THE POOR.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 95, 19 October 1910, Page 7

THE POOR.

SPEECH BY LLOYD-GEORGE. CAUSES OF DESTITUTION, UNREST, AND DISCONTENT. FISCAL QUESTION. By Telecraph.— Press Association.— Copyright. LONDON, 18th October. Mr. Lloyd-George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, addressing the Liberal Christian League at the City Temple, declared that for the causes of the destitution, unrest, and discontent — which were common to both Free-trade England and the Protectionist Continent — they had to look beyond the. national fiscal systems. Mr. Chamberlain's tariff reform agitation had, however, rendered an outstanding service, by calling attention to the crying evils festering amongst them. Continuing, Mr. Lloyd-George said :—: — "I never realised the poignancy of poverty until I administered the Old Age Pensions Act. Out of 420,000 adults who died annually in the United Kingdom, I saw that five-sixths had no property. On the other hand, of tho £300,000,000 passing annually at death, half belonged to under 2000 people. This fact betokens the organic disea^s of the British system." Mr. Lloyd-George said he doubted the alleged waste and thriftlessness of the wage-earners. Civilised countries spent five hundred millions annually upon the machinery of war. If Great Britain's burden were removed, they could pay the wage-earners four shillings more weekly, without interfering with the profits of capital. Britain's was a hafd climate for poverty. Millions of acres were devoted to Che enjoyment of those who preserved game while the avarice and selfish niggardliness of other people perpetuated the congestion of the cities, which had its result in 50 per cent, oi the recruits to the Army being rejected as physically unfit. Mr. Lloyd-George condemned the idle rich, who, with their families and retainers, numbered two millions. Britain, he declared, could not afford so large a free list.' The time had come for a thorough overhauling of national and Imperial conditions. The masses were expecting great things, and it was disheartening to witness a sweeping burst of popular enthusiasm spending itself on trivial projects. "My counsel to the people," declared \he Chancellor, "is to enlarge the purpose of their politics, and then adhere io that purpose until their redemption is> accomplished." [A Loca? Government Board return recently issued shows that the number of paupers in receipt of relief in England and Wales on 25th June last was 762,111, compared with 784,434 on 26th June last year, a decrease, of 22,323, or 2.8 per cent. The indoor paupers totalled 260,449, and the outdoor 501,662. The casual paupers relieved on the night of Friday, 24th June, numbered 10,256, ff s compared with 14,267 on the corresponding day in 1909. To what extent decline in the class of not ablebodied poor — a class which includes the aged poor — may bs associated with the operayon of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1908, is not ascertainable, states the report, but it is probable that a certain number of persons of advanced age may have refrained from applying for relief in view of the disqualification attaching to the receipt of poor relief under the Act. The general decline of pauperism in England and Wales in comparison with the number of periods in the past will be apparent from the following figures : —1872-77, 35.4 per thousand of population; 1878-84, 31.1; 1885-92, 28.6; 18931901, 26.6; 1902-10. 26.5. Whilst indoor pauperism has shownj on the whole, a continuous increase, the number, of poor receiving outdoor relief has fluctuated considerably in recent years. The increase of indoor relief has occurred mainly amongst urban unions, in which also there has been considerable extenI sion of accommodation provided by the erection of infirmaries, cottage homes, etc. The increase is most noticeable in London, where, since 1880, the number of indoor paupers has exceeded the number receiving outdoor relief, and has increased by over 100 per cent, since 1872.] , MESSAGE FROM MR. BALFOUR. (Received October 19, 9 a.m.) LONDON, 18th October. A telegram from Mr. A. J. Balfour, wishing success to the Liberal Christian League, was read at Mr. Lloyd-George's meeting.