The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-09 00:00:00

POOR RELIEF WORKS.

A circular bas just been issued by Lieutenant Hotham,
of the 75th Regiment, inspecting Officer of Works for the
county of Carlow, to the chairmen of relief committees,
in order that they should clearly comprehend the duties
they are called upon to discharge in the application of
the funds to be raised off the counties to carry public
works into effect. After pointing out the impractica-
bility of the public officers being able to correct abuses
without the co-operation of the gentlemen in the neigh-
bourhood, the circular goes on to say—
" The subjects which will come before you are of so
various, and of such different natures, that it will be
hard for me to specify them all to you. But I may
mention a few:—

" Complaints have been made to me already, that al-
though numbers of people are anxiously seeking for
employment on the roads, farmers and others cannot ob-
tain labour even at increased prices.
"If this should be the case in your neighbourhood, it
will require a close investigation.
" If the labour which is required is of the ordinary
description, and the payment offered sufficiently remu-
nerative, I think we shall find that the cause of it will
be that too many labourers are employed on the works ;
or else that those employed are making more money
than the farmers can afford to give as wages ; and, de-
sirable as it is, in the present high price of food, that
wages should be increased for the sake of the poor, they
can never be increased to such a pitch that the farmer
cannot afford to pay them without doing a serious injury
to next year's crop, by causing imperfect cultivation of
land—thus aggravating for the ensuing year the cala-
mity we are suffering in this. This is one point which a
committee on the spot, able to hear all statements, and
acquainted with the wants of the country, is peculiarly
qualified to investigate."
Complaint is then made of the want of sufficient care
in employing the carts of the poorer description of la-
bourers ; and it is estimated that, as all work is to be
dune by task, it would be desirable that the poor man
should have the benefit of his children's services when
under 14 years of age ; after that age adult tickets are
to be issued to the most deserving. The circular then
proceeds:—

" The overseers of the works are placed in a most re-
sponsible position, standing as umpires between the
Government and the poor; on them I hope the com-
mittee will direct their attention, supporting them by
their influence as long as their conduct is upright, and
reporting them to me if they consider them inefficient.

It is in these and other matters connected with the
relief of the destitute that I shou!d wish the commit-
tees to become, as it were, local courts of investigation
as to any alleged grievance or abuse, and considered by
the people as such. By the order of Government they
can have no power of interference with the works, how-
ever great the abuse; all they can do is to authenticate
it, and report it to me; but I am confident, under this
system, na abuse can exist very long; moreover, the
very knowledge that a power exists enabling committees
to examine into and report upon abuses prevents their
occurrence, strengthens the hands of the overseers, and
convince:, the people of the necessity of conforming to
the established regulations.
" Overseers, and all others connected with the works,
have received orders to give any information the com-
mittees may require, and, in the earnest hope that our
endeavours to carry out this system of relief may be at-
tended with advantage to all classes in the county,
"I have the honour to remain, Sir, your most obe•
dient servant, "A. T. HOTHANE,

"Lieutenant of the 75!h Regiment,
and Inspecting Otli
" The Chairman of the Relief Committee at -."

WHY IS THERE SO MUCH DIS-
EASE AMONG US ?
Because, in numbers of things, we do just what by our
nature we were never intended to do. For example:-
Ist, Man is intended to draw in fresh air every time he
breathes. Almost all people, when in their houses, and
the working people in their shops, breathe the same air
over and over again. To show the necessity of allowing
fresh air continually to enter living rooms, and the bad
air to escape, it may be stated that every person, during
each minute of his life, destroys a quantity of air twice
as large as himself.
2nd, Man ought to breathe pure air every breath.
Our sewers and drains are so bad, that the vapours and
foul gases rise, and we breathe them,
3rd, Man was intended to take exercise in the open air
every day. Neither his heart, his stomach and bowels,
his liver, his skin, his lungs, his kidneys, nor his brain,
will act rightly without walking exercise every day.
Most of us do not get any walk, or only a very short
one, which is scarcely of aay use.
4th, Man it formed to take simple plain, wholesome
food. He eats all sorts of things, which not only do him
no good, but do him harm, and he drinks large quanti
ties of beer, spirits, and wine, which hurt his stomach,
and take away the proper use of his brain.
.SJI, Man ought to wash himself all over with water
every day, so as to cleanse the pores of the skin, else
they get stopped up; he cannot perspire rightly, and his
skin cannot breathe. The majority of the people only
wash their hands and faces every day.
6th, Man should wear clean clothes next to his skin,
because t;:e body gives off bad fluids. At present many
people wear the same things day after day for weeks to-
gether.
7th, Man was intended to live in the light. Many,
very many, have scarcely any light in their rooms.
Bth, Man in this climate must wear warm clothing.
Many have no flannel, and are clad with heavy and use-
less things.—Report elf the Metropolitan Working Classes'
Association.
0

PENING OF A DAILY EXCHANGE AT NEWCASTLE.
—On Friday afternoon, the Exchange on Sandhill, New-
castle-upon-Tyne, was formally opened as a place of
daily business for the merchants of that port. The
ceremony was performed by the mayor, who was accom-
aad the insign
panted by a numerous body of gentlemen, with musicia•
of the corporation.