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67
£
Cost of 6 months Infirmary treatment of 6 men 156
Out or in-door relief of 4 wives at 1/. a week for
10 years 104
Ditto 12 children at 10/. a week for
5 years 1560
£1820
Thus a cost of £500 not only makes 24 men wage-earners for
nine months, and postpones and diminishes their chargeableness
to the Guardians in that time, but also makes 8 men permanent
wage.earners, and saves an expense from the rates within the
next ten years of £1820. The cost of maintenance of wives
and children given above is estimated on the amount which is
usually allowed by Poor Law Guardians, but it must be
remembered that this amount has been decided by the Poor
Law Commissioners to be insufficient, and its insufficiency has
probably to a large extent the effect of causing later expense to
the rates in supporting men and women who become chargeable,
by sickness and physical and mental incapacity, through
not having been properly nourished and cared for immediately
need arose.
On the whole I think it must be allowed that the estimate
of money saved to the rates is rather below than above the
mark.
Four of the 12 patients restored to health, permanently,
would be women and children. If not so restored a certain
proportion of these would come on the rates sooner or later,
but no allowance has been made for this as it is difficult to
estimate.
87. The names of 71 applicants were entered on the register
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