The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-26 00:00:00

POOR LAWS.

Mr. HUME moved the following resolutions :
" 1. That the letters of instructions and proc:iedings
of the Poor-law Commissioners in I 838•9, for the indis-
criminate relief of vagrants and casual poor, without
direbting proper provision to be made for setting the able-
bodied mendicants to work (in conformity with the letter
and spirit of the 43d Elizabeth, c. 2) have greatly in-
creased vagrancy in the metropolitan police districts.
" 2. That the Act of the 3d and 4th William IV., c.
76, conferred upon the Poor-law Commissioners full
powers of inquiry into the actual condition of the poor,
in order, amongst other objects, that they should, as re-
commended by the Commissioners of Inquiry, p. 241,
submit any further amendments of the law which they
might think advisable, together with the evidence on
which their suggestions were founded; whereas it appears
in evidence that the estateishment of district asylums
was suggested by the Poor-law Commissioners, without
their having previously made any due and adequate-in-
quiry as to the applicability of the existing accommoda-
tion for vagrats and casual poor in the several parishes
of the metropolis.
"3. That it appears by returns that the existing ac-
commodation in the unions and. parishes (with the ex-
ception of the City of London, where there are not
proper workhouses) within the metropolitan police dis-
tricts, was sufficient for the reception, on any night, of
the greatest number of mendicants who applied for u,d-

mission.
"4. That the Poor•-law Commissioners have not exer
cised judiciously the powers confided in them in the for-
mation of district asylums ; and that there is no suffi-
cient record of the grounds on which the Poor-law Com-
missioners originally recommended the establishing dis-
trict asylums, nor any sufficient record of their proceed-
ing's to show the grounds on which they acted under the
authority of 7 and 8 Vic., c. 101:
" 5. That the 4th and sth William TV., c. 76, consti-
tuting the Board of Poor-law Commissioners of England
and Wales, only empowers any two of them to sit
from time to time as a Board of Commissioners for carry-
ing that Act into execution;' whereas it appears in evi-
dence that single Commissioners, sitting in their private
rooms, have frequently, without lawful authority or
delegation, and without proper minute or record, given
directions and instructions therefrom, relating to im-
portant proceedings in the administration of the laws for

the relief of the poor.
"6. That the same Act requires, that the said Com-
missioners shall make a record of their proceedings, in
which shall be entered in writing a reference to every
letter received, from whence, its date, the dive of its
reception, and the subject to which it relates, and a mi •
nut* of every letter written or order given by the said
Commissioners, whether in answer to such letters re-
ceived, or otherwise, with the date of the same, and
such record shall he submitted to one of her Majesty's
Secretaries of State once in every year, or as
of en as be shalt require the same ;' whereas it appears
that no regular and duly authenticated minute book, of
the proceedings of the Board, has been kept during long
periods of time, as required, for the information of the
Secretary of State and of Parliament, as well for the
protection of her Majesty's subjects, by rendering the
Commissioners responsible for any illegal or improper
acts of omission or commission, as above required, in

the performance of their duties.
"7. That the Commissioners of Inquiry into the ad
ministration of the P,or-law, reported in 1834, that the
evils which they investigated as injuriously affecting the
condition of the labouring classes, and the welfare or
the whole community, ha,{ been caused by departures
from the letter as well as the spirit of the Act of the
43d of Elizabeth ; and one main object of the appointment
of the Poor-law Commissioners in that year was to in-
sure an administration of the law in conformity with its
letter as well as its spirit. And as these Commissioners
were for these purposes invested with extraordinary
powers, any departure or culpable deviation, either from
the letter or the spirit thereof, is fraught with great in-
jury by the bad example as well as in the direct effects
on the whole of the executive administration of the
poor-laws.
" 8. That as the facts, set forth in the evidence above
referred to, are calculated to destroy all confidence in
the administration of the poor-law, and to endanger
the continuance of the law itself, it is imperative upon
this House to take immediate measures to restore and to
preserve public confidence in this important branch of
administration.
"9. That, on these grounds, her Majesty will be gra-
ciously pleased to cause a special public inquiry to be
made into the facts above recited and referred to in
the evidence before the House to ascertain
whether the Commissioners, by their letters, in-
structions, and proceedings, and by their omis
sion to direct the means for setting the able-
bodied mendicants to work, did encourage and
increase mendicity; and also whether the proceedings of
the Commissioners generally have been culpably irre-
gular or illegal; and, if it shall appear that the Com-
missioners have so acted, or have, by their culpable de-
fau:ts, occasioned the mischief's complained of, that her
Majesty will be graciously pleased to take into her con-
sideration the certainty of dismissal of inferior officers
when they have infringed the law or the rules laid down
for their guidance; and that she will be pleased to direct
that even-handed justice be done to these superior
officers, who have had, as it is expressed by the commis-
sion of inquiry,. ' the immediate advantage of well de-
fined objects assigned to them, powerful means at their
disposal, and clear rules for their guidance.' "
The Hon. Member said the House would observe that
these nine resolutions were placed upon the paper, with
the view of having the opinion of the House upon them.
The resolutions had arisen from the evidence which had
been received before the District Asylum Commission,
of which he (Mr. Hume) was a member. The last re-
solution was connected with the poor-law, and as he
considered it a most important one, he would beg leave
to trouble the House with his opinion upon the subject.
He was, as the House might be aware, a great advocate
,sf the new poor-law, which he thought a most ad-
mirable Act if its provisions had been properly carried
out. He would not detain the House with the informa-
tion which had come before the late Andover
union inquiry, hut he could not help remarking that
by the proceedings of the Hon. Commissioners of
Somerset House the clauses of Nos. 2 and 4 of the Act
had been virtually annulled. The Commissioners had
been in the habit of sitting in different rooms. No
minutes, no records of their proceedings had been kept
since the year 1841, but something like minutes
had been put upon scraps of paper, which
had been at the end of the year b iund
together. This mode, he contended, was quite illegal,
and on these grounds, seeing that the end and aim of the
Act had been altogether thrown overboard, he thought
that these officers should be dismissed altogether. The
Hon. Member then went into several statistical details
to show that, under the management of the Poor-law
Commissioners the number of paupers receiving relief,
without adequate work being provided, had increased
threefold. He would merely mention two instances, one
in St. Saviour's parish, where in three weeks before the
test of labour was applied 1,111 applied for relief, but
in the next three weeks after the application of the test
there were only 776 applicants. Again, in the parish of
Sts Marylebone, 900 applied in one week before
the test was applied, and when that principle
was adopted only 90 remained.—(Hear, hear.) Could
any other proof be wanted that the Commissioners had
grossly neglected their duty in not providing labour for
able-bodied paupers. On these, and many other grounds,
he felt that he was justified in bringing forward these
resolutions. The Hon. Member was proceeding, when
Sir GEORGE GREY said that there had been a
distinct understanding between himself and the Hon.
Member for Montrose that these resolutions should
not be pressed at that late period of the session,
and after the pledge that had been given, that her Ma-
jesty's Ministry would give this important question their
earliest attention, he could not conceal his surprise at
the course which the Hon. Member had seen proper to
adopt.
Mr. HUME said that he had already given some
Honourable Members beside him to understand
that it was not so much his intention to press
these resolutions as to take the opportunity of
making known the reasons which had induced him to
bring them before the Hence. He was quite willing to
withdraw them.
The resolutions were then withdrawn.
ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that he had a notice of
motion on the paper " That the liouso, at its rising,
do adjourn till Thursday," but as there would be a Com-
mission to-morrow at two o'clock, he shc,ul:l move th,ti
the House should reset to-morrow at a quarter boron,
two o'clock.—Agreed to.
ANDOVER COMMITTEE,
Ur. ETWAS4L Me notice that be would take the