[Since the above was written, the police, under the energetic guidance of their new chief, have been making vigorous and successful warfare against public gamblers and gambling agents. The “spec” dodge has been annihilated, “betting-shops” have been entered and routed, and there is even fair promise that the worst feature of the bad business, that which takes refuge behind the specious cloak of the “commission-agent,” may be put down. That it may be so, should be the earnest wish of all right-thinking men, who would break down this barrier of modern and monstrous growth, that blocks the advancement of social purity, and causes perhaps more ruin and irreparable dismay than any other two of the Curses herein treated of.] VII.—Waste of Charity. CHAPTER XXIII. METROPOLITAN PAUPERISM. _Parochial Statistics_—_The Public hold the Purse-strings_—_Cannot the Agencies actually at work be made to yield greater results_?—_The Need of fair Rating_—_The heart and core of the Poor-law Difficulty_—_My foremost thought when I was a_ “_Casual_”—_Who are most liable to slip_?—“_Crank-work_”—_The Utility of Labour-yards_—_Scales of Relief_—_What comes of breaking-up a Home_. THE following is a return of the number of paupers (exclusive of lunatics in asylums and vagrants) on the last day of the fifth week of April 1869, and total of corresponding week in 1868: Unions and single Paupers. Corresponding Parishes (the Total in latter marked *). 1868. In-door. Out-door. Total 5th Adults and week Apr. Children. 1869. Adults. Children under 16. WEST DISTRICT: * Kensington 809 1,379 1,545 3,733 2,874 Fulham 364 988 696 2,048 1,537 * Paddington 460 1,004 660 2,124 1,846 * Chelsea 702 896 744 2,342 2,272 * St. George, 753 852 642 2,247 2,127 Hanover-square * St. Margaret 1,131 1,791 1,313 4,285 5,742 and St. John Westminster 1,101 749 558 2,408 1,874 Total of West 5,320 7,659 6,158 19,137 18,272 Dist. NORTH DISTRICT: * St. 2,221 2,587 1,374 6,182 5,902 Marylebone