STATE PAPERS. 



^11 



not only the increase of misery to 

 each individual, but also the moial 

 deterioration of the people, and 

 ultimately, from the concurrent 

 tendency of these evils, the insecu- 

 rity and danger of the state it-elf. 



The encouragement of frugal 

 habits would, in any state of so- 

 ciety, be an object of importance ; 

 but your committee are stiongly 

 impressed with the opinion, that^ 

 in the present situation of the poor 

 in this country, it is chiefly by the 

 gradual restoration of a feeling of 

 reliaiice upon their own industry, 

 rather than upon the jjarochial as- 

 sessments, that the transition to a 

 more wholesome system can be 

 effected. 



Voxu' committee have the satis- 

 faction of seeing, that institutions 

 for the secure and ])rofitable depo- 

 sit of the earnings of the industri- 

 ous, which was heretofore j)ro- 

 jected, are now, by the spontane- 

 ous exertions of individuals, in 

 actual and successful oper;;tion ; 

 and froin the growth of the sys- 

 tem of Saving Banks, they are 

 inclined to expect very beneficial 

 results, not only in affording to 

 the industrious jjoor a f-ecure de- 

 posit for their savings, but in fa- 

 miliarizing them with a practice, 

 of whicli the advantage will be 

 daily mure apparent. 



Other instirutions founded upon 

 a principle of mutual a.'^surance, 

 are fa'.niliar to the people, and as 

 far as they provide for sickness and 

 old age, and some other casualties, 

 have received the sanction of Par- 

 liament, undeithe nnmeof Friend- 

 ly Societies. Your Conmiittee 

 have reason to believe that the-e 

 societies, judiciously managed, 

 have in some parishes tended 

 greatly to the melioration of thf 



condition of the people; but fhey 

 trust that they may be enabled to 

 set before the people, in a way 

 that they cannot misunderstand, 

 the means of securing their own 

 comfort and happiness, by holding 

 out advantages exceeding in amoun t 

 any that the existing establishments 

 with which they are familiar can 

 offer, with ihe certainty of the ad- 

 vantages offered, viz. relief in sick- 

 ness, and an annuity in old age 

 being secured by the contribution 

 of the jiarish. Your Committee is 

 therefore of opinion, that it will be 

 expedient to enable parishes toesta- 

 blish Parochial Benefit Societies, 

 under the joint management of 

 the contributors and the nominees 

 of the parish, calculated to afford 

 greater pecuniary advantages than 

 could result fi om the unaided con- 

 tribution" of the subscribers Your 

 Conunittee trust, that, holding out 

 to tl-.e people benefits somewhat 

 superior in amount and security, 

 to any which they can now obtain 

 by the contributions of their earn- 

 ings, and adding some which aie 

 not generally afforded by volun- 

 tary association, they may be ena- 

 bled to render these institutions 

 not less popular than advantageous. 

 They are of opinion theiefore, 

 that parishes should be enabled to 

 afford to the contributors a benefit 

 rather greater than that whi( h a 

 table formed on mere calculation 

 woultl yield ; and in order to adapt 

 their new system to the situation 

 of the country, under the admi- 

 nistration of the ])oor laws, your 

 Conmiittee are of o|)inion, that at 

 the outset of tlicse institutions, 

 ])ari3hes should be prrmitled to 

 l)lace, by contribution fron) the 

 parochial funds, tlio^e who have 

 adyanved in years without having 



made 



