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saries of life, which he cannot earn or obtain by other lawful means.

2. That even in cases of extreme poverty, the relations and neighbours of the paupers have a pride in, providing for their necessities, either in whole or in part. That this circumstance will account for the small number of paupers in some very populous parishes; and serves at the same time to explain a fact, which is obvious in so many of the returns in the country districts, that the sums given to the paupers appear to be so disproportioned to what their real necessities require, A small sum, given to aid their other resources, affords them the relief which is necessary; and it would be both against the true in terest and the moral habits of the people, if a more ample provision were made for them by their parishes.

3. That the distinction made in a great proportion of the returns between the poor in the regular pa rish roll, and the industrious poor who receive only occasional supply, is of equal importance to the morals and the best interests of the country. Those of the first class receive a constant supply from the parish funds; those of the second are only assisted when they are laid aside from work by sickness or accidental causes; and especially during that season of the year which chiefly affects their health or suspends their usual labours. They receive at that time such assistance as their immediate necessities demand, for the limited period when they are in this situation; but when the cause which occasioned their demand ceases to operate, the parish assistance is withdrawn, and they return to their labour, under a conviction, which they never relinquish, that both their subsistence and their

comfort must ultimately depend on their personal industry.

4. That it appears from the returns which have yet been examined, that in a great proportion of the country parishes in which legal assessments have been introduced, they have been afterwards abandoned; either because it has been found by experience that whatever addition the ordinary funds required might be found at much less expense by means of voluntary contributions, when any urgent pressure on the poor should render it necessary; or because a regular assessment in those parishes has very generally been observed to produce an influx of paupers from other parishes, who in three years (by the decisions of the courts of law for the last forty years) can acquire a legal settlement, if during that time they have supported themselves by their own industry; aggravating in this way the parochial burthen beyond all reasonable proportion. It is clear, from the returns examined, and the remarks contained in them, that this observation applies to no inconsiderable number of parishes, though the experience may be dif ferent in other situations which have not yet fallen under the view of the committee; and that the voluntary contributions which are substituted in place of legal assessments, though in some instances they are unequal and partial, from the inattention or disinclination of individuals, have in general been found to answer the purpose, relieving those parishes of a much greater and more permanent burden, and as effectually providing for the real necessities of the poor.

5. That it appears to the committee, that in those districts to which the reports they have considered relate, the weekly collections

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at the churches, in parishes in which there are few dissenters, go far to provide for the support of the poor; that collections at the churches have been in use from the earliest periods of the Scotch ecclesiastical establishment, and are recognised in the acts of parliament both as an ancient and legal resource for the maintenance of the poor.-That every encouragement ought to be given to the continuance of the weekly collections; and that those parishes have not judged wisely, who appear to have abandoned them to make way for regular assessments. That though it is true, that where there are legal assessments established, an unequal burden is laid on the inhabitants who attend the parish church, and give their weekly contributions there, independent of what they pay to the assessment; it is also true, that the apostolical rule of making such collections on the first day of the week, adopted by our church, and sanc tioned by the legislature, should not be hastily departed from; and that the discontinuance of such collections has obviously a most pernicious influence to render poors rates both oppressive and perpetual.

6. That it is clear to the committee, that in almost all the country parishes which have hitherto come under their notice, where a regular assessment has been established, the wants of the poor, and the extent of the assessments, have gradually and progressively increased from their commencement; and that it does appear to be a matter of very serious interest to the community at large, to prevent as far as possible this practice from being generally adopted; to limit the assessments as much as they can be limited, where the circumstances of particular parishes render them un

avoidable; and whenever it is prac. ticable, to abandon them.

7. That it appears to the committee from the returns before them, that the weekly collections at the churches are a very efficient resource for the parochial poor, in every case in which there are few dissenters, or persons who absent themselves from their parish church; it is equally clear, on the other hand, that in those parishes in which the accommodation provided for the inhabitants in the parish churches bears no proportion to the popula tion, a legal assessment seems to be inevitable, as long as this continues to be the situation of those parishes; that in such of these cases as have fallen under the view of the committee, it is manifestly the ultimate interest, both of the landholders and the parishioners, to have their respective parishes divided, and a sufficient number of churches provided, equal to the number of inhabitants; and that if this were done to the full extent, it is certain that the poor might be supported without any necessity of having recourse to parochial assessments.-That at present the gradual increase of property in some of those parishes, by adding to the funds from which the assessments are raised, serves to keep down the amount of the charge on the parish at large; and that from this circumstance the amount of the assessments there has increased in a much less proportion, than the assessments in parishes in which the funds for assessment, or the property assessed, has remained in a great measure stationary.

8. That where legal assessments are resorted to in Scotland, the provisions in the law which regulates the manner of imposing them are uniformly and strictly observed; that the law has given the power

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to assess a parish to a joint meeting, consisting of the minister, the heritors, and the elders of the parish, who are authorized to meet for the purpose on the first Tuesday of February and the first Tuesday of August in each year, when the assessment is imposed half-yearly; or on either of those days, when it is fixed for a whole year.-That the practice in general is, to hold this meeting only once in the year, and most frequently on the first Tuesday of August, and at that time to assess for a whole year. That the heritors in general, who are the persons chiefly interested, are accustomed to attend this meeting, and having the chief influence in determining the amount of the assessment, have it always in their power to keep it within reasonable bounds. -That in former times it was, and in parishes chiefly landward it still is, imposed according to the valued rent of the lands; but that where a great part of the most valuable property consists in houses, this has been found to be an unequal rule, as it evidently lays on landed estates a very disproportioned part of the burthen; that in these situations, therefore, the practice which prevails, and has been sanctioned by the decisions in the courts of law, is to impose the assessments according to the real rents of property both in houses and lands. That the assessments thus imposed are laid on heitors and tenants by equal portions, the heritor paying one half of the assessment and the tenant the other, and both proportions being paid by an heritor who occupies his own property; with this exception, that a deduction is given of one fourth

or the half of the assessment laid on the heritor of houses in name of reparations.-That at the annual meeting, at which such assessments are imposed, the heritors are accustomed to attend, and have always the power of determining what is done; so that it rests in a great measure with themselves to prevent the assessment imposed from rising beyond what the fair necessities of the parish require.

9. That the statements on the management of the poor within the city of Edinburgh and the parish of Saint Cuthbert's, show in what manner the poor are provided for in the parishes of the largest population; in the first, where there is a legal assessment, which has been but very lately resorted to, and at the same time a parish workhouse; and in the second, which comprehends the suburbs of Edinburgh, and a larger population still, where there has been a legal assessment for upwards of fifty years, and also a parish workhouse.

10. That in the schedules taken from the returns of the country parishes, in order to render their statements uniform, the committee have in general satisfied, themselves with inserting an average of ten years, both with regard to the number of paupers, and the funds which are employed in supporting them.

With these remarks the committee conclude this report; humbly submitting it to the assembly, to be transmitted, if it shall be approved of, to Mr. Sturges Bourne.

MONCRIEFF WELLWOOD, for the Sub-committee.

1817.

(K)

LITERARY RETROSPECT

AND

SELECTIONS.

A

1817

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