69 
THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON 
THE POOR LAWS— A REVIEW AND 
CRITICISM. 
By J. H, SINKINSON, M.A. October 12 th, 1909. 
The Commission was appointed on 4th December, 1905, 
by the late Conservative Government, and after more than 
three years’ patient work, it reported to the present Liberal 
Government on 17th February, 1909. These facts are of 
hopeful augury. The worst day’s work for the country 
would be for legislation on the lines of the Report to be 
undertaken by either political party for party purposes, 
and when legislation is attempted all must hope that the 
problem will not be dealt with on party lines or for party 
ends, but that the sole object of all will be the greatest and 
most lasting good of the common weal. 
This Minority Report is significant : there have been other 
minority reports in the past, but, as a rule, a minority report 
has contented itself with expressing its points of difference 
from the majority on minor matters. This Minority Report, 
however, is in itself a comprehensive and masterly survey 
of the whole field of investigation, and there is hardly a 
conclusion, and certainly no major remedy of the majority, 
which the Minority Report does not scout and ridicule. When 
experienced sociologists of the stamp of these Commissioners, 
all sitting at the same time, hearing the same witnesses, and 
visiting the same institutions, set up at the close of their 
labours two mutually contradictory ideals, the authors of 
each, moreover, criticising and pointing out the utter im- 
practicability of the other’s proposed solution, it is not 
surprising that the man-in-the-street stands nonplussed, 
that Parliament, puzzled, stays its hand, and that legislation, 
if not leisurely conceived, wisely planned, and fully debated, 
is likely to bring in its train economic and moral disaster. 
