LLOYD GEORGE ON POVERTY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 155, 29 December 1910, Page 2

LLOYD GEORGE ON POVERTY.

SOME BRIGHT COMMENTS. Britain's Chancellor, Mr. Lloyd George, brightly touched on the topic of poor relief in an address at Liverpool recently. When he was in Liverpool thirty years ago, he said, there used to be a school ot reformers whoee idea of gress was to public-house the men. wareHouse the women and children, and workhouse the aged — but now there was a new school, who rightly asserted that what was wanted in -the country was better and cheaper houees, but houses not let at charity rates, because, like indiscriminate omdoor relief, charity of that kind was only a bonus in, aid ct low wages, long hours, and the lowering of the standard of comfort. Iv all tiiese directions Liverpool, in proportion to its j liabilities, was uoing infinitely more than any other city. He knew that Liverpool ■ had spent nearly a million of money on ■ dwellings and had erected 2300 houses, occupied by a population of nearly 11,000 people. What was more, &D per cent, of the people deposed had been rehoused oh the site, of their old dwellings. This was a public health movement, and must nob be measured by pounds shillings, and pence. If they could spend a one-penny rate on their library, and millions a year on a liquor bill, surely they could submit to a nikcroscopic addition to their rate in the interest of housing. In coming to another aspect of the question which, he said, few men, excepting himself, would have the courage i to tackle, he remarked that in that city, as everywhere else, there was too much of a disposition to pander to the poor, to truckle to those whose votes were wanted at county council and parliamentary elections What he deplored amongst the main body of modern councillors and politicians was that they w ere developing housemaid's knee in bowing down 'to certain people and sections whom they ought to stand up and fight. It was not sufficient to talk to the poor about their failings — which in the rich were sometimes called idiosyncracics — it must be recognised that all, whether rich or poor, were influenced by their physical surroundings, social 1 environment, and domestic condition. In this connection he pointed out that town planning was a fine thing, but added tha'u in casual labour there was a serious problem, and ho suggested that means should be adopted whereby the casual labour of the city might be minimised and done away with. The people of poor districts suffered not only from lack of means but poverty of spirit, owing to their dismal surroundings. Was It not time to decide to have a new race of men and women? Town planning meant that what was epent on homes was saved in -hospitals.