DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.24890#0066
disease. Persons of this class would often, when they recov-
ered a little strength, evade the mild compulsion exercised to
retain them, leave the poorhouse, and wander aimlessly seeking
in vain to beg a living till brought back again in a worse
condition than before.
Village relief expanded during this period with great
rapidity. The circle system already described had become fully
elaborated. Village by village every individual was brought
under observation, and as the famine grew in intensity new
cases came constantly to light. As the able-bodied were forced
to seek the relief works many of those dependant on them were
left without support. Among the better classes who would not
accept charity publicly many pitiable cases were sought out by
the assistance of their neighbours and relieved in an unobtru-
sive way. The number supported gratuitously at their own
homes, which at the beginning of January was little over
40,000, had risen to 233,000 by the end of that month; this
total including persons to whom relief was temporarily given
until they should become strong enough to earn their liveli-
hood on the relief works. During Eebruary the careful
scrutiny by European officers of the work done by their
native subordinates had the effect of reducing the numbers on
some of the village lists; but on the whole the work was found
to be well done. In only one district were any serious defects
discovered. By the end of Eebruary there were over 263,000
on the lists. Experience appeared to indicate that during the
season when relief works are practicable on a large scale, when
the numbers in receipt of all forms of gratuitous relief exceeded
one-third of the number of labourers in works, and when
the numbers on village relief exceeded 3 per cent, of the
population of the distressed tract, suspicion is aroused and
the need for closer scrutiny suggested. This rough working
rule, the product of long experience of famine administration,
was found useful as a danger-signal counselling special watch-
fulness.
Taking all forms of relief together, the numbers
dependent on Government, which were 351,093 at the end of
December, had risen to 1,305,217 by the end of January and
by the end of Eebruary amounted to 1,696,722.
Besides the increase of numbers the signs of the times
appeared in the character of the people who sought relief. In
the worst districts men and women of the cultivating or tenant
classes began to come on the works. They held out as long
as their resources lasted, and in order to economize their
means they and their families did a much larger share of the
field work than usual, and so avoided the employment of hired
labour (thereby limiting the employment available for day
labourers, already restricted by the shortness of the cultivated
15
ered a little strength, evade the mild compulsion exercised to
retain them, leave the poorhouse, and wander aimlessly seeking
in vain to beg a living till brought back again in a worse
condition than before.
Village relief expanded during this period with great
rapidity. The circle system already described had become fully
elaborated. Village by village every individual was brought
under observation, and as the famine grew in intensity new
cases came constantly to light. As the able-bodied were forced
to seek the relief works many of those dependant on them were
left without support. Among the better classes who would not
accept charity publicly many pitiable cases were sought out by
the assistance of their neighbours and relieved in an unobtru-
sive way. The number supported gratuitously at their own
homes, which at the beginning of January was little over
40,000, had risen to 233,000 by the end of that month; this
total including persons to whom relief was temporarily given
until they should become strong enough to earn their liveli-
hood on the relief works. During Eebruary the careful
scrutiny by European officers of the work done by their
native subordinates had the effect of reducing the numbers on
some of the village lists; but on the whole the work was found
to be well done. In only one district were any serious defects
discovered. By the end of Eebruary there were over 263,000
on the lists. Experience appeared to indicate that during the
season when relief works are practicable on a large scale, when
the numbers in receipt of all forms of gratuitous relief exceeded
one-third of the number of labourers in works, and when
the numbers on village relief exceeded 3 per cent, of the
population of the distressed tract, suspicion is aroused and
the need for closer scrutiny suggested. This rough working
rule, the product of long experience of famine administration,
was found useful as a danger-signal counselling special watch-
fulness.
Taking all forms of relief together, the numbers
dependent on Government, which were 351,093 at the end of
December, had risen to 1,305,217 by the end of January and
by the end of Eebruary amounted to 1,696,722.
Besides the increase of numbers the signs of the times
appeared in the character of the people who sought relief. In
the worst districts men and women of the cultivating or tenant
classes began to come on the works. They held out as long
as their resources lasted, and in order to economize their
means they and their families did a much larger share of the
field work than usual, and so avoided the employment of hired
labour (thereby limiting the employment available for day
labourers, already restricted by the shortness of the cultivated
15