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THE 
MONTHLY MAGAZINE 


No. xxxvi.] For NOVEMBER, 1798. 


[Vor. VI. 


oe 
The Numbers of this Work which were out of print being now reprinted, complete Sets, in Five 
< Volumes, or any fingledNumber or Volume, may be had of any Bookfeller in the Britifh Do- 
minions. 
Communications on any Subje& of a praétical or ufeful Nature, or relative to any Matters of Fa&y 
are always thankfully received, and fhould be addrefied, pofi-paid, to Mr. Puiriirs, No. 71, 
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— 



For the Monthly Magazine. 
1 ‘HERE are few fubjects relative to 
the internal policy of this kingdom 
entitled to more attention, than that 
which concerns the management and 
maintainance of the parochial poor. And 
At has accordingly, within thefe few 
years, furnifhed confiderable employment 
both to the prefs and to the fenate. But 
in proportion to its importance, is the 
neceflity of guarding the public again 
any muftakes which may inadvertently 
have crept into popular treatifes on this 
branch of political ceconomy. In’ Mr. 
Goop’s valuable differtation on ¢* The bef? 
Means of Maintaining and Employing the 
_ Poor,” lately publifhed, there is an error 
of this kind, which it appears tome may 
be productive of much evil, if it is fuf- 
fered to remain unnoticed. It may lead 
many parithes to fubmit to an unreafon- 
able charge for the maintainance of their 
poor; and difcourage others from thofe 
exertions, which aJone can effectually re- 
duce the préfent enormous amount cf 
the parochial expenditure. It may be 
thought, perhaps, that I the more rea- 
dily advert to this overfight’ of Mr. 
Goopb’s, becaufe it will afford me an op- 
portunity at the fame time of vindicating 
my little publication refpecting the 
Shrewfbury Houfe of Induitry, fron a 
very fevere, and -I think it will appear 
Untounded .attack, made upon it by this 
gentleman. If, neverthelefs, the commmu- 
nity fhould be at all interefted in cor- 
recting this miftake likewife, they will 
not think the lefs favourably of me, for 
endeavouring to prove that I have not 
deceived or mifled them ; though at the 
faine time I fhould indulge that honeft 
and honourable feeling, which it becomes 
€very man to entertain, when thus ar- 
raigned at the Bar of the public. 
In houfes of induftry, or other paro- 
chial receptacles, where large bodies of 
the poor are fupported, a difference of 
@ne fhilling per head in the weekly coft 
~Monruty Mac. No. xxxviu. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 

of their maintainance, becomes a very 
ferious’ object. 
the dékual expence incurred for the diet 
of ‘the poor, by the Court of Guardians 
at Norwich, is averaged at 2s. 10d. each 
per week. ‘The prudence, perfeverance, 
and cecondmy manifefted by thefe gentle- 
men, are very juftly extolled by Mr. 
Goop, and they are entitled to equal 
applaufe for their hwmane and liberal 
treatment of their paupers. I conceive 
therefore, that it is very material the pub- 
lic fhould be informed that the poor are 
aétually fupplied with provifions on a li- 
beral dirt, in the very place here fated, at 
lefs than two fhillings per head per week. 
If Mr. Goop had coniulted a docu 
ment, which he ought not to have over- 
looked, namely, the annual account, print- 
ed by order of the Court of Guardians at’ 
Norwich, he wotld have feen his error. 
That account for the year ending April: 
1798, ftates, that the average number of 
poor fupported that year in their work-" 
houfes and infirmaries,was 1343, and their 
expence in provitions as follows, viz. 
Beef, 7 = - £1645 4 4 
Beer, > - 4490 6 6 
Bread, flour and dough, CML MG Ae 3 
7 oeutker’ ~ - 5 Gas op Staal ©} 
Cheefe, ~ > vhs vale Se 
Grocery, - - 197 11 & 
Milk, - - HOR" 17, 1g” 
Oatmeal, - - 50. (9 27 
Peas and rice. _ - rh Colbe eS 
Potatoes, eo i 30 14 9 
Salt, - - 64 <2... 

Total of provifions for 1343 poor 6692 9 Ti 

Which amounts to £4.19 73 per head per 
annum, one foiling and eleven pence each 
per week. 
In the printed account of the Shrew. - 
bury Houle of fnduftry publifhed in 1797,- 
it was ftated that the provifions for the 
poor (one third of whom were children) 
coft one shilling and fixpence halfpenny 
tor each weekly, Thole whohave calculated 
28 the 
Mr. Goop ftates, that’ 

