The Press.
London, England, 1856-03-08 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

provisions of the bill was first read. The committee
briefly characterised the bill as an infringement of
the rights and liberties of the people, and certain
virtually to reduce the responsible local administra-
tion of free municipal constitutions to the condition
of mere agents of the Crown. Several members of
the council addressed the meeting at considerable
length. Mr. W. H. Valiance thought that the Go-
vernment at present wanted to get both the sword
and the constable's staff within their grasp ; but
they had made so intolerable a mess in their manage-
ment of the one, that the people were not disposed
to allow them to undertake the additional burden of
the other. He regarded the measure as a great step
towards centralisation, and was at a loss to conceive
why on a question in which every Englishman had
an interest derived from the free institutions of his
Anglo Saxon ancestors, the corporation of London
should stand by and mark unmoved the progress of
centralisation :

The centralisation of Liberalism was dangerous without
being respectable, for it combined the vagaries of weakness
with the spirit of meddling—it interfered with everybody
else's business without having the capacity to manage its
own.

THE GERMAN HOSPITAL, DALSTON, held its eleventh
anniversary festival on Wednesday, at the London
Tavern. Lord Granville should have presided, but
was absent from indisposition, and Mr. Meinertsha-
gen, one of the treasurers, ably filled the chair in his
stead. The magnificent collection of 2,3001. was
announced before the company separated. The
diplomatic representatives of Prussia, Saxony, and
the Hanse Towns, and Chevalier Hebeler; Revds.
Dr. Kuper, L. Cappel, A. Walbaum ; J. F. Griining
and A. Bach, Esqrs.; Mr. Walue, one of the con-
sulting surgeons; Drs. Sutro and Weber, physicians;
and Mr. De Meric, the surgeon to the hospital, were
among the company, which included many of the
affluent and zealous friends of the institution, Eng-
lish as well as German. The Venerable Dr. Kuper,
in an address full of kindly feeling for the poor and
afflicted of his countrymen, perhaps, as be said, the
last of the kind he might make, having attained the
age of eighty-four, entreated those who would natur-
ally survive him to continue in future years their
zealous support to the German Hospital.
THE SOCIETY OF ARTS held a meeting on Wednes-
day evening, at which H.R.H. Prince Albert pre-
sided. Mr. C. W. Hoskyns read a paper on the pro-
gress of English agriculture during the last fifteen
years. In his remarks upon the present system Mr.
Hoskyns urged the necessity of good drainage, the
use of guano, the encouragement of agricultural
mechanics, and more perfect returns of agricul-
tural statistics. His Royal Highness Prince Albert,
in moving the vote of thanks to Mr. Hoskyns, said
that the future progress of agriculture would mainly
depend upon the close and intimate union and the
hearty co-operation of science, art, manufacture, and
commerce, and that the primary condition of a
successful progress for the future would be the ob-
taining of accurate and complete agricultural
statistics.

THE NATIONAL REFORMATORY UNION held their
first meeting last Saturday, in the rooms of the Law
Amendment Society, Waterloo-place, for the purpose
of formally organising an association. Among those
present were—Viscount Ebrington, M.P., Lord Robert
Cecil, M.P., Sir Stafford Northcote, M.P., Lord
Dwaine, M.P., Sir Thomas Winnington, M.P., the
Hon. Mr. Liddell, M.P., Mr. Monckton Milnes, M.P.,
Mr. Adderley, M.P., Mr. Justice Coleridge, Mr.
Baron Alderson, several managers of reformatories,
and many other distinguished supporters of the
movement. The following are declared to be the
objects of the institution :—To collect and diffuse
informaion bearing on the reformation of criminals;
to promote the formation of reformatory institutions
where needed, and generally to advance the further
practical development of the reformatory movement;
to consider and promote such legislative measures as
are still required for the better care and reformation
of youthful offenders ; to assist in the placing out
and subsequent guardianship of young persons leav-
ing reformatories; to consider and promote means
for the employment and restoration to society of
discharged prisoners; to promote the practical train-
ing and preparation of efficient masters and teachers
for reformatory institutions. After an explanatory
report of the objects of the meeting was read, it was
unanimously agreed to solicit H.R.H. Prince Albert
to become president of the society. The vice-
presidents of the society elected were :—The Mar•
quis of Westminster, the Earl of Shaftesbury,
Lord Brougham, Lord John Russell, the Marquis of
Lansdowne, the Bishop of Lichfield, the Speaker of
the House of Commons, and Mr. Baron Alderson.
The election of other officers also took place, and
some other formal business having been transacted,
the proceedings terminated.

TIM REGISTRAR-GENERAL'S returns for the week
show a mortality 221 below, and of births 401 above
the average. The total numbers being., deaths 1,029
births 4.976.