HARD TIMES IN ENGLAND."

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11166, 29 January 1904, Page 4

HARD TIMES IN ENGLAND. "

This, acc6rdirig to ' tabledt • "reports,. fa'Vl likely to be one of the worst winters that the poor of London have ever had to.fattej' •> The Salvation. Ajmy is already beiie|||s.; by more than twice as many applicants , for relief as it is usually called upon. to, provide for at this season- of the year,- ■ and every .night between 3000 and 4000 ' people are being turned away from, the.' . "shelters," to sleep in the streets. Mr. S.. I?ord Ridley, member of Parliament, for the South-west Division of Bethnal (Green, says : "Men are' losing their employment - by thousands, owing to the .general depression in trade." As an indication of the condition of things it may be said . that a London paper which has looked . into the matter, finds that there are about 300 applicants for eacH position that, ia , advertised in the city papers. It has been found that in some Quarters of the British. . metropolis people herd 'together, like-ani-mals. In a case before one of the Courtsa few days ago the fact -was brought but that in many of the poorer districts adult . males and females were crowded into tha. same apartments without regard to relationship. In one case- a room .had been t sublet by its tenants, so that .in addition^ .- to the family that had originally • leased ' the place there were, ten men and women occupying it. They slept on the floor and in. boxes. Nor is the distressing conditionconfined to London. Things "are reported to be just aa bad in the northern, part of England and almost as bad in the southern districts.