interior of a workhouse must perceive with great satisfaction the prospect of getting the little boys out of it. He hoped an effort would

be shortly made in behalf of the girls as well (hear). He could not see what crime it was to be poor, and he did not see why any one of these poor little boys should not aspire to high positions (hear, hear). Professor England seconded the proposition which was carried. Mr. Mahony stated that last year the sum of £90 was expended, leaving a balance of £60. This balance would not exactly pay the instalments coming on, but they would not be due before the end of two years.

Mr. Maguire-What is the amount of the fee?

Mr. Mahony-£5.

Mr. Maguire-Are they all at mechanical employments?

Mr. Mahony-Yes; we have got no suitable offers for farmers. Mr. Maguire Mr. Parker says he could get a few on board the Wizard. I got eight or nine from the Dungarvan workhouse on

board her.

Mr. O'Shaughnessy-And there were six from our own workhouse. Mr. Mahony thought that the boys who Mr. Maguire got engaged had a special advantage over the boys of the Cork workhouse.

Mr. Maguire-Well, they were certainly the sons of fishermen. Mr. Mahony-They weigh the boys before they take them on board those vessels. Mr. French got a little fellow engaged, by putting a piece of lead in his trowsers in order that he might weigh heavier (great laughter). Mr. Mahony continued to say that it was the intention of the society to take up the girls, and they hoped to be able to hire them out as servants by the intervention of the ladies of Cork, whose aid the society solicited (hear, hear). There was to be an examination of the girls on Thursday, at which there would be a large attendance of ladies, and he was certain the moment they saw the little girls, so clean and nice, they would forward the view of the society, (hear, hear).

Mr. Hogg said there was a great want of domestic servants, and from what had been seen and heard of the boys, he was sure any ef fort to advance the girls would be successful. There was no employment that could be obtained but that contemplated, every mechanical business, such as shirt making, being done away with. (Mr. Hogg) knew the men to whom the boys had been engaged, and he could say it authoritatively that it was surprising there should be no complaint.

He

Dr. O'Connor-Though we could not say there was no fault on the part of the boys, still there was no fault on the part of the men, perhaps owing to misfortune. We do not wish to overstate things.

Mr. Mahony said there would not be the same liability of failure on the part of the masters in future as there had been at first, because they were then afraid of the boys.

Mr. Julian-Indeed they turned out better than ourselves expected.

Mr. Mahony-As to the girls, a committee of the Guardians have it in contemplation to give the children of two years old, or just weaned, to well conducted girls in the first class to take as nurse

lings, and by that means they will be habituated to the care of young children (hear, hear). The particulars have not been arranged yet. There must be a ward for these girls. With regard to the male and female schools, the Christian Brothers are, I believe, the best, but I have never seen a poor school to equal the workhouse schools (hear, hear). As for the funds I have no fear on that point. There were many places that we did not go to at all last year, for instance, the Weigh-house, a very liberal place; and then we did not ask the profesional gentlemen living on the South Mall.

Mr. Smith was pleased that the girls had been taken up by the society, for he perceived by the new law that when they came to the age of 15 they were obliged to leave with the able-bodied. This, therefore, was the time to make exertions, previous to the law being carried out.

the

Dr. O'Connor said he thought that even if the poor law gave Guardians the power of apprenticing the children, the present charitable and benevolent system was better (hear, hear). It would raise the society beyond mere legislature. Still the poor law was undoubtedly charitable in the extreme. It was written over the work-house entrance, “no man need starve"; it was the citadel of the poor man; the place where the old man may obtain an asylum, where young women could be reared without contamination, where the sick are received and treated admirably (hear). Therefore, the poor law was a grand institution and failed only in one point, and here the society stepped in, and showed that poor children were not out of the pale of society because they were in the workhouse. The training of those children was admirable, but it would be fruitless had not the society stepped in. The ship-builder erected the ship but had not prepared anything to launch her-so the young inmates of the workhouse were trained by excellent instructors, but nothing was done to launch them into society (hear, hear). He was convinced the expenditure this year would be much less than that of last. The guardians would, he was sure, clothe the children to be appren ticed not in paupers' clothing, but as became young persons entering into life. It was the intention to place the girls in respectable tradesmen's families for twelve months without any wages, and ladies would visit them frequently, and ascertain how they conducted themselves. It was a source of astonishment that the farmers did not apply for the boys, because they would be most useful to them, both in keeping their accounts and instructing their children.

Mr. Mahony-The farmers are proverbially slow. Mr. Mahony then stated that last year there were only fifteen guardians on the subscribers' list, but at the board meeting on Wednesday he got eleven new subscribers.

Mr. Hogg-Allow me to ask whether you apply for a donation or subscription?

Mr. Mahony-A donation.

Dr. O'Connor-But it is virtually a subscription.

Mr. Maguire-What is the average cost of maintaining a pauper in

the workhouse?

Mr. Mahony-£7 a-year; but that is exclusive of general charges.

Mr. Gallwey having taken the second chair, thanks were given to Mr. Harris, and the meeting adjourned.

THE Benevolent Apprenticing Society has already successfully vindicated its claim to the support of the citizens of Cork, whether they are likely to be influenced by mere motives of prudence and economy, or animated by the loftiest impulses of charity and benevolence. It has already rescued 21 boys from the moral stagnation and social death of the workhouse, and added them as so many useful and selfsupporting members to the community It has rescued these 21 children from the dismal fate that awaited them the moment they reached a certain age, and were drafted from the juvenile to the adult class; and it has relieved the rate-payers of the burden of their support, not for a single year, but in all probability for ever. We admit this latter is the smallest consideration with us; still we by no meaus deny its importance as an element in the consideration of the ratepayer, and upon pecuniary grounds, For instance, the annual cost of supporting these 21 boys was, at £8 a-head, £168. This cost was, as a matter of course, supplied out of the rates levied on the industry and property of the union, or electoral division, as the case may have been. Let us suppose that no such attempt had been made as that which has turned out so successfully. The result would have been simply this that these 21 boys would have grown up in apathetic idleness, demoralised and contaminated by association with the broken down class technically termed able-bodied; and that ten years might have past over their heads before they relieved the rate-payers of the burden of their support. What would the cost of their support for these ten years have been? No less a sum than £1,680! Even if they remained but five years in the workhouse, the cost of their sup port, in food and clothing, would be £840. And yet, for a present outlay of £2 or £3 ahead, these boys have been removed from the heavily burdened shoulders of the rate-payers, and planted firmly on their own legs, as self-supporting members of the community. Here, at once, is an economical, a social, and a moral result of the highest importance to the individual, to the rate-payer, and to society. But let the promoters of this wise and most benevolent scheme be supplied with additional means of usefulness, and they will be enabled to diminish the load of the rate-payer's burden in a far greater degree, and add many more members to the ranks of reproductive industry. For every shilling they receive, they will return twenty shillings to the community. Like good seed in a rich soil, it will be certain to bring forth an abundant harvest. Even then, were it only on economical grounds, the society ought to be zealousy supported by the public. But read the report, and see how faithfully these 21 poor boys have repaid the prudent bounty of their benefactors. In all cases they have done well-in some instances gallantly battling with misery and privation, the result of depression of trade, and dearth of employment. Now, let us ask, could more than this be said for the sons of people in decent circumstances for boys delicately brought up, and carefully trained under the eyes of anxious and vigilant parents? Would there have been no single failure in their case? Surely, this almost mir. aculous success of an experiment which even the sanguine regarded

D

lings, and by that means they will be habituated to the care of young children (hear, hear). The particulars have not been arranged yet. There must be a ward for these girls. With regard to the male and female schools, the Christian Brothers are, I believe, the best, but I have never seen a poor school to equal the workhouse schools (hear, hear). As for the funds I have no fear on that point. There were many places that we did not go to at all last year, for instance, the Weigh-house, a very liberal place; and then we did not ask the profesional gentlemen living on the South Mall.

Mr. Smith was pleased that the girls had been taken up by the society, for he perceived by the new law that when they came to the age of 15 they were obliged to leave with the able-bodied. This, therefore, was the time to make exertions, previous to the law being carried out.

poor

law was

Dr. O'Connor said he thought that even if the poor law gave the Guardians the power of apprenticing the children, the present chari table and benevolent system was better (hear, hear). It would raise the society beyond mere legislature. Still the undoubtedly charitable in the extreme. It was written over the work-house entrance, "no man need starve"; it was the citadel of the poor man; the place where the old man may obtain an asylum, where young women could be reared without contamination, where the sick are received and treated admirably (hear). Therefore, the poor law was a grand institution and failed only in one point, and here the society stepped in, and showed that poor children were not out of the pale of society because they were in the workhouse. The training of those children was admirable, but it would be fruitless had not the society stepped in. The ship-builder erected the ship but had not prepared anything to launch her-so the young inmates of the workhouse were trained by excellent instructors, but nothing was done to launch them into society (hear, hear). He was convinced the expenditure this year would be much less than that of last. The guardians would, he was sure, clothe the children to be appren ticed not in paupers' clothing, but as became young persons entering into life. It was the intention to place the girls in respectable tradesmen's families for twelve months without any wages, and ladies would visit them frequently, and ascertain how they conducted them. selves. It was a source of astonishment that the farmers did not ap ply for the boys, because they would be most useful to them, both in keeping their accounts and instructing their children.

Mr. Mahony-The farmers are proverbially slow. Mr. Mahony then stated that last year there were only fifteen guardians on the subscribers' list, but at the board meeting on Wednesday he got eleven new subscribers.

Mr. Hogg-Allow me to ask whether you apply for a donation of subscription?

Mr. Mahony-A donation.

Dr. O'Connor-But it is virtually a subscription.

Mr. Maguire-What is the average cost of maintaining a pauper in the workhouse?

Mr. Mahony-£7 a-year; but that is exclusive of general charges.

Mr. Gallwey having taken the second chair, thanks were given to Mr. Harris, and the meeting adjourned.

THE Benevolent Apprenticing Society has already successfully vindicated its claim to the support of the citizens of Cork, whether they are likely to be influenced by mere motives of prudence and economy, or animated by the loftiest impulses of charity and benevolence. It has already rescued 21 boys from the moral stagnation and social death of the workhouse, and added them as so many useful and selfsupporting members to the community It has rescued these 21 children from the dismal fate that awaited them the moment they reached a certain age, and were drafted from the juvenile to the adult class; and it has relieved the rate-payers of the burden of their support, not for a single year, but in all probability for ever. We admit this latter is the smallest consideration with us; still we by no means deny its importance as an element in the consideration of the ratepayer, and upon pecuniary grounds, For instance, the annual cost of supporting these 21 boys was, at £8 a-head, £168. This cost was, as a matter of course, supplied out of the rates levied on the industry and property of the union, or electoral division, as the case may have been. Let us suppose that no such attempt had been made as that which has turned out so successfully. The result would have been simply this-that these 21 boys would have grown up in apathetic idleness, demoralised and contaminated by association with the broken down class technically termed able-bodied; and that ten years might have past over their heads before they relieved the rate-payers of the burden of their support. What would the cost of their support for these ten years have been? No less a sum than £1,680! Even if they remained but five years in the workhouse, the cost of their support, in food and clothing, would be £840. And yet, for a present outlay of £2 or £3 ahead, these boys have been removed from the heavily burdened shoulders of the rate-payers, and planted firmly on their own legs, as self-supporting members of the community. Here, at once, is an economical, a social, and a moral result of the highest importance to the individual, to the rate-payer, and to society. But let the promoters of this wise and most benevolent scheme be supplied with additional means of usefulness, and they will be enabled to diminish the load of the rate-payer's burden in a far greater degree, and add many more members to the ranks of reproductive industry. For every shilling they receive, they will return twenty shillings to the community. Like good seed in a rich soil, it will be certain to bring forth an abundant harvest. Even then, were it only on economical grounds, the society ought to be zealousy supported by the public. But read the report, and see how faithfully these 21 poor boys have repaid the prudent bounty of their benefactors. In all cases they have done well-in some instances gallantly battling with misery and privation, the result of depression of trade, and dearth of employment. Now, let us ask, could more than this be said for the sons of people in decent circumstances-for boys delicately brought up, and carefully trained under the eyes of anxious and vigilant parents? Would there have been no single failure in their case? Surely, this almost mir. aculous success of an experiment which even the sanguine regarded

D