CITY OF LONDON COMMITTEE. J. C. BAYLEY, Esq. President: HENRY HUCKS GIBBS, Esq., F.R.G.S. Chairman: H. N. HAMILTON-HOARE, Esq. Rev. WM. BENHAM, B.D. H. BROWN, Esq. EDGAR CORRIE, Esq. Vice-Chairman: Rev. H. I. CUMMINS, M.A. BERTRAM W. CURRIE, Esq. The Very Rev. the DEAN OF ST. PAUL'S. *C. H. FELDMANN, Esq. Hon. C. W. FREMANTLE, C.B. (Dep. FREDERICK GREENE, Esq. Rev. R. H. HADDEN, B.A. WM. HEARLE LYALL, Esq., M.A. Rev. WM. MARTIN, M.A. Rev. ARNOLD PAGE. Rev. Prebendary REYNOLDS, M.A. Rev. H. C. SHUTTLEWORTH, M.A. Sir R. MACDONALD STEPHENSON. R. V. TIDMAN, Esq., J.P. Rev. M. S. A. WALROND, M.A. W. H. WARE, Esq. Rev. L. B. WHITE, D.D. R. WILLIAMS, Jun., Esq. With power to add to their number. Representatives at Council: REPORT. FINANCIAL OUTLOOK. THE past year has been an anxious one for the Committee from a financial point of view. The prevailing depression in business circles has affected this Society in common with all other charitable agencies, and has to a certain extent limited the operations of the Committee. In spite of this, the number of annual subscriptions has increased, though not in the ratio desired or anticipated. MISTAKEN VIEWS OF THE SOCIETY'S WOrk. It is not only commercial depression that the Committee have had to contend against; there exists much prejudice and misapprehension among business men with regard to the real work of the Society. The Committee feel perfectly sure that these arise from a lack of knowledge of the true aims of the Society, and that a more favourable impression would be gained by a little closer insight into the plans of operation, and by occasional personal observation of the work of the Committee. They cordially invite the attendance and co-operation of business men at the office, with the conviction that in this matter seeing' would be 'believing.' OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. The chief objections seem to be that the amount and nature of the relief given to applicants are inadequate, and that the inquiries made are harsh and unnecessary. With regard to the first objection, it should be remembered that the Society does not undertake relief as a primary duty; its chief aim being so to direct the many charitable impulses at work in the City as to secure their application to worthy objects, and to discourage and eventually eliminate the horde of unworthy persons who obtain help which they do not deserve or need. With regard to the second objection, the Committee feel certain that their course of action is in the end the kindest; the inquiries are conducted in the quietest and most careful manner, either personally by themselves or through their officers, in whom they have absolute confidence, both for their humanity and their discretion. FALSE OUTCRY AGAINST INQUIRY. Experience has taught them that the outcry against inquiry emanates from those whose immediate antecedents and whose objects will least bear scrutiny; and, on the other hand, that deserving applicants acquiesce cheerfully and willingly in the full investigation of their statements. Delay must sometimes necessarily be caused; but the Committee guard against it as much as possible, and where present destitution is pleaded, always support applicants pending inquiry. NUMBER OF INQUIRIES MADR. The arduous nature of this immediate and important branch of the Society's work may be gathered from the fact that, over and above their own cases, the City Committee have conducted 1,639 inquiries during the past year for other branches of the Society, have sent out 224 reports for societies or private persons who have entrusted them with investigations, and that the correspondence of the office has entailed the writing of more than 2,600 letters. CASE WORK. In the coure of the year 362 cases have come before the City Committee, of which 102 had to be referred, for residential reasons, to other branches, 161 have been satisfactorily assisted, and 99 have been deemed, after careful and close consideration, outside the scope of the Society's work. INELIGIBLE CASES. This last number may be taken as a specimen of the valuable work the Society does. Some were found actually not to require relief at all, others were totally undeserving of any sympathy, many more were simply Poor Law cases, which no charitable agency could profitably assist. While upon this matter, the Committee would earnestly point out that they are unable to effect anything for the numbers of men who come to them, broken down both physically and morally-men whose age or infirmities, no less than the moral failings which have induced those infirmities, render them utterly incapable of pursuing any avocation. The two subjoined cases are fair examples of this kind. SPECIMENS. 1864. A young man, aged 18, was sent to the office from the casual ward. He was a carpenter by trade, had lived with his grandfather in Birmingham, on whose death he came to London; obtained work, which only lasted seven weeks, and had now been out of work for eight weeks; had sold all his tools, and was utterly destitute. Inquiry was made of the foreman of the works where applicant was employed. From him we learnt that the man was originally met by him begging in a public-house; he offered and gave him work in Mark Lane the next morning; as he was without tools, he lent him some and recommended him to purchase a few every week out of his wages (218.); after seven weeks' work the young man gave it up, saying that he was going back to his grandfather in Birmingham. The foreman soon discovered that he was keeping very bad company, was living with a profligate woman, and had become thoroughly depraved and worthless. 1932. An old man of 77, a cabinet maker, applied for temporary help until he could obtain work; had broken his arm, and had been living perforce upon his stock, his son ostensibly carrying on his business. The son was found to be a very intemperate man, spending in drink everything of his own and his father's that he could lay hands on. It was apparent that the old man would never be able to work again, and that no help could be looked for from the son, and consequently the case was obliged to be referred to the Poor Law Guardians. CASES OF IMPOSTURE AND BEGGING. The Committee attach great value to that portion of their work which consists in the exposure and suppression of gross cases of imposture. They would draw the attention of merchants and professional men to the great advantages that accrue from referring to the Committee all unknown persons who apply to them with some plausible story for relief. It is truer charity to resist the impulse which prompts one to give a small sum at once to save further trouble, and to send the applicant to the Society with a notification that help will be given if the case prove deserving. The Committee gladly take such cases in hand, and report upon them for private persons. The following are two of many cases that show the benefits arising from this procedure. Here, as so often happens, money would have been unworthily bestowed, and was doubtless reserved for worthier charitable uses. SPECIMENS. 1947. A young man, single, joiner by trade, had been helped a little by a well-known nobleman to whom he had appealed, but the latter's suspicions having been aroused, he asked the Committee to make inquiries. Applicant's statement was that he had been seven weeks in town, having come thither from Halifax; that he had formerly been in the Harrogate police force, but had left from dislike to the duties; asked to be sent back to Keighley, his native place. The Halifax Charity Organisation Society, to whom we applied, discovered that he had given a false address there, and had not been employed by a certain firm as he stated. The Harrogate constabulary informed us that the only man of applicant's name, whom they knew, was still in the force, and bore a good character. The grossness of the personation and statements being verified, the man's name was placed on the Society's cautionary list. A City subscriber casually named to the Committee that he had received a begging letter from a lady, an artist, whom he had formerly befriended, and that he was disposed to send her £2 to her address at Canterbury. The Committee at once authorised the Canterbury Charity Organisation Society to help the case if the distress existed and help could with advantage be given. The result of the Society's inquiry was to satisfy our subscriber that his proposed donation would have done more harm than good by encouraging the lady in habits of extravagance which were causing her embarrassments. The next case is one presenting many similar features of direct falsehood and imposture. TYPE OF AN UNDESERVING CASE. 2004. Applicant was a man of strong, powerful build, calling himself an accountant. His statement was that he was a widower, had walked from Doncaster to London to obtain work, had been ill in Bow Infirmary, and now wished for help to go to Bath, where he was certain to obtain work under a friend. He also stated that he had five children dependent upon him who were being temporarily cared for by a clergyman till he could obtain work. Inquiries were made; the friend at Bath wrote saying that he certainly could not give him work or help him. The clergyman at Doncaster informed us that the man had deserted his wife and children, and had been imprisoned for it, that the wife had died (during his imprisonment) in the workhouse, where the five children still remained at the charge of the ratepayers. He further stated that drink had been the ruin of the man. We communicated also with his father, who lived at Derby, who informed us that his son had arrived there from Doncaster in a state of intoxication, and that his railway fare had been paid on to London. He also expressed himself most strongly as to the son's previous misconduct. We also ascertained that applicant was really an ex-railway policeman, and had been employed as such since his stay in London, but had been dismissed for idleness and suspected dishonesty. During the inquiry relief was given to applicant, and temporary work as a clerk found for him; this he soon left, and has taken care not to appear at the office again. He has since been seen begging in the streets and in offices. CASES SUCCESSFULLY DEALT WITH. The 161 cases with which the Committee have successfully dealt during the past year present many and varied features. Some of them, the Committee feel, could only have been benefited by such a society as theirs; others show the value of co-operation with other societies or individuals. The Committee have gratefully to acknowledge this valuable co-operation on the part of the City clergy, Churchwardens, Guardians, and their own generous supporters. Many persons have been taken off the rates, and rescued from pauperism and crime, and others from being useless members of society have been enabled to earn their own living. Appended are a few typical cases. SPECIMENS OF SUCCESSFUL CASES. 1987. Applicant was a man of good family, of superior education, a good linguist, well versed in Eastern languages, had served as a private (through some family misunderstanding) in a cavalry regiment, and while in India had been employed in secretarial work owing to his unusual abilities. In consequence of some serious breach of military discipline he had been sentenced to five years' penal servitude. On his release from Pentonville he presented himself to the Committee asking earnestly for work of any description. His antecedents were of course against him, for his military discharge naturally described his character as bad.' Applicant behaved very well while his statements were being inquired into, took the interim relief offered very reluctantly, did whatever odd work he could get in the tramway stables, &c. The result of the inquiries from the officers of his regiment and others showed that nothing could be brought against him but an unfortunate temper, and that in every other respect he was worthy of credit and assistance. By the persistent exertions of the Committee a situation was eventually procured for him where his linguistic and other abilities would be of service; and according to latest accounts he is doing very well and is likely to regain his good name and position. 1867. An ayah, a widow, a native of Madras, appeared before the Committee in a deplorable condition. She had accompanied a family to England, expecting to be able to return to India at once with another family she knew, but found that they had started a few days before her arrival here. She went to a lodging she had occupied on a former occasion when in England, thinking she would soon be re-engaged, but time went on and her means became exhausted, and having parted with everything she possessed, and being in debt, she applied to the Poor Law Guardians; one of them, who was also an Honorary Secretary of this Society, at once referred her to the Charity Organisation Society. It was found that she had excellent credentials, and the Committee inserted an advertisement in the papers, by which she obtained a situation with a lady who was going out to India. This lady's plans were altered, and the poor woman was again thrown adrift. The Committee once more inserted advertisements, this time with more permanent success, the ayah being engaged by a lady going to India with her child. This lady advanced some money, and by this means and by their own funds, and by the kindly assistance of some members of the Society of Friends of Foreigners in Distress, the Committee were enabled to settle her liabilities, redeem her things, and buy a few necessary things for the voyage, and the poor woman, quite helpless in this country, was safely transferred to her native country last August. 1938. A smart-looking jockey boy applied to the Committee for help to be sent to Chantilly, and to redeem his clothes which he had been obliged to pledge. His statement was that he had held a good situation in some stables in France, but that an elder brother had written persuading him to come home. He obtained a holiday for this purpose, but almost immediately after his arrival his brother enlisted and left applicant to look after his mother, who was past work. The youth had been six months in London without being able to procure work, and had become quite destitute. He stated that he was sure his former master would re-employ him. This gentleman, who was now living in the South of France, was communicated with, and he sent 40 francs to defray the cost of the lad's journey. His clothes were therefore redeemed, and his ticket taken by the Committee, and he is now with his former master. The mother, on her own proposition, agreed to go into the house if her son could be reinstated; and this was felt to be the best thing for her. OUTSIDE CO-OPERATION WITH WORK OF COMMITTEE. The advantages accruing from co-operation with the Committee's efforts may be judged from the following: 1879. A boy aged 14, who had lost a leg, was brought to the notice of the Committee by the Churchwardens of St. Botolph's, Bishopsgate, who suggested that admission should be gained for him in a suitable home, where he could be taught a trade. He was one of a family of seven children, the father, a builder's handy man, being frequently disabled by gout, and unable to do anything special for this son. Both parents were known to be respectable and industrious, and had been helped by small loans by the Committee during difficulties caused by the breadwinner's illnesses. The Committee procured admission for the boy into the National Industrial Home for Crippled Boys, where he is now conducting himself well, and is being taught die-sinking. £36 168. 4d. was needed to defray the three years' necessary charges; of this sum £27. 19s. Od. was promptly raised by the Committee through the kindness of several of their supporters, the Churchwardens contributing £5, and the remaining balance of £8. 178. 4d. would be gratefully received from any who may read this and appreciate the excellent character of the work. 2002. The parents of a boy, aged 13, who had lost a knee-cap through an accident, applied for three Surgical Aid letters to complete the purchase of a surgical boot for him. The boy had already been treated in two or three hospitals and Convalescent Homes, and it was found that in order to do him H |