LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
PAUPERISM AND LOCAL TAXATION.
PTO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—After Mr. Gladstone's most interesting speech to the- farmers at Hawarden, we may take it for granted that the ques- tion of local taxation in all its bearings will be fairly considered by the Government. It has been urged by the Central Chamber of Commerce, as well as by many of the local Chambers, and by no less an authority than Mr. Sclater Booth (the late President of the Local Government Board), that in no way could personal property more advantageously bear its share of the rates than by the Government taking upon itself the burden and the- administration of the workhouses, as it has already done with respect to the gaols, and partly the lunatic asylums. There are• many reasons for advocating the adoption of this course.
Let me state one or two. In the first place, it is not open to. the objection of increased centralisation, since, as matters now stand, the diet, the classification, the sleeping and nursing- arrangements, in short, the whole of the details connected with the workhouse, are absolutely controlled, or constantly inter- fered with, by the Government, through their inspectors ; and there would be no difficulty in continuing to Guardians the same powers of supervision as are exercised at present by the visiting committees of gaols. In the next place, uniformity of treatment would be secured throughout the country, and the expense being borne, as it ought to be, by the whole nation, there would be no reason for continuing the present most in- convenient and costly law of settlement. The mechanic or the farm labourer would then move where he liked, in search of work, without having to be "passed back" to his parish in case of destitution. But above all, we should have a very marked diminution in pauperism, and, we may hope, in thrift- lessness and intemperance. Since when once the rising genera- tion had come to understand that their welfare depended on their own exertions and habits of saving, and that there was no chance of outdoor relief being accorded to them, and no prospect before them but the workhouse, it may be expected that some, at least, of the millions which now find their way into the publi- cans' pockets would be invested in savings' banks and in sound friendly or building societies. As regards the diminution in pauperism, the example of the metropolitan districts places this beyond a doubt. In 1871, a payment in aid of indoor mainten- ance, amounting to 5d. per head per day, was given to each workhouse in the metropolitan area, out of a general rate levied over the whole metropolis. The consequence was that the out- door paupers fell from 31,113, in 1871, to 7,892, in 1879 ; while the number of indoor paupers on January let, 1871, and January let, 1879, stood at 6,735 and 4,337 respectively, showing that
while outdoor paupers had diminished by over 23,000, indoor pauperism had also diminished by over 2,000. In other words, pauperism in general had received a heavy blow. I am not aware of any reason why we may not expect similar results to follow similar causes throughout the country. And if so, it is unnecessary to enlarge further upon the vast importance of the indirectly beneficial effects that may be expected from this par- ticular reform in our local taxation.—I am, Sir, &c., G. R. PORTAL.
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