TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION F. 857 



ness found in town slums and elsewhere are largely due to inherited taint ; so 

 that individuals cannot properly be dealt with as if each was solely responsible. 

 It is quite impossible amongst the living at some particular time to say on whom 

 the responsibility should faU. Some national effort is therefore required, and 

 must be directed to the removal of those who have proved themselves incapable of 

 dealing with the difficulties of life, viz., the criminal and the helpless. 



The remedy proposed is to found national compulsory colonies of two kinds, 

 which might be called relief colonies for the helpless and retreat colonies for 

 criminals. All the great national colonies have risen on the wealth derived from 

 the soil ; and under good superintendence it might be assumed that agricultural 

 village colonies established and conducted under strict rule would be successful. 

 For the relief colonies such discipline would be sufficient as has been ascertained to 

 produce good results in the parish poorhouses of Scotland. The criminal colonies 

 would require a firmer control, but both might easily be made more than self- 

 supporting from the intelligent prosecution of cultivation, planting, pasture, and 

 tillage appropriate to the particular localities selected. 



Colonies might consist of family colonies of 100 persons, each on two square 

 miles of land ; and fifty family colonies would form a grand colony of convenient 

 size, being ten miles square. 



The criminals to be compulsorily emigrated would be least and at first 

 those sentenced to penal servitude, and they would be astricted to their colonies 

 for life. Individuals with a criminal taint would in this way have a better 

 chance of leading useful lives than they could have in open competition ; and the 

 hereditary taint would gradually be eliminated from society. 



The relief colonies would be for the submerged — those worsted in the battle of 

 life, families and individuals found living without sufficient food, clothing, and 

 lodging to assure permanent good health. These would not be astricted to their 

 colonies for life, but would have an opportunity of working themselves free by 

 their own self-denial and exertions. 



The system would be established gradually. A single colony of each kind in 

 different and suitable localities would first be settled, and others added as previous 

 ones became self-supporting, the responsibility and expense to be undertaken by 

 some existing Government department ; and after the system had proved success- 

 ful a separate Government department could be established. 



By these or like means it is thought that the population of our islands could 

 be gradually purified, strengthened, and elevated ; and a new era of prosperity 

 would thus become possible for the United Kingdom. 



TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19. 

 The following Papers were read : — 



1. On the Currency Problem. By Prof. H. S. Foxwell, M.A. 



2. Ow the Currency Question practically considered from a Commercial 

 and Financial Faint of View. By W. E. Doreington. 



Currency is an international question. It is the keystone of the commercial 

 arch, and, unless we revert to barter, a well-regulated system of currency is the 

 only means whereby wholesale production can be adjusted to retail consumption. 



Gold monometallism is a barrier to the development of free trade, The present 

 position of the Customs tariffs in foreign countries, necessitated by the various 

 nations endeavouring to keep their gold, and also induced by the efforts of foreign 

 Governments to help their manufacturers against constantly falling prices, has 

 fostered protection. 



