Folios 383-388. Letter from Harry White, Clerk to the Guardians of the Blything Poor Law Union, to the Poor Law Commission with two enclosures: Outdoor relief to the able-bodied poor. The board of guardians wish to ask the Commission for their permission, to use their discretion in the relief given to large families of the able bodied poor, and that instead of bringing the whole family into the workhouse as is custom at present, to only admit as many of those children as is equivalent to the relief required. Also in the case of the wife of an able bodied labourer, where there is an emerging emergency or laying in, and the family is large, temporary relief may be given and as many children as necessary admitted to the workhouse until the wife can look after her family again. Any departure from normal practice will be notified to the Commission within 15 days of the date in Section 52 of the Act; Diet. The Governor reported to the board of guardians at the weekly meeting on 19 December 1936 that the diet contained in Dietary Table 2, give to the able-bodied in the workhouse was insufficient, in relation to the hard work which they were undertaking each day at the hand corn mill. The men were working 8 hours per day and were suffering from insufficient food. The matter was referred to the Visiting Committee by the board of guardians and the opinion of the House Surgeon was sought. He was of the opinion that their diet was not adequate enough to enable them to work 8 hours and thought that the allocation should be increased. The board of guardians wish the Poor Law Commission to issue an order for them to either increase the diet or reduce the working day to 6 hours. In the meantime the 6 hour day will be enforced until an answer is received. Annotated: Dr Kay for his opinion. Paper Number: 6121/A/1836. Poor Law Union Number 432. Counties: Suffolk.
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