and the Poor Law. 
113 
be adopted by boards of guardians with advantage,* which wc 
shall next consider. 
Who does not see that a difference should be made in the 
treatment of the member of a trustworthy society and him of 
the club in which the rate is virtually the superannuation fund, 
Avhcn each is compelled to seek relief from the board of 
guardians? If the latter were enabled by the Registrar of 
Friendly Societies (who should be empowered to obtain and 
furnish information on which an opinion of the merits of the 
society might be formed) to distinguish the good from the bad, 
and were further aided by the Poor Law Board supplying the 
principle which to the best of their judgment they were to 
apply in such cases, they would render indirect but most powerful 
assistance in the reform of the friendly societies of the rural 
poor. 
At present there is much confusion in dealing with appli- 
cants who belong to these institutions. By some boards, not 
perhaps so numerous as in bygone years, relief, other than the 
house, is denied ; by others, an allowance dependent in part on 
the amount paid by the club is granted ; in some, medical 
relief ; but by none is enquiry made whether the club is good 
or good for nothing, in order to determine the amount, or the 
refusal, of relief. 
The following suggestions, which may perhaps help to elicit 
better, are offered in order to obtain such alterations as will 
encourage self-reliance and promote the moral good of the 
labouring classes : — 
(1) Boards of guardians to authorise relief to be granted to 
* At present all have their ow.i rule of dealing -with members of friendly 
societies ; for instance, at Cauterbuiy, medical relief only is given to the member 
of a club. 
At Hollingbourne, in addition to medical treatment, " in all cases where 
the club money does not exceeed ICs. a -n-eek, and does not exceed the amount of 
relief ordered for the families of able-bodied men not in any club, one gallon of 
flour for each child is given after the first month. Wiiere the sickness pay exceeds 
10s. a week, no relief is given beyond the medical order. Where the sickness pay 
does not exced 38. a weik, no deduction is made from the ordinary scale of relief 
in consideration thereof." 
In Maidstone Union, •' in the case of a man with wife and four children receiv- 
ing U'8. from his club per week, the board will order 4 or 5 gallons of flour 
■weekly, but no money. If the man were in no club, they would give him an order 
for the house ; but if the illness is severe or of long duration, 3s. a week and five 
gallons of flour. In the first week flour only is given." 
In the Mailing Union, whatever the man is insured for he has for himself, and 
the board relieves the wife and family on their scale, which is a liberal one. The 
three unions last named are adjacent. 
In the union of Ashford an applicant member of a club with ICs. sickness pay, 
having a wife and four children, receives 5s. a week from the board. If not in 
any club, the board will give him 10s, a week. In some unions no rule is laid 
down. 
VOL. YI. — S. S. 
I 
