Report of the Royal Commission on the Poor Laws and Relief of Distress. : Appendix Volume VII. Minutes of evidence (111th to 122nd days) with appendix. England. (This volume contains the oral and written evidence of witnesses from various rural centres, especially in the south western, western, and eastern counties ; from the Parish of Poplar Borough, and from the National Conference of Friendly Societies.).
- Great Britain. Royal Commission on the Poor Laws and Relief of Distress.
- Date:
- 1910
Licence: In copyright
Credit: Report of the Royal Commission on the Poor Laws and Relief of Distress. : Appendix Volume VII. Minutes of evidence (111th to 122nd days) with appendix. England. (This volume contains the oral and written evidence of witnesses from various rural centres, especially in the south western, western, and eastern counties ; from the Parish of Poplar Borough, and from the National Conference of Friendly Societies.). Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.
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![(ase of nsibility 311 y -s ate of rations nelits ; c , etc. 25. The care for the old and infirm by their own families is dying out. When they become troublesome or in want of extra attention they are often sent to the union hospita', and their friends (if aljle so to do) pay a small sum towards their keep. This is hardly the purpose for which work- houses were provided, but, for want of a suitable place for such cases and owing to their not being able to pay much, there is no other place for them to be taken to. 26. The relieving officers do their work in a kindly and friendly spirit, but in many cases I do not think the poor should be compelled to go the distance they have to, to obtain an order, or in emergency to apply for relief. 27. As a temporary measure this is feasible. On September 29th, 1898, a fire occurred at St. Decuman's Paper ]\Iills, Watchet, which threw several hundreds of peoplS out of work from three to six months. As Vicar of St. Decuman's I collected the sum of £256 9s.; this was distributed under the direction of a small local committee, and by that means we kept every one off the rates, paid their friendly societies' dues, etc., but most of this money came from outside sources. 28. As a permanent measure it is unfeasible; such a law would kill charity. Make co-operation of charity and Poor Law compulsory—it becomes a tax and ceases to be a charity. 29. Many country places would be unable to regula'ly raise the amount required under a voluntary arrange- ment. You would deprive casual cases of sickness, accidents, etc., of temporary help ; if it was defined that charity should go to those who want poor relief, it would cease. 30. Voluntary efforts now do a great deal for the poor and the relief of rates, viz., hospitals, parochial nurses, upkeep of day schools, help in time of sickness, etc. If charity took the jolace of Poor Law relief thes3 would be the first to suffer. I do not think with the limited in- comes of country jieople, there can be much more extension in charity than what already exists. 31. The church collections for the poor give assistance to those who are in need, who are ill, who meet with mis- fortune, who are out of employment, whether in receipt of parish pay or not. In this way charity, small as it is, comes as a help when needed. It is not possible to work local charity a.nd Poor Law together; if it were done people would cease to give to church collections, money would not be so freely given by individuals, and there could be no . system or metliod. The charities or endowments left to the second poor ought rather to go for old-age pensions than for the relief of the poor imder the Poor Law. Feiendly, Co-oper\tive, and other Self-help Societies. 32. Co-operative. Societies.—Several attempts have been made locally to start stores, but with no success. One has been started at Minehead on a small scale. 33. Building Societies.—A small one exists at Minehead. 34. Friendly Societies.—The old dividing village club ^1 is practically extinct (save Exton); the young men would not join, the old held on until there was nothing left, and until they were too old to join another club. The clubs that exist in this district belong to the Foresters, the Oddfellows, the Druids. Their subscriptions vary accord- ing to age and benefit. 35. Enclosed vdth this Statement I send a copy of rules of three of the clubs, together with the balance sheet. Pa iie 10 gives the scale for the Watchet Foresters. Sub- scriptions vary from 5s. 8|d. to 10s. 4id. a quarter; 385 members. Benefits.—Table 1 : Sick pay, 14s. a week for twenty-six weeks ; 7s. a week for next twenty-six weeks ; 3s. 6d. a week for remainder of sickness. £14 on member's death ; £8 ■wife's death. Table 2 : 6s. 9d. to 10s. 4|d. quarterl}^ payments. Benefits.—12s. a week sick pay for twenty-six v/eeks ; 6s. a week second t^\'enty-six weeks ; 3s. remainder of sickness. £14 on member's death ; £8 wife's death. Table 3 : 5s. 8^d. to 8s. 7-^d. quarterly subscription. Benefits.—10s. a week for twenty-six weeks ; 5s. a week next twenty-six weeks ; 2s. 6d. remainder of sickness. £10 on member's death ; £5 wife's death. 429-Vir. The Rev. Charles H. Ueale. 11 July, 1907 Table (1).—16s. : Table (2).—12s. Table (3). 10s. ; 38. Juvenile branch. Subscriptions 36. Watchet Juvenile Society. 162 members. Con- tribution :— Age 1-12 - - - - 4d. a month (a). „ 12-15 - - - - 6d. „ ib). „ 15-18 - - - - 9d. „ (c). Benefits: (a) 3s. 6d. ; {b) 5s. ; (c) 6s. 6d. a week. Death : (a) £3 ; (b) £4 ; (c) £5. 37. Williton Foresters. 192 members. Subscription, 6s. 9^d. to lis. 6|d. a quarter. Benefits.- 8s. ; 4s. £16 ; £9. ; 6s. ; 3s. ; £12; £8. 5s. ; 2s. 6d. £10 ; £6. Thirty-six members. Contribu- tions, 6d. ; 9d. ; Is. a month with 6d. extra a quarter for doctor. Benefits same as Watchet juvenile. 39. Williton Oddfellows. 163 members, from Is. 3d. a month to 33. 6d. Benefits.—• 12s. ; 6s. ; 4s. £12 ; £6. 10s. ; 5s. ; 2s. 6d. £10 ; £5. About thirteen in the juvenile branch. Contributions. — Age 6-12 - - - - Is. 6d. „ 12—15 - - - - 2s. 01. „ 15—13 - - - - 2s. 9d. Benefits about the same as above. 40. Many of the Watchet sailors pay into the Ship- Shipwrecked wrecked Mariners' Society of London, an annual pay- Mariners ment of 3s. or 6s. Socisty. Privileges: — If vessel lost or damaged, owner gets a money grant. If fisherman's boat lost, owner gets a money grant. If sailor shipwrecked, boarded, fed, fare paid home. If clothes lost, money grant. If member dies and others dej^endent on him, a money grant. Widows of members or sick members, help from time to time. Having been for years an hon. agent for this society I can bear testimony to the very liberal way and the rapidity with which they deal with applications. This is a charity, but for the sailor a most important one, and one whose work the rates could not cover. 41. There are other societies of a like nature who help Prevalence c from time to time. Death insurance is very general in death in- the district. surance. a quarter. Rates of wages at Wihtion and labourers 42. Wages in the locality :— Labourers, 12s. to 17s. per week. Seamen, £3 a month and keep. Mechanics and small tradesmen, 20s. a week. -^^ ]^^^ , Most of the members of the benefit societies are labourers. fiier^Uy^^ ° 43. Scale of wages as paid by the St. Decuman's Paper societies. Mills, the largest local employers :— Labourers, 17s. a week. Carters, 16s. a week. Mechanics, 25s. a week. Paper makers, 40s. a week. Women sorters, 7s. a week. Boys, bag makers, 9s. a week, piece-work. Girls, bag makers, 9s. a week, piece-work. Agricultural labourers average 14s. a week. Carters for coal, etc., 16s. a week. 44. It is not possible to provide for old-age pensions Possibility of hy friendly societies. The wages of the members would friendly not admit of another equal aimual payment for ol<l-age society old- pensions. ' age pensions. 45. Free medical State relief would have very little Effect of free effect on friendly societies. At the outside a saving of 4s. iw^^ljcal relief a member. fnendly- societies. 46. Voluntary hospitals are only used in cases of acci- Friendly dents or for operations. Many of the lodges give an societies and annual subscription. voluntary 47. Friendly societies are chiefly for times of sickness ^°^P'*^'®- or death, distinct from old-age pensions. It might cause Effect of old- a few to cease to belong to friendly societies, of the thrift- o|*'f|?^n less class, and the e are troublesome members now. Old cocieti^s age p nsions would encourage the work of friendly societies. 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