CAUSES OF DISTRESS REMEDIAL AGENCIES. 549 



a preamble reciting the prevalence of the system of allowances, and 

 other mischievous modes of administering relief, with the difficulty of 

 applying an immediate and universal remedy, it goes on to empower 

 the Commissioners to direct to what extent, and to what period, out- 

 door relief may be afforded to the able-bodied and their families. 

 The machinery of the entire clause is exceedingly complicated, and 

 so loaded with conditions, that we almost regret that the recom- 

 mendation of the Commissioners of Inquiry namely, to prohibit 

 out-door relief after a fixed period was not made part of the Bill. 

 This we wish merely for the sake of simplicity, because, in point of 

 the fact, the present clause, as it will be interpreted, is a virtual 

 abolition of the allowance system. 



The clause, when construed literally, may, perhaps, be under- 

 stood differently ; but when we look at the clogs with which it is im- 

 peded, and consider the animus governing the entire Bill, such will 

 be its effect. We know, indeed, that already many parishes have 

 come to the resolution of not giving out-door relief unless under con- 

 ditions which will reduce the claimants to nothing. What the regu- 

 lations of the Commissioners may be, we do not pretend to know ; 

 but as they are men either ignorant of the duties they have to per- 

 form, or deeply imbued with the opinions and recommendations 

 of their predecessors the Commissioners of Inquiry, there can be 

 little doubt as to their nature. 



There cannot be a question, but that the restriction and limi- 

 tation of out-door relief, where the chief administrators are re- 

 mote from the claimants, and have no local feelings to influence 

 them, will at once effect an immense saving in parochial expenditure. 

 The most idle, the most depraved, and the most drunken of the 

 labourers have been large receivers of allowances; labourers, in fact, 

 who, but for their reckless and improvident habits, might have sup- 

 ported themselves and their families. These are the paupers to whom 

 the fifty-second clause ought particularly to apply ; and, in cases 

 of absolute depravity, the parties may be consigned to the work- 

 house as a punishment. 



The reckless and improvident able-bodied pauper is, however, 

 not the only one who will cbme under the operation of this clause. 

 There are scattered throughout the country many thousand families, 

 the heads of which are sober, industrious, and thrifty ; but who, from 



M.M. No. 6. 4 B 



