HOW THE POOR LIVE.

Evening Star, Issue 14119, 23 July 1909, Page 4

HOW THE POOR LIVE.

«, The Row Arthur Dale, of St. James-the-I«s Itoctf.ry, Ancoats, Manchester, wi-itee to the editor of the ' Manchester Guardian ' a* follows : It hj :t> often lieen a puzzle to me, and I think also to others, to know how tieople with very small incomes exist at all. ~ Last wetk I asked two women to ke>ep an exact record of income and expenditure, with the Pillowing result, to the a-ccurucy of which I <un testify: Mie A. : Tot.il income, lis 6d ; family, man. woman. thi-je small children. Expenditure : Kent. 36. Monday : ]irc;wl. 7d ; tea and sugar. 2d ; driuping. Tuesday, lire.id. 7il : tea and eugar, 2d; bacon, 2d ; oatmeal and milk. 2d ; tobacco, 2d. Wednesday: Bread, 5(1 ; lea and sugar, 2'l : dripping, ljd: txitmeal and milk, 2d. Thursday : Bread, 8d ; tea and Btigar, 2d ; dripping, I'd ; bacon, 2d ; oatmeal and milk. tolmco. Id.

Fliday: Bread. 8d ; tea and Fugar. 2d; dripping, IJid; o-itmeal and milk, 2d; trousers and vest. Bil ; tobacco. Id. Saturday a,ud Sunday: Bread. lOd ; meat and* potat-.»e.s. 4d ; coal, 2i,d ; meal and milk, 2d; tea and sugar, 3*^; soap, Id.

I have known this family for several years. I believe the average earning during this period have been Less rather than more than stited. and their rent hae been always higher until recently. Mr and Mm A." were prcf-oeuttd and sent fox two months to Knutsford for neglect of their children hist January. Mrs 15. : Total income. 136 6d ; family, man. woman, five small children. Expenditure :

Kent, 3a. Monday ; Bread. 8d ; dripping, 3d ; tea and sugar, 2d ; candles, Id. Tuesday : Bread. 6d ; dripping, Id ; tea and sugar. 2d ; soap. l^d. Wednesday : Bread, 8d ; tea and sugar, 6d ; milk, 2d; potatoes, 2£d ; tobacco, 2d. Thursday: Bread, lOd; tea and sugar, 2d ; candles, Id; butter, 3d ; sausage*, 3d ; milk, Id: cocoa, blackleud, matches, 2d,

Friday; Bread, lOd ; butter, 3d ; sugar and tea, 4d ; soap. Id ; milk, Id ; tobacco, 2d ; coil, 3£d ; ehirt, 4d ; kippers, lid. Saturdav and Sunday : Bread, 6d; tea, sngar, milk, and dripping, 6d.

Mr B. has been in more or less irregular employment for two or three years. During the winter he was employed by the Dietret© Committee. Neither family posseaees any furniture or bedding of any description, .and until recently Mr B, paid somehow te a night for what ie called "a, furnished room."