A Summary View of the Report and Evidence, Relative to the Poor Laws, Published by Order of the House of Commons, With Observations & Suggestions

A Summary View Of The Report And Evidence, Relative To The Poor Laws, Published By Order Of The House Of Commons, With Observations & Suggestions by S. W. Nicoll. This work provides a concise synthesis of the 1817 House of Commons Committee report on the state of the Poor Laws and the evidence it drew upon. Nicoll offers an impartial overview of the Report and its evidentiary basis, and presents observations on the operation and consequences of the Poor Laws in England and Scotland. The pamphlet discusses proposed reforms such as select vestries, limits on rates, and the integration of Friendly Societies, while critically examining ideas for national relief funds and district schools. It argues for careful regulation and transitional measures to improve the system, rather than abolition, and emphasizes the role of savings banks as a means to promote thrift and reduce pauperism. The piece also weighs Mr. Owen’s utopian schemes and argues for prudence and gradual change guided by experience.