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.
