The Sun.
London, England, 1818-05-01 00:00:00

LAWS OF SE FTLEMENTS.

Mr. STuRGES BounNe rose to move for leave
to bring in a Bill to alter the law of parish settle-
ments. As the House was then not very well at-
tended, he should content himself with briefly
stilling the grounds of his motion, reserving him-
self for a fuller explanation when the Bill should
be before them. IL: then proceeded to trace the
law of settlements -through its various Modifica-
tions, from - the time of Elizabeth down to the
year 1795,, when a Bill was brought in On this
subject, which did more for the liberty of the
poor than any measure of the kind that ever was
introduced to Pal hutment. The'evils of the present
system were well known, and they resulted in a
great measure front the statutes of Charles IL re-
tunrine forty days' residence to obtain a settle-
ment in some instances, and in others many con-
tradictory regulations, which often left the poor
without the means of support in the most trying
circumstances. The extent of the public grievance
might be seen. by the number of appeals upon pa-
rish tentovets, which in. 1816 amounted, in the
whole kingdom, to 4700. Another source of dif-
ficulty and expensive litigation tees the mode of
obtaining a settlement by service ; a principle
liable to great abuse, and no doubt was often per-
verted for the interests of the individuals, or by
legal decisions upon partial and imperfect evidence.
By the present law, a man might obtain a settle-
ment in some instances by renting a house of 12/
a-year ; and it had been proposed to raise the
rate to2o/: which some thought would tend to im-
prove the system. Having thus stated the evil,
it became him, in the next place, to put the
Hotise in possession of tne remedy proposed. As
was naturally to be expected, various suggestions
had been made in the Committee, and some had
even gone so far as to recommend that no settle-
ment at all should be adopted ; but that the poor
should be supported out of a general fund, when-
ever they might tall into circumstances requiring
relief. This was a wide departure front the pre-
sent system, and he. thought extremely objection-
able. In the first place, if such a fund were esta-
blished, it would have to be distributed through
40,000 channels, for there were so many places
which maintained their own poor. It was evident
too, that it would be an inducement with the poor
and disorderly to flock to large towns, as London
far instance, where they would be sure of support,
and might indulger in habits of indolence and vice.
If this plan were adopted, the fund would swell
enotmotisly from this cause, and it would also be
increased by the mistaken humanity of different
overseers throughout the country ; who, not
haring to act under a local responsibility, would
be tempted to depart from the economy which a
parish rate enforced, and, relaxed in their vigi-
lance, might become the dopes of the wicked and
designing. These objections were felt by the
Committee, and soon convinced them that such
a plan would involve the country in a still greater
evil than that which was now to be redressed.—
Having got rid of this proposal, it was next
thought that birth ought not to give a settlement,
even when that regulation was not superseded by
more immediate grounds, for (leterminiug in what
paridi the pauper should depend for subsistence.
However, they afterwards came back to the old,
and, he believed, safest principle, that the set-
tlement should be determined by the place of re-
sidence for the three last years. The first result_
of this. arrangement would be, that the person
would be supported by the parish in which he had
previously supported himself. This, he thought,
was obviously just, as the place which had been
_benefited by his labours- ought' to maintain him
when he was not able to maintain Moist lf. He
had said that he should propose three years' resi-
dence to give a settlement, and he thought there
would be no difficult) in detertnitting claims of
residence on this ground, without an appeal to the
Quarter Sessions. There was a subordinate ar-
rangement, front which great benefit would arise,
which was to make this Settlement further depend
on the persons not having been out of the palish
sixty days in any one of the three years, or con-
vic ed of any crime within •that.. period. A regu-
latio'n of this kind would have the best effects

npcn the morals arid mufort of the poor. In
order to avoid expence in cases 6f-disputed set-
tlements, it was proposed that the pauper should
not he removed till the sppeal had been finally de-
cided. He was aware that this plan might be
thought a bold one, brit he hoped it would be re-
collected that this was no innovation—it was
merely -restoring the old law which w/IS recom-
mended by the very high anthOpity of Dr. Burns,
who WI ore the Histot y of the Poor Laws ; and
he was sure that if the recommendatlon could have
any weight when Dr. Burns wrote, it had
additional force froM the changes which had:since
been produced in the state of the poor. Alter
few more observations he conclUded by moving for
leave to bring in a Bill to amend the laws for the
settlements of the'poor.
1I r. A. WRIGHT asked, whether the sixty days'
absence were to he taken consecutively ; or was it
intended, that if a man teas absent that number of
days in the whole year, he should so far lose his
rigLt of settlement ? .
Mr. STUrGes IIouRNE replied, that the GO days
%Jere nor_ to be reckoned consecutively; but that
it Lire twat number was to that amount in the
year, then the law would operate ; and it was
hoped that it would tend to attach the people to
a settled mode of life. Lie had ft-got to state
before, that in the case of s,rvatcs, it was intended
to give the servant whir had lived three years with
the saute mast, r, a settlement in that parish where
he had resided for the last three months.

Sir C. MoNcN. thon-4 In that the old plan of
settlement coull not be changed withi•ot great
d roger ; and hoped the Ilouse would watch the
present 111CitStil e with the greates: care.
Lord CasTLEnEAGn observed, that as the prin-
ciple of the Bill seemed to be of an nnobjectiou-
able nature, it would he best to postpone the
discussion upon the particular modifications till
it was printed, end it. the h?inds of Members.
Sir S. llomm.v wished-to say, th.lt the ales-
sore seemed to Hui of the highest impoitance,
mid recommended itself to the sciiuus attention of
the He perfectly agreed in ihe principle
of (lit Bill, and thought great praise was due to
the Right lion Gentleman for the care and abi-
lity which he had exercised on the subject, and
he doubted not great good would flow from his
Hr trout professiodal expe-
rience, that the evils of the present system were
enormous, and if not stopped .they must aceu-
ululate to an extent which was alarming to con-
template. IVith regard to every individual having
sortie place of settlement, it could not be intended
that any poor man should be left in circum-
stances Min) would give him Lo claim for sup-
port in time of 'treed. This was sometimes the
case under the present system, and the Bill, lie
trusted, would remelly• this distressing anomaly of
the present laws.
Mr.. LOCKHART .was sorry that litigations con-
cerning settlements had this year very noicli.,:in-
Cleased.• Tbe Bill walki core that-evil. Besides,
by the present law, a man of property might take
many tenements of 101. a year out of his own
parish, and settle poor people. in .thetn, to remove
aie burden to. another. The Bill would apply
itself to that abuse.

The question was then put and carried, and
leave given to bring in the Bill.

1.0.1 N BI LL.

Mr. I3ROGDEN brought up the Report of the
Loan Bill.

Mr. J. MARTIN asked the Right !lon. Gentle-
man opposite, whether the subscribe's of Ex( lie-
s:per Bills were allowed to pay up iu full, xvlieth;r
any discount were to be allowed to them, and
when the stock was to be delivered to tbetn ?

The CHANCELLOR Of the EXCHEQUER said', he
was ready to answer those question in't heir order.
As to the question whether the subscribers were
allowed to pay up in full, they certainly were
allo►red. No discount was given, that be-
ing cotktrary to the practice respecting Exche-
quer Bill's. As to the third question, when stork
should be delivered, it would be delivered as soca
as the forms of the Bstik would allow. He felt
confideut of the speedy consummation of that
measure, having received offers, from most respect-
able quarters.

Several clauses and amendments were then added
to the Bill, on the motion of (lie Chancejlor of
the Exchequer, and it was ordered to be read a
third time to-morrow, and to he engrossed.