CASUAL WARD. The casual ward is a part of the British method of dealing with vagrancy. Under the Poor Law as re formed in 1834 the primary duty of boards of guardians was to relieve destitute persons within their districts. Gradually, how ever, it was extended to the administering of relief to vagrants also, or casual paupers, as they were officially termed, and the treatment depended very much upon the board of guardians and master of the workhouse, who might act with either great harsh ness or unexpected kindness.
Any vagrant or unemployed man walking from place to place and seeking work usually obtained an order for the casual ward from the relieving officer or his assistant, though he could be ad mitted to the workhouse without an order; vagrants were searched —usually perfunctorily—and deprived of money and tobacco, which were restored to them on discharge. They were given a bath on admission, and a meal, usually sugarless cocoa and a piece of bread. For the night the clothes of the inmates were taken away (and sometimes disinfected) and a rough nightshirt provided. Sleeping accommodation on the floor or a truckle bed was pro vided either in cells or associated wards. In return for the food and lodging tasks of wood sawing or chopping, digging, oakum picking, or scrubbing floors were imposed, though in many wards this obligation was not too rigidly enforced.
Vagrancy Committee, 1906.—In 1906 a local government de partmental committee enquired into the subject of vagrancy and considered the improvement of the casual ward. Among recom mendations made were the transference of the wards to the con trol of the police authorities and the issue of way-tickets such as are used on the continent of Europe and, formerly, in some Eng lish counties; and the detention of habitual vagrants in labour col onies (which was also proposed by the royal commission on the Poor Laws 191o). Way-tickets were to contain a description of the vagrant, name of his trade, his reason for wayfaring and his proposed destination; also his signature and possibly his finger prints. The name of each casual ward was to be stamped on the ticket and its duration limited to, possibly, a month; a man hold ing such would be entitled at the casual ward to a night's lodging, supper, and breakfast and then after two hours' work as payment, could leave. The name of the ward on his route that he should reach by next nightfall would be entered on the ticket, and on his arrival there the procedure would be repeated. The plan was never carried out.
After 1918, as a result of post-war conditions and industrial dis putes the great increase in the numbers of wayfarers applying for assistance to the Poor Law guardians threw the system out of gear and, following the abolition of the boards of guardians by the Lo cal Government Act 1929, and the transference of their functions to the county and borough councils, a re-organization was effected by the Poor Law Act 193o, supplemented by various orders, espe cially the Public Assistance (Casual Poor) Order 1931. The pro vision of and admission to casual wards thus became the business of the Public Assistance Committees of the councils, and joint Vagrancy Committees have been established throughout the coun try to bring about a uniform system and effect economies in ex penditure.
Today the casual is admitted and supervised by officials prop erly trained for the purpose, and, except in special circumstances, is not allowed to discharge himself before the second morning (ex cluding Sunday) following admission unless he has a current va cancy ticket given him by an Employment Exchange; his clothing is taken, and cleaned if necessary; money, if any, and other arti cles are also taken from him, and the cost of relief deducted from such money before its return ; a day-room and proper sleeping ac commodation must be provided, also a clean towel; and any case of infectious disease or mental illness must be reported to the Ministry by the medical officer, who must visit the ward and ex amine every casual therein once a month. Stone-breaking and corn-grinding are not now among the tasks that may be imposed, and no work may be called for on Sunday, Christmas day, or Good Friday. (See VAGRANCY.)