burden than can be conveniently borne, he is reminded that outdoor relief at 2s. 6d. is a better thing than superannuation at 1s. 8d. The advantage of his leaving the club is obvious, and he goes, generally with a good grace, 'to relieve the club and better himself.' He oftentimes receives a donation from the 'sharing out' proceeds; but, whether he likes it or not, he will be passed over in the new list of members for the year ensuing.
"In the course of the last Session the Earl of Lichfield moved for a return of the number of paupers, in Union Workhouses in England and Wales, who had formerly been members of benefit societies. The return was obtained for the last week in August when the numbers were reported to be 4015. By the kindness of Mr. Owen, of the Poor Law Board, we are enabled to state that the number of male paupers in the Workhouses at that time was 32,497; whence it appears that about 12 per cent. of such inmates were formerly in friendly societies. At first the proportion does not seem to be large; but when it is considered that the workhouse is the refuge of destitute infirm persons, whose constitutions, and also of the idle and vicious whose characters, would alike debar them from admittance to such societies, the percentage will be thought a high one. At the same time we believe that if returns were forthcoming of the number of outdoor paupers formerly in benefit societies, a much higher percentage would be the result. Of all these poor men, there is but too much reason to conclude that had the money wasted by them in insolvent or fraudulent clubs been properly applied, they would at this moment have been in the receipt of a sufficient sum to raise them above pauperism, unless in those case of exceptional distress in which help, whether from poor-rate or parish charities, entails no moral degradation."
APPENDIX III.
The following statement explains the System of Industrial Partnership, adopted by Henry Briggs, Son, and Company, at the Whitwood and Methley Junction Collieries, near Normanton, Yorkshire, and is given here as it has been argued that a similar system of co-operation might be adopted in farming.
