PAUPERS IN HARNESS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1909, 18 November 1913, Page 11

PAUPERS IN HARNESS.

TETHERED TO A PLOUGH, ~ An Allegation made at a "recent mooting of Basford, Nottingham, guardians that a dozen old men from the workhouse had been harnessed to a plough has been investigated by a. special committee (says the "Daily Mail"). The official explanation is that the plough Was net $ heavy field machine, but a light garden plough. It was merely used ifl a potato garden, which otherwise would have been dug over by the men. A number of men, all able-bodied, drew it,- and liouo of them had complained about the work, which was not heavy. After discussing the matter the Nof>tingham Trades Council ordered a rcsolution of protest to bo sent to the Basford guardians and to the Local Government Board. sfr. J. Ej. Ifemsal'l, a National .Union of Itailwaymen's delegate, said lie witnessed tW incident 1 from a train of which he was guard. Tito men wore harnessed.to fho_ plough by ropes, and woro ploughing in furrows. Old men who wore reduced to catering the work■liouso should not bo <Sallcd upon to do animals' work. Mr. Se&tt, another delegate, who said he saw the ploughing from tho road, declared that -six. old mo.ii were pulling the plough, wliilo another was sitting' on the machine steering. The master, who was ' accompanied by a mastiff, looked on. The master and the dog were more capable of pulling the plough than, the men attached to it.