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239
[1907
STATE OF PAUPERISM.
Paupers Relieved —Judging by the numbers relieved, the total number
of persons in receipt of relief during each week of the year 1907 must have
considerably increased, for the return shows an excess of 530 per week on the
return of the preceding year, and of 1,968 on the weekly average of the
preceding ro years.
From the return given below it is apparent that every year since 1897 has
shown an increase of the number of persons relieved weekly, with the solitary
exception of 1906, when the return showed a decrease of 155 compared with
the preceding year. Such a state of affairs is not satisfactory, as it indicates
either that there is a very great slackness of work or that there is a
considerable increase in the number of old people receiving relief.
The average number of paupers relieved in each year since 1897 has been
as follows:—
1897 6,486 per week relieved.
1898 6,635 ,,
1899 6,854 ,,
1900 6,956 ,,
1901 7,327 ,,
1902 7,668 ,,
1903 8,004 ,,
1904 8,086 ,,
1905 9,224 ,,
1906 9,069 ,,
Average 7,631 ,,
1907 9,599
Indoor Paupers.—The average weekly number of indoor paupers,
including adults and children, was 4,261, as contrasted with 4,189 in the
preceding year, and an average of 3,597 during the decennial period
1897-1906.
Outdoor Paupers.—The weekly average of outdoor paupers relieved was
5,338, as against 4,880 in 1906 and an average of 4,034 in the preceding
10 years. Of these, 3,556 were adults and 1,782 children under 16 years
of age.
Vagrants.—The average weekly number of vagrants relieved increased
from 12 in 1906 to 75 in the year under discussion, or the considerable increase
of 63 per week. The average number during the preceding 10 years was 25.
Children Boarded Out.—The weekly average of children boarded out
at the expense of the Board of Guardians was 135, which is an increase of 1 as
compared with the return of the year 1906 and of 122 on the return of the
10 years 1897-1906.