§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a—(The Earl de Grey.)
§ THE EARL OF ELLENBOROUGHsaid, that when a Bill of this nature was brought 920 forward without any observation from the Minister by whom it was proposed, it seemed as though the time was come when it would be better that the Poor Law Board should be made a permanent Department. One great duty would be cast on the Board in consequence of the recent change which had taken place in regard to the settlement of the poor—that of reconstructing a great majority of the unions of the country. The Union Chargeability Bill had been passed without any Returns being laid before Parliament to show the incidence of taxation throughout the country, and he thought it would be found that in many places which had expected to gain great benefit from the change there would be no advantage at all gained. Where the town was large there would be no benefit; while in particular parishes the increase of charge would be enormous. He had obtained Returns from his own neighbourhood, and he found that in Cheltenham, a town of 40,000 inhabitants, in the middle of eleven or twelve agricultural parishes, the benefit would be confined to a rate of 1¼d. per head. But in the same union there was an agricultural parish with no poor which paid £25 to the common fund, in which the taxation would be increased 180 per cent. This parish had nothing whatever to do with the town of Cheltenham. In the same way there would be an increase of 100 per cent on the taxation of an agricultural parish in the union of Tewkesbury. The result of this new law, if unaccompanied by a re-construction of the unions, would be that proprietors of land who had well managed their property would be called upon to pay a rate in aid of other proprietors who had neglected or mismanaged their property. He feared that the Commissioners would find that under the new law there would be many more paupers, as the employers of labour would no longer have a direct personal interest in relieving the rates by giving employment. He feared also that there would be less discretion shown in the apportionment of relief, and consequently there would be less economy than there was at present. Another result would be that the Boards of Guardians would cease to be composed of the best men in the parishes, but would fall into the hands of busy meddlers, whose administration would not be so useful either to the poor or to the ratepayers.
EARL DE GREY AND RIPONsaid, as the Bill was a mere Continuance Bill he 921 had not thought it necessary to trouble their Lordships with any remarks upon it. The apprehension of such evils as the noble Earl expected would flow from the passing of the measure which had been adopted by large majorities in both Houses was, he conceived, a good reason for passing such a Continuance Bill as this. The merits of the Union Chargeability Bill had been so recently discussed by their Lordships that he did not think it was necessary to enter again into the subject.
§ Motion agreed to: Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House To-morrow.