STATE PAPERS. 



293 



that discretion which is so much 

 wanted to disciiminiite between 

 the claims of the idle and indus- 

 trious ; and their decisions may, 

 it is hopedj supersede the necessity 

 of those appeals to the magis- 

 trates, which have been so nu- 

 meious as to preclude frequently 

 that attention being given to each 

 particular case, which it might 

 otherwise have received, and per- 

 haps suggested the adoption of 

 that scale of relief, which has 

 been a[)pliel indiscriminately to 

 those whose earnings, so mea- 

 sured, were found insufficient for 

 their maintenance. 



The fVetjuent application to 

 magistrates originated, perhaps, 

 in a proviso of the 3d and 4th of 

 William and Mary, c. II, that no 

 persons, but those registered in a 

 book directed to be kept in each 

 parish, should " receive collec- 

 tion," but by the authority of a 

 justice or the justices in sessions. 

 If any neglect therefore occurred 

 in keeping such register, recourse 

 would naturally and properly be 

 had to the justices ; but without 

 such neglect, a probability was 

 afforded of procuring from the 

 justices that which was refused i)y 

 the parish officer, insomuch that it 

 should seem from the 9th Geo. I. 

 c. 7> that it had become necessary 

 to check such applications ; for it 

 recites, " that many persons have 

 applied to some justice of the 

 peace without the knowledge of 

 any officers of the parish, and 

 thereljy upon imtrue suggestions, 

 an<l sometimes upon false and 

 frivolous pietences, have obtained 

 relief." J t therefore provided that 

 no poor prison should be lelieved 

 till oath made of a reasonable 

 cause f( V such relief, and that ap- 



plication had been made in vain 

 to the parish ; and the justice is 

 ordered to summon two of the 

 overseers, to show cause why such 

 relief should not be given. But 

 under this statute every person 

 who is dissatisfied with the de- 

 cision of the overseer, of course 

 applies to the justice, to whom his 

 wants and habits must generally 

 be less known ; and in default of 

 the attendance of the officers, 

 which, constituted as the office of 

 overseer is, frequently happens, 

 either from the distance of the 

 magistrate or from the j)ressure 

 of other business, an order or 

 recommendation is given on the 

 statement of the applicant. This 

 preventive provision of the 9th 

 Geo. I. appearing therefore to 

 have wholly failed, it is hoped that 

 the intervention of such a select 

 vestry would be more effectual, 

 especially if they were aided by 

 the establishment of the parochial 

 benefit fund, which would afford, 

 after some time, the surest cri- 

 terion of the industry and provi- 

 dence of each parishioner. 



The efficacy however of this as 

 well as of any other expedient 

 which can be suggested, must de- 

 pend upon some of those who are 

 most interested in the welfare of a 

 parish, taking an active share in 

 the administration of its concerns. 

 Without this, the committee are 

 convinced no benefit will be de- 

 rived from any amendment that 

 can be made in the details of the 

 system ; and with it, even under 

 the existing law, much may be 

 effected, as it has been, both in 

 single and in incorporated pa- 

 rialics, where such superintend- 

 ence prevails ; and they think no 

 meai5s are .so likely to load to tliis 



desirable 



