The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-23 00:00:00

MR. HARVEY ON VAIRANCY.

Mr. Harvey has written another letter, in which
he examines the various methods for checking the
increase of pauperism and crime. He is strongly in
favour of transferring the whole administration of
vagrant relief from the guardians to the police, and
he insists upon the importance of a uniform system
being adopted throughout the country. The
tendency of the present day is to equalise
and systematise the official treatment of the
poor throughout the country; and, consequently,
the value of a uniform action with respect to
vagrancy will be readily admitted. The system
which has proved the most successful is founded on
the following rules:-1. Refusal of all relief to young
able-bodied men not absolutely destitute. The appli-
cation of this rule in one district reduced the number
of casuals relieved in a year from 33,493 to 11,812,
without any harshness to the deserving poor. 2.
The exaction of a task of work suitable to the appli-
cant. 3. Police relieving office ; and 4. A demand
for papers or certificates. The new " London Asso-
ciation for the Prevention of Pauperism and
Crime " deals with these weighty subjects
in a spirit kindred• to Mr. Harvey's, with
the view of obtaining a systematic co-operation
of all existing charitable associations, so as to
secure an effectual and organised supervision of the
destitute and criminal classes.

THE SOCIAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION AND PAUPERISM.

Mr. Samuel Morley presided at a meeting of the
Social Science Association, held on Monday evening,
for the purpose of considering Pauperism, Charity,
and the Poor Laws, and an address was given by Dr.
Stallard on these subjects. lie alluded to the appli-
cation of the word " pauper," which some philan-
thropists wished to drop altogether, on account of its
objectionable meaning; but he thought it would be well
to employ it exclusively in the sense of those who wil-
lingly received help. The poorrnight be divided into
two classes—those who took assistance only when
driven to great distress, and those who were con-
tented to receive aid continually. The learned
gentleman then showed that a Stimulus was given
to work by want, and that officious charity created
the lasting pauper. Statistical returns proved that
a great increase had taken place in the metropolitm
paupers during the last ten years. The amount of
the poor-rate in Whitechapel had doubled since the
year 1841. In this part of the metropolis, also, the
rate of infant mortality is more than double that of
any West-end district. Dr. Stallard then turned to
the next part of his subject, Charity, and quoted a
passage which told how a man might be born, live,
and die a pauper, and at the expense of the parisk
be provided with burial-ground at last. The total
sum subscribed for the London charities was
R 4,225,640, but this did not include all the public
benevolence of the metropolis. Local charities gave
enormous sums, and the house charity, which was
generally indiscriminate, was considerable. The
course too often pursued was productive, said the
learned gentleman, of the worst results : it formed a
class of established paupers. Society suffered from
this lavish and ill-considered charity, and it
should be checked without delay. Dr. Stal-
lard suggested that dwellings for the poor
might be constructed, on better principles with
advantage, and the poor of each district might be
surveyed by a gentleman of the magisterial class,
who would possess intelligence and authority at the
same time. In conclusion the learned gentleman
advised the Nualisation of the poor rates, the en-
largement of the area of chargeability, and uniform
assessments. Mr. Gill moved that the council of the
association take Steps to reform the administration of
the poor laws. The chairman feared that the rich were
getting richer and the poor poorer, and it would
be well to have those to administer relief who
would be more hearty in the cause than a parish
officer. Mr. Middle, the medical officer of White-
chapel, said that indiscriminate charity was one Gf
the great causes or pauperism. Proper work was
not found for the poor, and the poor law was capable of
great improvements and alterations. After some
more discussion the proceeding were adjourned fox
a fortnight.