and the Poor Law. 
93 
sum monthly in the Post Office Savings Bank; or, better still, 
he might invest the same in securing an annuity at the Post 
Office, or by means of the large and trustworthy County Friendly 
Society, which would be glad to take him. Why does he not 
take one of these courses, each of which offers such an advantage 
to him as his forefathers never enjoyed? His forefathers! — the 
utmost security for any little sum thoy scraped together was an 
old tea-cup in the cupboard, or the foot of an old stocking hid 
in the thatch, or, more perilous still, the custody of their master. 
Annuities and deposit accounts were impossibilities to them. 
Why then does not the labourer avail himself of his opportunities 
and walk in one of the avenues to independence opened to his 
very door by a beneficent legislation ? He prefers to walk in no 
such ways, but in view of the provision of the poor-rate, refuses to 
save one farthing beyond that which he contracts with his club. 
He spends his money as he receives it, and for these reasons. With 
a sum in the Savings Bank he cannot claim relief from the rate. 
In case of need, the money must go, before the board will help 
him ; that is to say, in his opinion he would be saving money, 
not for himself, but for the ratepayers, the owners of the soil. 
And further, my specimen has a grievance, and that not a senti- 
mental one, on the subject of the rates. His landlord farms 
the rates he pays a composition in lieu of leaving the occupier 
to pay the rate as it becomes due. The composition is half the 
annual amount of the rates, or less if anything, and the amount 
paid by the landlord varies according to the number of rates 
made in the course of the year, from 3s. to 4s. 6f/., according as 
there are two or three rates. For this the landlord charges him 
Zd. a week in the rent, which amounts to 13s. a year. No 
wonder that an intelligent cottager considers such an arrange- 
ment* an injustice for which he has no means of redress, excepting 
that of obtaining as much as he can from the funds of the rate. 
Again, if the man was compelled to pay his share of the rate as it 
became due, he would have one reason supplied him for uniting 
* The following is from a local paper, dated October 23 ult. : — 
" Poor-Ratf.s. — In Preston, 457 persons have been summoned for non-payment 
of the poor-rate laid in April last. About one-half of the summonses was settled 
out of court ; in several cases the defaulters were excused on account of extreme 
poverty, arising from the depressed condition of the cotton trade ; and in the re- 
maining cases orders for immediate payment were made. It transpired that in 
many instances the ratepayers had entered into agreements with their landlords 
that the latter should pay tlie rates (-(?. or Sd. per week being added to the rent on 
tliat account), and that the landlords had pocketed botli rents and rates, and left 
tlie tenant to bear the brunt of the law. On Monday, Mr. Stephenson, the assistant- 
overseer, intimated that every one of such landlords might be sued in the County 
Court for the recovery of the amount paid iu lieu of rates. At the Borough 
IJevision Court, on Friday, several persons lost their votes through similar dis- 
honesty on the part of landlords, and they also were advised to sue for the 
recovery of the amounts paid as rates." 
