Note 581c — HISTORY OF LYNN. PART III. (continued 4)

The expectation of the adoption of a thorough economical system, for our Workhouse, has considerably lowered, with some people, since the recent appointment of a new collector of poor rates; when a person was appointed with a salary of 130l. a year, although another candidate, of equally unexceptionable character offered, as it is said, to execute the office for 50l. less. This, indeed, does not seem to be a good omen; yet we hope it does not augur, or absolutely indicate that things will still go on after the old sort, so as to admit of such vile and infamous proceedings as those of the flour-merchants, mentioned by Mr. Grisenthwaite, or that the expenditure of the next and succeeding years will equal, or nearly equal, that of the last and preceding ones.—No longer, it is to be hoped, are we to hear of “every thing for the use of the House being procured of whom and in such quantities as the governor and master think proper, at the full current market prices—or, that groceries are taken, in small quantities, at the common retail rates—or, that clothing provided for the house costs upwards of 30 per Cent. more them it might fairly be afforded at—or, that our female paupers, on holidays, are to be seen associated, in the vilest ale-houses, with the very dregs of society, manifesting by their lewdness of expression, immodest demeanour, and depraved sentiment, an entire dereliction of every virtuous principle.” This last circumstance must have actually reduced our poor-house to a wh—house! a character which, sorely it ought no longer to retain; otherwise a great part of our enormous poor rates will be most infamously misapplied.—It is presumed it will also be very desirable that our new collector should not tenaciously imitate every part of the conduct of his predecessor; and especially that of harassing the poorer householders, for default of prompt or speedy payment, by indiscriminately issuing summonses, at the rate of 2s. 4d. a piece, and by three and four score at a time. Such a process must bear very hard upon those luckless people, whose poverty or inability constitutes perhaps, the whole of their delinquency. To exact, therefore, an additional 2s. 4d. from each of them, must have been, to say the least of it, an unchristian and inhuman deed.—N.B. The Collector above mentioned, with a salary of 130l. a year, is a new officer, as is also the Registrar, with a salary of 50l. a year. These twin-brothers are the legitimate offspring of the new poor act. To the Registrar is supposed to belong, to chronicle small beer, &c. and write summonses: if so, as the defaulters are charged 2s. 4d. for each summons, are they not, in fact, paid for twice over?