The hope expressed in the fourth report, that the Commissioners had
arrived at the maximum daily relief which the country required, was not
verified by fact. The fifth report was published on the 17th of August.
At that date there were 1,826 electoral divisions under the Act. The
maximum relief within the period embraced in the report was: Gratuitous
rations per day, 2,920,792; sold, 99,920; total, 3,020,712 rations
daily![266] Thus, considerably more than one-third of the whole
population was living on what may be termed out-door relief. This, the
highest point, was reached on the 3rd of July; the daily rations had, on
the 1st of August, come down to 2,467,989 gratuitous, and 52,387 sold
rations, being a total of 2,520,376 rations.
The absolute termination of advances on account of temporary relief was
fixed by the Act of Parliament for the end of September. The number of
temporary fever hospitals established under the Act 10 Vic., c. 22,
amounted at the date of the fifth report to 326.
The Relief Commissioners published their sixth report on the 11th of
September. It was a hopeful one. The crops were abundant, and a rapid
decrease in the number of rations issued was the result, more especially
from the middle of August.
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