Mr.Manton stopped coming to see me; and the last time, he said he thought of asking the directors to give me a fifty-pound note, so I could go home to my friends in Ireland.
Poor M'Garry! He received rather better pay than the other men because he was ambitious and took shifts, and when heavy work was to be done he was the man picked out to do it.

And then the thing happened, and he went into the workhouse.

The alternative to the workhouse is to go home to Ireland and burden his friends for the rest of his life.

Comment is superfluous.
It must be understood that efficiency is not determined by the workers themselves, but is determined by the demand for labour.

If three men seek one position, the most efficient man will get it.