GLANCING BACK. 211 



labourers ranged from ten to eleven shillings per week. Cottages 

 were obtainable at rents of from one to two shillings per week. 

 The following, however, were the Poor Law returns from various 

 unions in Dorsetshire : in the Carne Union, wages nine to ten 

 shillings a week, together with a free cottage and garden and 

 grist corn ; in the Wareham Union, wages nine and sixpence to 

 ten shillings a week, besides cottage and garden and manure for 

 the latter a privilege that probably in other cases, though not 

 specifically mentioned, would be given by a good-natured master ; 

 in the Poole Union, wages took the exceptionally high range of 

 from twelve to fifteen shillings a week. The return of pauper- 

 ism for Dorsetshire it must have been highest in the eight 

 shillings a week districts was the serious one of 7-1 per cent. 



DURHAM. 



Once again the influence of mining competition is shown by 

 the higher comparative wages of the peasantry of Durham : for 

 wages ranged, at the period under review, from fifteen to eighteen 

 shillings per week ; the payment to " hinds " being from ten to 

 thirteen and sixpence per week, with, in addition in their case, 

 free fuel and free cartage of it to their homes, and some 

 allowance also of potatoes. Rents of cottages in the county of 

 Durham were from a shilling to eighteenpence. Poor Law returns 

 gave the arrangements in the Darlington Union somewhat 

 differently, namely, wages fifteen shillings, with house rent given, 

 an allowance of potatoes, meat and drink during harvest ; and 

 in the Sedgefield Union wages were returned as seventeen shillings. 

 The average of pauperism throughout the county was a fairly 

 low one, by comparison with other counties, namely, 3-5 per cent, 

 of the population. 



ESSEX. 



It may seem surprising that the wages in the parts of Essex 

 near London were not higher than they were ; but they were given 

 as ranging from ten to thirteen shillings per week, although 

 " first-class labourers " could earn from ^35 to 36 a year, or 

 thirteen and sixpence a week with piecework, etc. Cottage rents 

 were eighteenpence a week. Returns given by the Billericay 

 Union show wages in that district at twelve shillings a week ; in 

 the Tendring Union at eleven shillings ; and in the Dunmow 

 Union at ten shillings, in addition to beer at harvest-times. 

 Pauperism for the county of Essex was rather high, namely, 6*2 

 per cent, of the population. 



GLOUCESTERSHIRE. 



Cider, in another county for the production of that beverage 

 Gloucestershire naturally formed part of the " allowance " of 

 the farm labourer ; and was added to the wages prevailing of from 

 nine to ten shillings per week. In this county also it was stated 

 that " first-class labourers could earn from ^32 to 35 a year," 

 but allowing for some lost time their earnings on the whole would 



