59-2 Remarks on Friendly Societies. [June, 



shall continue unable to walk out of the house, to perform any labour, or to execute 

 any employment. While the member remams in this state, the bed-lying pay will 

 never be withdrawn. 



" The Walking Pay of the first class is one shilling per week ; and is due to every 

 sick or infirm member, who is able to walk out of the house to perform any labour, or 

 to execute any employment ; but not so as, during any one M'eek, thereby to earn 

 any sum, or to acquire any emolument, equal in amount or value to the weekly 

 walking pay. The walking pay may be demanded without making any previous appli- 

 cation for the bed-lying pay, which appears to be an important privilege. 



" The Allowances in the second class are twice the amount of those in the first 

 class ; and thus, by similar gradations, do the ten classes advance progressively. 



" No person is entitled either to the bed-lying pay or the walking pay, until he or 

 she shall have been a member for one year ; but every person is entitled to medical 

 attendance, advice, and medicine, at the expense of the institution, immediately on 

 admission. 



" The Allowances in Sickness will not be granted to any female, during the' first 

 month next immediately after child-birth. 



" The payment on Death is due whenever that event may occur. All allowances 

 in sickness, on the part of the institution, cease at the age of sixty-five, when the 

 annuity assured therewith will commence." 



The foregoing are the principal regulations, and will afford a fair 

 criterion by which to form an estimate of its utility. 



The last clause we object to — sickness after the age of sixty-five 

 increases in duration and intensity, and consequently the sufferer requires 

 greater pecuniary assistance. We are not competent to pass any 

 opinion on the best mode of ensuring a continuation of a sick allowance, 

 which with the annuity would amount to the sick allowance to which the 

 annuitant had been entitled previous to his reaching the age of sixty- 

 five ; that appears to us to be advisable. 



There is one great obstacle to the flourishing of these societies. It is 

 one which has not been stated, and which is obvious as soon as it is 

 mentioned. The iniquitous, degrading, demoralising practice of paying to 

 the agricultural labourer very small ivages, and malting up a sum, deemed 

 by the parish officers sufficient to support his Jamily ! ! This system we 

 lightly referred to in the commencement of these remarks under the 

 terms " misapplication of parochial assessment." Now we will vent our 

 indignation at this nefarious practice. Magistrates, overseers, yeomen, 

 tenantry, and others in various parts, have banded together to thus 

 insult, oppress, and defraud the peasantry of England. We say, that 

 this accursed practice is almost systematised — that occupiers of land 

 combine to regulate the price of the peasant's labour, which being too 

 little to enable him and his family to exist, they make up the deficiency 

 from the poor-rate. This is a crying sin. The labourer is worthy of his 

 hire, and has a right to fair remuneration, and not to the wages decreed 

 by cunning and interested men, who thus compel the clergymen, the 

 tradesmen, the occupants of houses, and others, to pay a portion of their 

 labourers' wages. It is passing strange that self-interest has not pointed 

 out to the people this robbery and misuse of their money. If the 

 agricultural labourer is not paid his fair wages, but is only allowed to 

 earn a bare subsistence, hoto is he to find the means of providing against 

 penury and misery during sickness and old age 9 In the district superin- 

 tended by Mr. Becher the agriculturists are subscribers to his admirable 

 institution. There his vigilance and philanthropy are sure guards 

 against this infamous practice. Mr. Fleming has this one obstacle 

 opposed to the growth of his great societ}' — It is a subject well worthy 

 the attention of Parliament, and would confer honour on any man who 

 could procure the enactment of such law as would for ever shield the 



