A person who asks alms of a stranger may be referred by him to a casual ward or to a Charity Organisation Committee. If the case is of such a kind as is prima facie unsuitable for reference to the casual ward, the Committee would give whatever immediate help may be required, and finally deal with it after inquiry. There is no room for doubting that the applications in the streets are in almost every instance made by indolent persons, who live sometimes in and sometimes out of the workhouse, and are seldom engaged in hard work of any kind. To refer them to those who will look into their circumstances may be wise; but to give them money (or food) is to invest it in manufacturing pauperism.

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The casual poor are those poor persons who are not settled in the parish or reside there, but who happen casually to be there at the time when, from some accident occurring to them, or being suddenly afflicted with some illness, they are obliged to resort to the parish officer for relief.'* For the care of these casual poor, if they be admitted into the workhouse, the General Order (Consolidated), July 24, 1847, provides. But the casual poor are chiefly destitute wayfarers or wanderers applying for and receiving relief,' and, under the title of 'casual paupers,' special provision has been made for them since that date by way of 'casual wards.' For their convenience there are casual wards-proper sleeping accommodation, consisting of separate cells, beds, and compartments, or other arrangements approved by the Local Government Board. There is a fixed dietary and scale of task work, to be done by the casual in return for the food and lodging. In the metropolis the wards are inspected, on behalf of the Local Government Board, once in every four months. They are open to casuals between October and March inclusive after 6 P.M., between April and September after 8 P.M. Orders, which are available only for the night for which they are issued,† are given by a relieving officer, or, in cases of sudden and urgent necessity, by an overseer; but the master of the workhouse or superintendent of a casual ward may admit without order cases of urgent necessity, or, if there is room in the ward, persons brought to it by a constable. Refusals to admit them are to be reported to the Guardians. Any policeman in the metropolis may personally conduct any destitute wayfarer, wanderer, or foundling, or other destitute person, to a casual ward. On his admission every casual is searched; all articles found on him are taken from him and returned on his discharge, except money, which is retained. He has to take a bath; he is supplied with other clothes

Glen's Archbold, p. 284.

+ Pauper Inmates' Discharge and Regulation Act (34 & 35 Vict., c. 108). Metropolitan Houseless Poor Act, sec. 4. For cases of stray children there is special provision, p. cviii. As a rule, all cases of real or apparent urgency in the streets should be brought to the notice of the police, or referred or taken to a workhouse or casual ward.

Poor Law provision for cases of

sudden and urgent necessity.

while in the ward; his own are dried, disinfected, and returned to him on leaving. The casual is liable, on conviction, to hard labour for one month as 'idle and disorderly' (see p. xlv.); if he abscond, refuse or neglect to do his work, or fail to observe the regulations; or if he wilfully gives a false name or makes a false statement for the purpose of obtaining relief. And if, besides committing these offences, he has on a previous occasion been convicted as 'an idle and disorderly person,' or if he destroys his own clothes, or the Guardians' property, he is punished as a 'rogue and a vagabond' (see p. xlv.). The master of the workhouse can take a disorderly inmate or casual before the magistrate without warrant.*

Subject to discretionary power in the hands of the Guardians, a casual pauper cannot discharge himself before 9 o'clock in the morning of the day following his admission, nor before he has performed the work prescribed for him. If he has already been admitted once in the period of a month to any of the casual wards in the metropolis, he is not entitled to discharge himself before 9 A.M. on the fourth day after his admission, and he may during that interval be removed to the workhouse. Sunday is not included in the computation of days.†

There is thus free public accommodation for all travellers who, being without money, are prepared to put up with rather rough accommodation, and to do a task of work by way of payment. This provision, unless made decidedly repellent, has a tendency to create vagrants, especially if the wards be associated wards.' But wards on the plan of separate cells, both for sleeping and for performing the task, are now being introduced; and these, provided the full task of an ordinary nine hours' day be required, appear to reduce vagrancy. For the ordinary vagrant, and for that class of wanderers who profess that they are not vagrants but in search of work, this system is suitable. For those 'undoubted working men making their way as quickly as they can from one centre of industry to another to work which they know to be awaiting them,' generally speaking no provision is necessary. But if they do require casual relief, they would undoubtedly prefer the 'separate ' to the associated' system. In any case a further supply of charitable refuges, which are usually on the associated' principle and without the bath and other safeguards of the casual ward, there is no need. Charitable people, if they wish to help this class, can devote themselves to that object every whit as well in connection with the casual wards as in connection with refuges.

Apart from this caravanserai system, there are stringent legal for the assistance of cases' of sudden and urgent necessity.' provisions

*34 & 35 Vict., c. 108, s. 8. † Casual Poor Act, 1882 (45 & 46 Vict. c. 36). See a paper on Vagrancy, with reference to the effect of the Act of 1882, by Mr. W. E. Knollys, Local Government Inspector.

In such cases the relieving officer has to afford relief either by admission to the workhouse, or by relief (not in money) out of the workhouse. The powers of the masters of workhouses and of the police in such cases we have alluded to (see p. xxx.). In any case of sickness or accident, requiring medical attendance, the relieving officer has to give an order on the district medical officer. The cost of relief given in cases of accident or sudden illness is paid by the Union in which application is made, subject to reimbursement from the Union to which the applicant belongs. Justices of the Peace may give an order for medical relief* in cases of sudden and dangerous illness, irrespective of settlement.

XXIII. STREET BEGGARS AND VAGABONDS.

We e pass from the casual and vagrant poor to the law for punishment of idle and disorderly persons and rogues and vagabonds in that part of Great Britain called England.'+

There are

(1) Idle and disorderly persons.

(2) Rogues and vagabonds.

(3) Incorrigible rogues and vagabonds.

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In the first category comes every person wandering abroad, or placing himself or herself in any public place, street, highway, court, or passage, to beg or gather alms, or causing, or procuring, or encouraging any child or children (under 16) to do so.' The punishment for this is hard labour for any time not exceeding one calendar month. The offender can be convicted if the Justice saw the offence committed, if the offender confesses, or if one or more credible witnesses give evidence against the offender on oath.

...

In the second category comes 'every person committing any of the offences hereinbefore mentioned after having been convicted as an idle and disorderly person every person wandering abroad and endeavouring, by the exposure of wounds or deformities, to obtain or gather alms, or endeavouring to procure charitable contributions of any nature or kind, under any false or fraudulent pretence."' The punishment in this case is hard labour for not more than three months. Conviction is by confession or on evidence on oath (as above).

In the third category is placed 'every person committing an offence against this Act which shall subject him or her to be dealt with as a rogue and vagabond, such person having been at some former time adjudged so to be and duly convicted thereof.'

* 4 Will. IV., c. 76, s. 54.

† 5 Geo. IV., c. 83, s. 3, etc.

In lieu of imprisonment fines may be required in accordance with the scale in the Summary Jurisdiction Act, 1879, in the case of idle and disorderly persons, and rogues and vagabonds.

Laws rebegging, &c.

garding

The punishment is in this case committal to the House of Correction with hard labour till the next general or quarter sessions; and at quarter sessions the incorrigible rogue may be further imprisoned with hard labour for one year, and (if not a female) be punished by whipping.

It should be noted that it is lawful for any person whatsoever to apprehend any person 'found offending against this Act,' and forthwith to take him, or cause a constable to take him, before a Justice.* A constable is liable to a penalty of 57. if he refuses or wilfully neglects to take such a person into custody, or does not use his best endeavours to apprehend and convey him before a Justice. There, by the Justice's order, he may be searched; and on conviction money found on him is applied to the expenses of his apprehension and maintenance. On warrant lodging-houses suspected of concealing vagrants and persons of the above classes can be searched by the police or other

persons.

XXIV. BEGGING-LETTER WRITERS.

'False or fraudulent pretence' in the second category of offences just mentioned, suggests 'begging-letter writers.' The habit of begging naturally leads to the exaggeration of facts, often true and pitiable, which become the beggar's stock-intrade. The habit of responding to begging-letters leads to the encouragement of this form of lying. The fault is with both beggar and giver. Instead of ascertaining and considering the facts, and assisting accordingly, the donor gives as a quittance a contribution, probably spent by the recipient in immediate needs, if not turned to evil uses. The one lacks charity and gives money; the other learns the lesson of begging, and makes money out of charity. The only remedy is to inquire, and, in eligible cases, to help thoroughly. Repressive measures, prosecutions, and the like, can only open people's eyes to the need of inquiry. In themselves they are useless. If donors were not the prey of piteous tales, and roused to give rather by a show of words than by a knowledge of facts, it might be said that the money given to worthless beggars was money of which those in distress were robbed. But now this money seems their fair spoil; at least they are more entitled to it than the donors who give it away without thinking that its worth is only in its suitable application; and the distressed have practically no chance of obtaining it, for distress cannot compete successfully with practised hypocrisy.

* This Act, besides the offences mentioned in the above categories, deals with, amongst others, cases of persons wilfully refusing to maintain themselves and their families (see p. xxxviii.). In these cases also, therefore, any person may take the initiative.

tences.

Penal servitude for five years, or imprisonment for two, is the False prepunishment of anyone who is convicted of having by false pretence obtained from any person any chattel, money, or valuable security, with intent to defraud.* Anyone may apprehend and take before a justice, without warrant, a person found committing this offence. 'There must be (1) an intentional and specific statement of some pretended existing fact which the maker knows to be untrue; (2) it must be material to the matter in hand; (3) it must be made with intend to defraud; and (4) the person to whom it is addressed must, in point of fact, believe it, and make over property on the strength of it.' The attempt to obtain property by false pretences is indictable.

charitable

Many so-called charities exist by begging of strangers. Their Mendicant agents call at houses in the suburbs, and tell of spiritual destitution institutions. and want. The master of the house is absent. They are asked no questions; they show a collection-book and a list of donors, and possibly of members of committee. No word they say is verified. They receive countless small donations, and their profits are large. From beginning to end, except perhaps in that wish to do good which makes the listener feel in his pocket for a half-crown, there is not a jot of charity in the whole transaction. Here, again, inquiry is the only remedy. Donors have to learn to support only useful and well-regulated charitable institutions, which give on inquiry good guarantees for their work and management.‡

XXV. PEDLARS.

The pedlar is a kind of legalised vagrant-a vagrant with a legitimate and recognised purpose in roving. Almoners will often have applications made to them to 'renew stock' and to pay for a pedlar's certificate. The words pedlar and hawker are often used indifferently. Hawker is the name of the genus, with two species, one also named 'hawker' and one 'pedlar.' Both hawker and pedlar, when provided with license or certificate, are licensed hawkers'; but the hawker takes out a license, for which he pays £4, and pursues his hawking trade on horseback or inside his caravan,' and carries to sell or expose to sale 'goods to be afterwards delivered,' while the pedlar travels or trades on foot' without any horse or other beast bearing or drawing burden, and sells goods 'to be immediately delivered, or offers for sale his skill in handicraft,' and has to take out a yearly certificate, for which he pays 5s. It is with him rather than with the hawker that the almoner will come in contact. He obtains his certificate from the chief office of the police district in which he resides. Any policeman may open and inspect

* 24 & 25 Vict., c. 96, s. 88.

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†The Justice's Note Book,' by W. Knox Wigram, p. 204.

As to 'Volunteer Fire Brigades' in the Metropolis, see Addenda, p. clxxvi.

Cost of tificate, etc.

pedlar's cer