rough half the amount perhaps； at all manner of sacrifice； when some delay in the payment is made the occasion not only for seizing the goods； which they have come to regard as their own； and on which their very existence depends； but by availing themselves of some technical clause in the agreement； for robbing them in addition。 In such circumstances the poor things； being utterly friendless； have to submit to these infamous extortions without remedy。 Our Bureau will be open to all such。
TALLYMEN； MONEY LENDERS； AND BILLS…OF…SALEMONGERS。
Here again we have a class who prey upon the poverty of the people； inducing them to purchase things for which they have often no immediate useanyway for which there is no real necessityby all manner of specious promises as to easy terms of repayment。 And once having got their dupes into their power they drag them down to misery； and very often utter temporal ruin； once in their net escape is exceedingly difficult； if not impossible。 We propose to help the poor victims by this Scheme； as far as possible。
Our Bureau； we expect will be of immense service to Clergymen Ministers of all denominations； District Visitors； Missionaries； and others who freely mix among the poor； seeing that they must be frequently appealed to for legal advice； which they are quite unable to give； and equally at a loss to obtain。 We shall always be very glad to assist such。
THE DEFENCE OF UNDEFENDED PERSONS。
The conviction is gradually fixing itself upon the public mind that a not inconsiderable number of innocent persons are from time to time convicted of crimes and offences； the reason for which often is the mere inability to secure an efficient defence。 Although there are several societies in London and the country dealing with the criminal classes； and more particularly with discharged prisoners； yet there does not appear to be one for the purpose of assisting unconvicted prisoners。 This work we propose boldly to take up。
By this and many other ways we shall help those charged with criminal offences； who； on a most careful enquiry； might reasonably be supposed to be innocent； but who； through want of means； are unable to obtain the legal assistance； and produce the evidence necessary for an efficient defence。
We shall not pretend authoritatively to judge as to who is innocent or who is guilty； but if after full explanation and enquiry the person charged may reasonably be supposed to be innocent； and is not in a position to defend himself； then we should feel free to advise such a case； hoping thereby to save such person and his family and friends from much misery； and possibly from utter ruin。 Mr。 Justice Field recently remarked：
〃For a man to assist another man who was under a criminal charge was a highly laudable and praiseworthy act。 If a man was without friends； and an Englishman came forward and legitimately； and for the purpose of honestly assisting him with means to put before the Court his case； that was a highly laudable and praiseworthy act； and he should be the last man in the country to complain of any man for so doing。〃
These remarks are endorsed by most Judges and Magistrates； and our Advice Bureau will give practical effect to them。
In every case an attempt will be made to secure； not only the outward reformation； but the actual regeneration of all whom we assist。 Special attention； as has been described under the 〃Criminal Reform Department；〃 will be paid to first offenders。
We shall endeavour also to assist； as far as we have ability； the Wives and Children of persons who are undergoing sentences； by endeavouring to obtain for them employment； or otherwise rendering them help。 Hundreds of this class fall into the deepest distress and demoralisation through want of friendly aid in the forlorn circumstances in which they find themselves on the conviction of relatives on whom they have been dependent for a livelihood； or for protection and direction in the ordinary affairs of life。
This Department will also be responsible for gathering intelligence； spreading information； and the general prosecution of such measures as are likely to lead to the much…needed beneficial changes in our Prison Management。 In short； it will seek to become the true friend and saviour of the Criminal Classes in general； and in doing so we shall desire to act in harmony with the societies at present in existence； who may be seeking for objects kindred to the Advice Bureau。 We pen the following list to give some idea of the topics on which the Advice Bureau may be consulted：
Accidents； Claim for Administration of Estates Adulteration of Food and Drugs Agency； Questions of Agreements； Disputed Affiliation Cases Animals； Cruelty to Arrest； Wrongful Assault
Bankruptcies Bills of Exchange Bills of Sale Bonds； Forfeited Breach of Promise
Children； Cruelty to Children； Custody of Compensation for Injuries Compensation for Accident Compensation for Defamation Compensation for Loss of Employment； &c。； &c。 Confiscation by Landlords Contracts； Breach of Copyright； Infringement of County Court Cases
Debts Distress； Illegal Divorce
Ejectment Cases Employers Liability Act Executors； Duties of
Factory Act； Breach of Fraud； Attempted
Goodwill； Sale of Guarantee； Forfeited
Heir…at…Law Husbands and Wives； Disputes of
Imprisonment； False Infants； Custody of Intestacy； Cases of
Judgment Summonses
Landlord and Tenant Cases Leases； Lapses and Renewals of Legacies； Disputed Libel Cases Licences
Marriage Law； Question of the Masters' and Servants' Acts Meeting； Right of Public Mortgages
Negligence； Alleged Next of Kill Wanted Nuisances； Alleged
Partnership； The Law of Patents； Registration and Infringement of Pawnbrokers and their Pledges Police Cases Probate
Rates and Taxes Reversionary Interests
Seduction； Cases of Servants' Wrongful Dismissal Sheriffs Sureties Estreated
Tenancies； Disputed Trade Marks； Infringement of Trespass； Cases of Trustees and Trusts
Wages Kept Back Wills； Disputed and Unproved Women； Cruelty to Workmen； Grievances of &c。；&c。
The Advice Bureau will therefore be； first of all； a place where men and women in trouble can come when they please to communicate in confidence the cause of their anxiety； with a certainty that they will receive a sympathetic hearing and the best advice。
Secondly； it will be a Poor Man's Lawyer； giving the best legal counsel as to the course to be pursued in the various circumstances with which the poor find themselves confronted。
Thirdly； it will act as a Poor Man's Tribune； and will undertake the defence of friendless prisoners supposed to be innocent； together with the resistance of illegal extortions； and the prosecution of offenders who refuse legal satisfaction for the wrongs they have committed。
Fourthly； it will act wherever it is called upon as a Court of Arbitration between litigants； where the decision will be according to equity； and the costs cut down to the lowest possible figure。 Such a Department cannot be improvised； but it is already in a fair way of development； and it can hardly fail to do great good。
SECTION 5。OUR INTELLIGENCE DEPARTMENT。
An indispensable adjunct of this Scheme will be the institution of what may be called an Intelligence Department at Headquarters。 Power； it has been said； belongs to the best informed； and if we are effectually to deal with the forces of social evil； we must have ready at our fingers' ends the accumulated experience and information of the whole world on this subject。 The collection of facts and the systematic record of them would be invaluable； rendering the result of the experiments of previous generations available for the information of our own。
At the present there is no central institution； either governmental or otherwise； in this country or any other； which charges itself with the duty of collecting and collating the ideas and conclusions on Social Economy； so far as they are likely to help the solution of the problem we have in hand。 The British Home Office has only begun to index its own papers。 The Local Government Board is in a similar condition； and； although each particular Blue Book may be admirably indexed； there is no classified index of the whole series。 If this is the case with the Government； it is not likely that the innumerable private organisations which are pecking here and there at the social question should possess any systematised method for the purpose of comparing notes and storing information。 This Intelligence Department； which I propose to found on a small scale at first； will have in it the germ of vast extension which will； if adequately supported become a kind of University； in which the accumulated experiences of the human race will be massed； digested； and rendered available to the humblest toiler in the great work of social reform。 At the present moment； who is there that can produce in any of our museums and universities as much as a classified index of publications relating to one of the many heads under which I have dealt with this subject？ Who is there among all our wise men and social reformers that can send me a list of all the best tracts upon say； the establishment of agricultural colonies or the experiments that have been made in dealing with inebriates； or the best plans for the construction of a working man's cottage？
For the development of this Scheme I want an Office to begin with； in which； under the head of the varied subjects treated of in this volume； I may have arranged the condensed essence of all the best books that have been written； and the names and addresses of those whose opinions are worth having upon them； together with a note of what those opinions are； and the results of experiments which have been made in relation to them。 I want to establish a system which will enable me to use； not only the eyes and hands of Salvation Officers； but of sympathetic friends in all parts of the world； for purposes of noticing and reporting at once every social experiment of importance； any words of wisdom on the social question； whether it may be the breeding of rabbits； the organisation of an emigration service；