The Sun.
London, England, 1821-05-11 00:00:00

PAR LIAMENTAR Y PAPERS.

POOR LAWS.

BILL to AMEND the LAWS relating to the RELIEF

of the" POOR in ElkdiaA).

Whereas the-rates for the relief of the Poor have of late years
so greatly increased ; and if some timely check be not provided to
the further increase thereof, there is reason to apprehend, that
the lands in many parts of England, overburthened by the
charge of maintaining the Poor, will not be worth cultivating.
And whereas the habits of industry and frugality are most es-
sential to the well being, comfort, and independence of the la-
bouring classes ; but the too
.great facility of obtaining relief, by
those who are-able to work, is calcu7ated to encourage idleness,
extravagance, and imprudence, the ture forerunners of poverty,
misery and vice. •
And Whereas also the removal of the Poor who are unable to
maintain thernselves to the places of their settlement, is attend-
cd With great oppression to theip, as well as great expence,
trouble, and litigation, to the different parishes and townships
from and to which they are so removed ; and it is not reason-
able-that those.who have by their labour contributed to enrich
one place, should be removed to another, and often very distant
place, where there is no demand for their labour, there to be
maintained in sickness, and in seasons of scarcity and distress.
For remedy whered, and of the several matters aforesaid, be,
it therefore enacted, by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by
andwith the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual arid
Temporal, and Commons, in' this present Parliament as-
sembled, and by the authority of the same, that from and
after • no greater sum shall be as-
sessed, raised, or levied for the relief of die Poor, in any parish,
township, or place.in England, for any one year, than the sum
assessed for that purpose in such parish, township, or place for
the year ending on the
And to the end that the amount of- the sum so assessed for
the last_yeas, ending as aforesaid, may be better ascertained, be
it further enacted; that the constable or constables of every
parish, township, or place maintaining its own Poor, shall, at
some Quarter, -or General Sessions of the Peace, to beholden
within after the passing of this Act, bring
and deliver' to the Clerk of the Peace for the district within
which such parish, township, or place shall be, a certificate in
writing, Signed by the Overseers of the Poor of such parish,
township, or place, or some of them (who are hereby required,
Upon demand, to sign the same,) of the aggregate amount of
•the sum Iso assessed for the last year upon such township or
plaePefor the relief of the Poor.; which certificate the Clerk of
the Peace is hereby required to receive and cause to be. entered
fairly in a book to be provided for that purpose, for which entry
he-shall be entitled to have and take from the constable bring-
ing such certificate, the sum of and no more,_ to
be allowed to' the'cOnstable in his accounts ; and the Clerk of
the Peace shall' and is hereby reqUired, at all times hereafter,
upon application of any person whatsoever, to furnish a copy
of any such certificate as may be required, upon receiving the
fee of • . for his trouble. .
And he it'further Enacted, That before any rate hereafter to
be made for the relief of- the Poor shall be allowed•and signed
by any ()Ibis Majesty's Justices of the Peace, such Justices are
hereby authorized and required, to inquire into the amount of
the rate or rates already made for the current year, and to ascer-
tain that the same, together with the amount of the rate so to
be allowed and signed, does not exceed the total amount limit-
ed by this. Act ; provided always that in case it shall be made
to appear to such .Justices, that there is.any increased charge in
the County rates which are payable out of the Poor rates, which
may require an additional assessment beyond the assessment
for the relief of the 'Poor for the year last past as aforesaid, it
shall be lawful for such Justices, in that case, to allow of such
excess only as shall be equal to such increase of the county rates.
And be it. further Enacted, That it shall not be lawful for
any churchwarden; overseer or guardian of the Poor; or any
other person having authority to adminster relief to the Poor,
to allow or give, or for any Justice of the peace to order; any
relief to any male person whatsoever, being single and un-
married at the for himself or any part
of his family; unless such poor person shall be actually, at the
time of asking such relief, by reason of age sickness or bodily
infirmity; unable to obtain his livelihood, and to support his
family by. work. . .
And be it fluffier enacted, that from and.after the
it shall not be lawful for any.JuStice of Peace or other
person, to remove or cause to- be removed any poor person or
persons, against the will of Such per Son or persons, from any
parish, township, or place to any other, by .reason of such per..
son or persons being chargeable to such parish, township, or
place, or being unable to maintain him or themselves, or under
colour of such person or persons being settled in any other
parish; township, or place, any law or statute to the contrary
notwithstanding : Provided always, . that nothing in this Act
shall in anywise he deemed to alter any law now in force for
the punishment of vagrants.

BOW-ST RE E 4..—Yesterday the final examination and corn-
mitment of the five Smugglers concerned in the murder of Mr.
S. Snow, a Midshipman in the Preventive Service,. which hap-
pened at Herne Bay, near Whitstable, Kent,-. took place before
PirTtx Esc); the Sittink.MagiStrate.—No further evidence
was7brought againSt them Than that which appeared on a for-
mer examination.

AWFUL. INSTANCE OF SITDDE).: DEATIL—About seven
o'clock on Wednesaay evening, a 'respectable looking middle
aged woman seeing a bill on the parlour window at 7, Fre-
derick-place, Goswell-street-road, for the nest house to let, she
knocked at the door, and desired to be shown the hoes:—the
servant got the key, and_ accompanied. her to . the door of the
house, which she unlocked, and het master and mistress being
from home, she returned home ; the lady went into the empty
house, taking the key and shutting the door after her; an hour
passed, and not. returning, the servant becoming alarmed, went
and knocked at the door of the untenanted house, but received
no answer-; she waited till her master and mistress came home
at nine o'clock, when the master procured a ladder, and enter.:
ed the first floor window; he opened the street doer, and when
they entered with a light, they' found the lady sitting on a chair
in the back parlour,. quite dead.