The excellent plan of district officers, which I found suggested in Dr.Hawksley's pamphlet, was ready to hand , and the Rev.Mr.Martyn-Hart's very taking system of free mendicity tickets and collection of funds in these districts at once approved itself. Mr. Bidder, of the Society for Relief of Distress, had complained at the first Conference of the miserable inefficient relief given by the Guardians; and Mr. Taverner, one of the Marylebone Guardians, answered him by complaining of the action of charity in interfering with the work of the Guardians and paralyxing the effect of the Poor Laws as administered by them. This suggested to me that poor Law and charity should be kept absolutely distinct, and not be amalgamated as Dr. Hawksley proposed, but that they should work in concert and no longer supplement one another's cases. Also that all cases should be inquired into only in their own districts. Finally, there should be no distinction of religion, but all ministers of religion should be ex-officio of the Committee.
[SW 25-26]