94 



So ill- managed have been the affairs of the parish I reside 

 in, that, in some parts of the year, from five to fifteen, or 

 more, pounds weekly, have been paid to labourers doing no 

 work whatever ; for whether they had, or hud not, endea- 

 voured to obtain work, they had only to go to the Assistant 

 Overseer by seven o'clock in the morning, to have their 

 names entered, to receive the Justices' allowance for la- 

 bourers out of employ. Many, therefore, who seldom 

 worked but when they could get high wages by working by 

 the great, had more money coming in, during the course of 

 the year, than those who worked every day. 



Previous to the Poor Law Amendment Act, I was a 

 strenuous advocate for the Labour Kate system, which 

 appears not now needed, but possibly may be, when all the 

 contemplated public works are executed, and the demand 

 for labour lessened, or should a case like the following 

 occur. The time may probably come, although at u 

 distant period, that in some long frost, large bodies of 

 agricultural labourers, of different parishes, may apply to 

 their respective Boards of Guardians for employment or 

 relief. It would therefore be advisable previously to delibe- 

 rate on what it would be right to do in such a case, instead 

 of leaving the consideration of it to the emergency of the 

 occasion, when it is doubtful whether the wisest measures 

 would be adopted ; besides which, each board might be 

 liable to act differently. 



Men who have been receiving more than ordinary wages, 

 ought, we know, to have put by enough to provide them, 

 selves and. their families with necessaries for any short time 

 that they may be out of work ; but should they not ha\4j 

 been so provident as they ought to have been, means must 

 be provided to keep them from starving. The best arrange- 

 ment that could be made on such an occasion, would be 

 for the occupiers of the land of the different parishes, each 

 to take into his employ (perhaps at something under the 

 wages that he gives to his other men), his share of those 

 men belonging to the parish, according to the number of 

 acres of his farm. But this, probably in most cases, would 

 not be agreed to, many occupiers never having, in the short 

 days of winter, one labourer more lhan they can possibly 

 do without, whilst others employ the same number through- 



