No. VI.

Extract from an Account of a Benevolent or Charitable Loan for lending Small Sums of Money (to be repaid by weekly Installments) by industrious Labourers and others, in the Parish of Killishee and District of Sword lestown, in the County of Kildare; with Remarks.

Communicated by Robert Graydon, Esq.

IN the parish of Killishee a fund has been esta

blished by subscription of some of the wealthier inhabitants, for the purpose of lending small sums of money, from one to five guineas, for the relief and assistance of such of the industrious inhabitants as may stand in need of it. The sum of five guineas is only lent upon extraordinary occasions, and when it can be afforded without prejudice to the claims of persons who may be relieved by the lesser sums.

The repayment is secured by the joint note of the person who receives the money, and of one other responsible person; commences at the end of two weeks after it has been advanced, and is continued by weekly installments of 6d. for every guinea, until the whole sum lent is discharged, together with 64d. for each guinea over and above the weekly installments; which overplus is appropriated to reimburse the general fund for such expences as have been necessarily advanced from it in the first instance, in conducting the business of the institution. In case of failure of payment for three weeks, process immediately issues for recovery of the sum unpaid.

Whenever the sum of two guineas shall have been returned by such repayments into the hands of the treasurer, it goes immediately into circulation again, for the relief of other petitioners.

The duties of the treasurer and secretary are declared by the rules and provisions made for the regular keeping of the books, and for the conduct of business.

Petition for loans are to be lodged on Sundays with the secretary, and taken into consideration on the Tuesday seven-night following; and are required to contain the name, condition, and circumstances of the petitioner, and the number of persons of which his family consists. A meeting of subscribers (not less than three constituting a meeting) is held once in every week to examine petitions, and to transact all business relating to the management and distribution of the fund.

As soon as the fund necessary for the purpose had been made up by subscription, an advertisement was published in the parish, stating the terms on which loans would be granted. This institution has not been established above four nonths; but Mr. Graydon adds, "that as far as "the scheme has proceeded in its operation, it "has fully demonstrated the utility as well as the "practicable ease of carrying the principle on "which it was formed into execution." He has likewise communicated the following remarks in favour of the principle of such institutions :

Remarks on Benevolent Loans,
by Robert Graydon, Esq.

There is no principle in the management of public or private economy, more justly founded on experience or that better deserves to be considered as a maxim, than that all ranks of people in every community are happy or miserable in proportion as they are employed on subjects worthy of their pursuits, according to their dif ferent circumstances.

This truth, which concerns all, is particularly applicable to the lower orders, because, exclu sive of the necessary influence of employment on the mind, it is also indispensably necessary to their subsistence, and that of their families, to be employed; and from hence it results, that every scheme intended to promote their real and substantial welfare, should adopt, as its first and most useful purpose, the extending relief to them, by furnishing means and inducements to carry on the business for which they are fitted, and that all such systems are more or less perfect as they approach to or recede from this first principle, so highly useful either to themselves or to society. Eleemosynary gifts, unless in cases of apparent or absolute necessity, so far as they contribute to the support of their objects, without their own exertions, are injurious them, and a deduction of so much labour as they are capable of adding to the general stock.

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There is no scheme that I have been able to consider, either in theory or practice, which ap pears more beneficially to unite the application. of relief to the poor, with a proper and natural

excitement of their industry, than the general establishment of charitable loans. When the mode of distributing and conducting them is examined, it will be found to authorize this observation. The advance made is either in instruments of their trade, by enabling them to purchase them, or in money, for other general purposes. If in the former, it is obvious that as they can only assist by furnishing an opportunity of setting them at work, an industrious use of them must be the consequence; if in the latter, as the money must be repaid in small sums, at stated intervals, for which a sufficient security is given, it is plain that it will naturally be employed in some way that may best serve to make a profitable return; that is, in other words, to excite the industry of the person who receives, and who is to reimburse it.

These general remarks may be sufficient to demonstrate, that this mode of administering relief to the necessitous part of the community possesses the great advantage of assisting their industry without encouraging their idleness, or even their indolence. But there are other circumstances incidental to it, of such importance to society as to render it an 'object of political economy, sufficiently interesting to induce the adoption of it, without a reference to any charitable motive whatsoever.

It establishes in the best manner that communication between the upper and lower ranks which is indispensably necessary to the proper support of order and an honest application to labour, both of which are the main springs of general prosperity in every country.

The scheme contains within itself two principles that sufficiently illustrate this position

namely, that of the constant intercourse which must take place in every district between those who contribute to the pecuniary advances, or the wealthy, and those who receive the be-nefit of them, or the indigent; by which means an acquaintance with the persons, as well as with the conduct of the latter, will be the necessary result. The one will be engaged in promoting the general comfort and subsistence: of the deserving, among the lower orders of the inhabitants in their neighbourhood, consequently inust cultivate a knowledge of their respective circumstances; and the other will be naturally led to consider the rich as their benefactors, from whom they derive the happy change of their condition, and upon whose approbation they, in a great measure, depend for assistance: and support; therefore it becomes their intereft to preserve a connection with them, founded on the character of a sober attention to their business, and a due respect and deference to their superiors.

The second principle, necessarily involved within this mode of extending benevolence, is more directly pointed at political effects: of the first consideration in this country,that of a general superintendence of men of property over the actions and demeanour of those who have none; and that without assuming the province. of dictators, or the exercise of magisterial authority. They who solicit aid from the fund must produce security for repayment of the money. advanced; this cannot be obtained by the idle, the disorderly, or the profligate; therefore, such being excluded from all its benefits, the younger classes of the poor will be careful to establish such a character as may entitle them to the confidence.