Transcribed by Susan Bergeron. Geo. Carlisle Journal Friday, December 8th, 1899 Old Men Chargeable on the Rates. MR. C.A. DAWSON, Poor Law inspector for the district which includes Durham, part of Cumberland, &c., has these remarks in his annual report: "The number of old men chargeable on the rates continues to increase, in consequence of the difficulty they experience in getting employment. Responsibility for this has hitherto been cast on the trades unions, who demand that nothing less than the union rate of wages should be paid, which men over 60 cannot earn; but during the past year, at any rate, this difficulty of obtaining employment has been increased since the Workmen's Compensation Act came into force. It is too early as yet to give any definite opinion on the effect of this Act, but it is an undoubted fact that employers now give the preference to younger men who are perfectly sound in wind and limb, and less liable to accident or breakdown. When employers, however, have had more experience of the working of the Act, and their responsibilities under it, which are at present an unknown quantity, this tendency to reject the services of men past their prime may diminish." .....