THE INCREASE OF LONDON PAUPERISM

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1716, 18 January 1905, Page 71 (Supplement)

THE INCREASE OF LONDON PAUPERISM

Pauperism in London is increasing at a rapid rate. The official statement just issued for the week ended November 2 shows a total of 120,476 paupers, of whom 75,185 were receiving indoor relief and 45,291 outdoor relief. This

is an increase of 9395 on the number for the corresponding period of 1903 when the total was 11,081 (71,821 indoor and 39,260 outdoor); of 11,433 on the number for 1902, when the total was 109,043 (68,853 indoor and 40,190 outdoor); and 14,417 on the number for 1901, when the total was 106,059 (67,474 indoor and 38,585 outdoor). The indoor poor have increased by 7711 since 1901, and the outdoor paupers by 6705. If we compare the figures over a longer period it is seen that there are only five years since 1862—the years 1867 to 1871 —when the mass of pauperism was greater than it is now, but the number of indoor paupers —75,185—is larger than in any year on record, while the number of outdoor paupers is higher than in any year since 1878. The amount of out-relief now being given is an indication of the condition of the labour market: the indoor population of the workhouses, although affected to some extent just now by poverty resulting from the want of employment, is due in a greater degree to the entry into the workhouses for some years past of increased numbers of the aged poor. The growth of pauperised poverty during the past month is considerable. At the end of the second week of October the total pauperism was lower by 5842 than in the second week of November. In the four weeks 3935 people have been added to outdoor pauperism and 1907 to the number of indoor poor. In the second week of the present month the increase was 1503 paupers, of whom 1019 came upon the outdoor lists. The details of the official statement show the distribution, of pauperism. The heaviest burden is borne by the South district where the guardians of the eight unions provided in the second week of the present month for 45,464 paupers (24,927 indoor and 20,477 outdoor), an increase of 2694 the number for the corresponding period of 1993. Wandsworth., w'l'th a population of 400,941, which is greater than that of any other union in London, had as many as 7244 paupers, an increase on the year of 1290; while Camberwell had 8268 paupers, an increase of 474. In the Elast district the number was 23,241 (15,060 indoor and 8181 outdoor), as against 19,926 in 1903, an increase of 3315. Poplar in this district provided for as many as 9037 paupers, of whom 5372 were receiving relief out of doors, while the total number of outdoor paupers in all the other six unions of the district put together was not more than 2809. In the Central district there were 10,059 paupers (7219 indoor and 2840 outdoor) in the four unions, an increase of 158. The North district registered 26,499 paupers in the five unions, of whom 10,346 were out of doors, the total being an increase of 2640 over the 1903 total. Islington had 9219, or an increase of 963. Of the total, which was larger than that of any other union in London, 4937 were outdoor paupers. In the West district there were 15,273 paupers (11,826 indoor and 3447 outdoor), an increase of 588. The vagrancy return shows that on the night of Friday in the second week of this month there were 12«4 persons relieved as against 1192 in 1903, 1039 in 1902, and 1105 in 1901.