The Times of Thursday gives some very cm ious and
interesting facts in regard to the London legal poor and their position during 1895. It cannot be said that the figures of pauperism have been satisfactory during the past twelve months ; and on Christmas Day the pauper population of London was about 107,000,—a very high number, both actually and in proportion to the population. Of these, roughly, 40,000 were outdoor and 67,000 indoor paupers. The movement in favour of making workhouse life more tolerable for the aged poor has gone forward in London during the year. In Whitechapel, for example, occupation by day and mental instruction in the evening is provided ; the inmates of the workhouse are, to a considerable extent, allowed to choose their associates ; and aged married couples are not separated. During last year the children of the State numbered some 16,000, of whom 1,000 were placed out during the year. Of these, we regret to see that only 74 entered the Royal Navy, and 89 the Mercantile Marine ; but 127 boys entered the various military bands. The rest of the boys went into various trades. The girls almost all became domestic servants. According to the local taxation returns, the gross expenditure on the London poor during the year was nearly £3,000,000, or 13s. 5.1d. per head of population, against 12s. W>d. in 1891.
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