110 Pauperism in New South Wales. 



the distressed, the aged, and the infirm, and thereby to discounte- 

 nance as much as possible mendicity, and vagrancy, ana to encour- 

 age industrious habits amongst the indigent poor, as well as to 

 afford them religious instruction and consolation in their dis- 

 tresses." As the history of this society is that of Poor Law relief 

 in New South "Wales, for a period of more than forty years, 1 will 

 mention such of its features as appear calculated to trace its 

 character and progress. During the first three years of its exist- 

 ence it was supported solely by private contribution and confined 

 its labours to the distribution of outdoor relief. In the third 

 year Governor Macquarie erected the front of the present struc- 

 ture, affording accommodation for sixty inmates. He futher fur- 

 nished it, and provided the salaries and rations for the master 

 and matron, directing also that all inmates, who might be con- 

 sidered as chargeable to the Crown, should be victualled from his 

 Majesty's Stores. The first inmates consisted of nineteen per- 

 sons, who had previously been outdoor "pensioners" but within a 

 few months 48 men and 9 women had been received, who are 

 described in the report as " consisting generally of persons who 

 were more or less blind, bedridden, paralysed, or palsied," their 

 ages varying from 50 years upwai'ds, but the majority being very 

 aged. About the year 1830, it became necessary to provide ad- 

 ditional accommodation, and this was done at the expense of 

 Government by the erection of the north wing. 



About the year 1810 the society received from the hands of 

 the Government the building at Liverpool, previously used as a 

 convict hospital. This they immediately occupied. 



In 1S62 it became necessary to add to the accommodation of 

 the Liverpool Asylum. 



In lS6i the Government erected three additional wards at the 

 Sydney establishment to meet the steadily increasing demands 

 upon it. 



In 1S63, the establishments under the control of the directors 

 of the Benevolent Asylum had become so much crowded, and the 

 society dependent upon the Government for such large annual 

 votes of money (£11,916), that a Committee of the Legislative 

 Assemblv was appointed to inquire into the subject — the result 

 of which was, that the Government relieved the directors of the 

 charge of the aged and infirm, and took the Liverpool Asylum 

 into its hands — leaving the establishment at the Haymarket under 

 the control of the directors, who were requested at the same 

 time to receive, as inmates, only lying-in women, and destitute 

 women with children, but to continue their duties as the distribu- 

 tors of outdoor relief. It was also arranged that the Govern- 

 ment should be responsible for the entire support of the 

 inmates, and that it would add a sum not exceeding £500 to the 

 annual subscriptions to be devoted to out-door relief. This 



