casual wards, in some of which,
though they were well ventilated, and had been
empty for some hours, there was still the unmis-
takable odour of poverty—the fever-breeding smell
engendered in the garments of those who lie hud-
dled together in out-of-the-way spots and hidden
nooks. Mr. Douglas, whom Mr. Farnall pronounced
to be one of the most painstaking masters in Lon-
don, in some conversation which ensued as to the
" tearing up" question, said he thought much would
be done to mitigate the evil, if not to do away with
it, if workhouses had the means of fumigating the
clothes of the casuals, and needles and thread were
supplied to those who desired to mend their rags.
Mr. Farnall was of the same opinion, and hoped
that guardians would carry out the suggestion.
He expressed his satisfaction with the arrangements,
especially with those for exacting a labour test,
which, if generally adopted, would do much to keep
strong, healthy young men and women at their
legitimate work, and who were to some extent en-
couraged in vagrancy by those Unions the guardians
of which neglected to provide such test. Out of 39
Unions in London only about 18 had provided
labour tests, and in those which neglected this duty
the casuals took the relief and went away unchal-
lenged to prove their indigence. One remarkable
fact was elicited during the inquiry—that though
several of the large refuges of London were not
opened, as in previous winters, there had not been
any increase in the recipients of casual relief, as
might have been expected as the winter advanced.
Mr. Farnall then left the workhouse.