The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-24 00:00:00

TEE LA TV OF SETTLEMENT BILL.

Yesterday Sir Benjamin Hall and Lord Dudley Stuart
with deputations from the boards of guardians and d:
rectors of the parishes of Marylebone and St. Pancras,
had an interview with Mr. M. T. Baines, the president,
and other members of the Poor Law Board, with a view
to make certain representations in reference to the pro-
posed new law of settlement and Poor Law Removal
Bill.
Mr. Whitmore, churchwarden of. Marylebone, said, he
believed that the bill would seriously affect the interests
of that parish and greatly increase the poor rates. He
then submitted to the board certain resolutions unani-
mously passed at a meeting of the vestry and guardians
of the parish, in which an opinion was expressed that
the bill would have injurious effects. Several gentlemen
discussed the proposed provisions of the bill with Mr.
Baines, who expressed a desire to give due consideration
to any suggestions calculated to improve it.
After several gentlemen had given their opinions upon
the subject,
Mr. Baines said, that he was happy to meet the deputa-
tions, and thanked the gentlemen present for the informa-
tion contained in their observations. It was his wish
that the object of his bill should be' clearly understood.
What he desired was to put an end to compulsory re-
moval, which was unjust and oppressive to the poor
man. The effect of the law, as it now stood, and which
it was his wish to remedy, was that if a man through
unforeseen circumstance fell into distress, for instance:,
either in Marylebone or St. Pancras, instead of receiv-
ing relief from either of those parishes, the authorities
had the power to send the poor man, and perhaps a
wife and family, into Northumberland, or any other
distant part, merely because his father some years before
had a settlement there. In like manner might a poor
man be sent up from Cornwall, to one of the metropo-
lita'n parishes. This act was unjust, impolitic, and
cruel, and one which the Legislature were bound to put
an end to. The present law of removal did not affect
vagrants, but was calculated to oppress the industrious
classes who might fall into misfortune. Again, there
could be no doubt that at present the grossest frauds
were practised in some parishes by unscrupulous officers
to get rid of the poor when the five years' residence was
about to expire. Mr. Baines repeated that he was de-
termined to do all in his power to get rid of the present
system of compulsory removal. Any suggestions in
committee which the noble lord or the hon. baronet
might make he should be grateful for. He would also
be glad to receive, in writing, the suggestions of any
gentlemen present.

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