It Was A Board Day, And The Master Of The House, A Polite Little Man,
Apologized Profusely For Not Accompanying Me Over The Building.
He
deputed the schoolmaster of the establishment to show me through in his
place.
I followed the Ballina Schoolmaster of the Union from the
entrance along the gravel walk bordered with flowers to the house
proper, and into the refectory or eating room. One does not want in
every workhouse to look at the same things, when they see they are the
same as in the last. I noticed the set of printed rules hung up on a
card and lifting it down sat down to read the rules contained on it.
They were very strict, and conceived in such a spirit that a naturally
tyrannical man could make a pauper's life a very miserable burden to
him.
After I read these rules I questioned the schoolmaster, a very nice
person, as to the administration of this workhouse. He casually
mentioned that able-bodied paupers only got two meals in the day. This
was such a surprising statement to me that I said, "Your workhouse then
is harder to the poor inmates than the workhouses elsewhere. I have made
enquiry in several places as to the diet given, and they invariably told
me of three meals, mentioning also that they had meat allowed them three
times per week." - They have given you "the infirmary diet," said the
schoolmaster, gravely. We conversed a little while on this subject, and
as I was to go by train to Castlebar, fearing my time was too short, I
did not penetrate into the workhouse any further.
Coming out we encountered the doctor, a very courteous person. Hoping to
get further information, confirmatory or contradictory of this most
astounding piece of news respecting the food allowance, I referred to it
before the doctor, who qualified the statement by informing me that if
actually engaged at work for the house they were allowed a third meal. I
was thoroughly surprised at this. The conviction forced itself upon me,
that the poor having taken refuge in the house from actual starvation,
the house considered itself justified in keeping them on short commons
ever after.
As I left the building feeling very sad over this information, I could
not help wishing that these creatures, guilty of the crime of poverty,
had the nourishing fare given to the criminals in our common gaol at
Pembroke on the Ottawa. Now the workhouses are by no means crowded; the
Ballina workhouse, for instance is empty enough to afford a wing as a
temporary barracks for some military. I have been told by what I
consider good authority, that for every shilling levied of the
distressingly great poor rate eightpence is needed to pay the
administrative officials. While thinking of these things, I take up the
Castlebar local paper and notice in the report of the proceedings of the
Board of Guardians, that a doctor not attending to his duty through
being "in a state of health not compatible with much exposure to rough
weather or country professional work," was to be allowed for a still
greater length of time a substitute at three guineas per week.
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