THE UNIONS' AND PARISH OFFICERS' YEAR-BOOK FOR 1839: CONTAINING VALUABLE INFORMATION ON THE SUBJECT OF GUARDIANS, RELIEF, ACCOUNTS, AND RATING UNDER TOGETHER WITH AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING ANALYSES OF ACTS, AND COPIES OF IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONAL LONDON: CHARLES KNIGHT AND CO., 22, LUDGATE-STREET, PUBLISHERS TO THE POOR LAW COMMISSIONERS. INTRODUCTION. THERE being, under the present new and improved system of Poor Laws, a controlling power, under whose directions the law is administered, and to whom all doubts can be referred for solution, it may reasonably be supposed that the inconveniences and defects which arose from diversity of views and of habits under the old law will, in the course of a short time, cease to exist, and that ultimately the principle and the practice of the law will be made conformable to each other throughout the country. Notwithstanding, however, that the Guardians, and others. concerned in the administration of the law, can obtain readily the advice and co-operation of the Poor Law Commissioners, it is manifest that there must be various points constantly occurring under the Act, or under the rules and regulations of the Commissioners, which will be differently construed by different Boards of Guardians, each-without thinking that other opinions are entertained by other Boards-conceiving its own construction to be correct, and acting upon it accordingly. New points, also, will and do constantly occur, which neither the Act itself, nor the rules and regulations of the Commissioners, immediately bear upon. It is, therefore, with a view to circulate a correct knowledge of the law as it ought to be administered, and that its fundamental principles, but more especially that the opinions and directions of the Poor Law Commissioners, on questions submitted to them respecting its details, may be conveyed to all, that the present work has been undertaken. The principal topics adverted to are election, &c., of Guardians; Relief; Accounts; and Rating under the Parochial Assessments Act; each of which is obviously of great importance, but more especially the subject of Relief. On the latter subject we feel convinced that, if the instructions of the Commissioners, as set forth in their rules and regulations, and as contained in their letter of the 6th Sept., 1837 (vide page 28), to the Commissioners of Metropolitan Police (in which the nature of the relief available for cases of destitution is set forth in detail), are properly attended to by the relieving and other officers concerned in the administration of the law, we shall in a very short time hear of no cases of actual destitution chargeable to the new law; and it is a singular fact that at present, in almost every instance, the cases which have arisen have occurred in parishes under local acts, and which are not yet placed under the provisions of the Poor Law Amendment Act. THE UNIONS' YEAR-BOOK. GUARDIANS, OWNERS, AND RATE-PAYERS. The following is an analysis of the principal points in the Poor Law Amendment Act in relation to I.-The Guardians of the Poor. 1. The term guardian is held to mean and include any visitor, governor, director, manager, acting guardian, or other officer in a parish or union, appointed or entitled to act as a manager of the poor, and in the distribution or ordering of relief from the poor-rate, under any general or local act. 2. When any parishes shall be united for the administration of relief, a Board of Guardians shall be constituted and chosen, by whom the workhouses shall be governed, and the relief to the poor administered; and so, if the commissioners direct that any single parish shall be governed by a Board of Guardians, such board shall be elected and constituted, and authorised to act in the like manner as guardians for united parishes. 3. Qualification to be fixed by the commissioners, and 4. To consist in being rated to some parish within the union. But 5. Not to be required to exceed an annual rental of 407. 6. Every resident justice of the peace for the county is, exofficio, a guardian. 7. Guardians be re-elected for the ensuing year. may 8. Guardians already chosen for another parish may be elected. 9. Numbers to be elected for any one or more parishes to be determined by the commissioners, provided that one or more shall be elected for each parish. 10. To be elected by the rate-payers and owners of property. 11. Also, guardians, under 22 Geo. III., c. 83, or any local |