FAMILY -ALLOWANCES
Sne,—Though the recent debate in the House of Lords shows that the Government feel themselves unable to undertake a scheme of family-allowances on a comprehensive scale, on the ground of the high cost involved, and that k too millions a year are already being spent in keeping down the prices of essential foodstuffs, such considerations should not be allowed to stand in the way of a limited scheme in cases where the need for such allowances is dire and urgent. Such cases are in the main comprised within the compass of unskilled labour. It is well enough established that the stationary normal wage of unskilled labour, though it may suffice for a man and wife and one child, and doubtfully when there are two children, is cer- tainly inadequate to maintain a family containing three children in a state pf physical efficiency. Whilst poverty due to catastrophic causes, such as is occasioned by the unemployment, illness or death of the breadwinner, is helped out by allowances and benefits, for the family of three or more children of the unskilled labourer, able-bodied and in full employ, there is no like assistance; and in order to make both ends meet it has to suffer underfeeding and underhousing. One of the first signs of the poverty so induced is the wilting •condition of the children attending school. The early need for family-allowances which will put an end to poverty of this particular form should hardly be in dispute.—Yours faithfully. H. J. BARTON. 29 Bethia Road, Bournemouth.
Previous page
