Penistone, Stocksbridge and Hoyland Express – Saturday 16 February 1924
The Poor Law
Mr. Roberts’s View Of Relief
A Talk To Denaby Women
Mr. Arthur Roberts, C.C., addressed a well attended meeting of women in the Denaby Main Primitive Methodist Schoolroom, on Tuesday afternoon. The chair was taken by Coun. Mrs. Kaye, and Coun. Tom Hill also addressed the meeting.
Mr. Roberts described the law as being in favour of the men and against the woman, in dealing with the hardships of the unmarried mother who had to enter a Union. The Guardians were always ready to issue warrants where possible so that the man could take his share of the blame. He appealed to the women to run a woman candidate at the next Guardians election, for there were many cases in which women would not disclose their cases to men. Being a Guardian was a thankless task, for there were many unpleasant questions to be asked of candidates for relief. He wanted to see women there to deal with women’s questions.
He had not pleased everybody, he was not going to try to, but he would take second place to no one for work done and interest taken in the work.
Poor Law relief should be discussed from the point of view of what we should like if we had recourse to it. It was not charity in the sense in which it was understood some time ago, it was a right.
He was in opposition to the system which dragged old people to the workhouse instead of giving them outdoor relief and stated that the system was deliberately evolved to prevent persons applying for relief. He gave figures to show that the present method is false economy.
He concluded by stating that most of us would be dead before the present system was abolished in its entirety, and that if any board should have a majority of women serving on it, it was a Board of Guardians, and he appealed for the return of at least one woman at the next election.
There was a discussion regarding the inconvenient position of the Relieving Officer’s Department in Denaby, and the lack of accommodation, and Coun. T. Hill stated that perhaps the trustees of the Miners’ Welfare Institute would consider favourably allowing a room there to be used. For 6d. per quarter a miner and his wife could be affiliated to the Institute, they would both be able to attend the cricket matches and the wife would enjoy the same privileges as the husband. A room was to be reserved for women’s functions.
He also mentioned that there were negotiations with the West Riding Education Committee for the teaching of swimming, and he hoped that when the baths were opened it would be possible to teach every boy and girl over nine to swim before leaving school.