The Express.
London, England, 1859-01-04 00:00:00

THE BAST LONDON SHOBBLACI SOCIETY.

The fourth annual meeting of the friends and sub-
scribers to this ref.*e for poor and destitute boys wee held
yesterday evening, in the large school-room, St. Mary-street,
Whitechapel-road. The cask wen taken by Sir R. W.
CARDEN, M.P., and among the gentlemen on the platform
were the Rev. Canon Champneys, Mr. Robert Banbury,
M.P., the Rev. Mr. Tyler, Dr. Tripe, Mr. Robert
Charles, Ica
• " " •

The CHAIRMAN rid that the society on whose behalf they
were met that night had long been • subject of especial
interest to him, as be could not horses* any work of
philanthropy which had greater claims upon the public
then refuges for homeless and destitute children. The great
difficulty which the poor man had to encounter with his
children was to give them a start In the world. A ragged
school. al:bough • very humble commencement in
life, still offered that which the pone man wanted-4N, start
for his children. (Hear, hear.) lie told the boys who now
breed him thst there were many merchants in Loudon, some
of them who had attained the rank of Lord Mayor, who had
commenced life as poor neglected children, but who had risen,
be hnneety, sobriety, end industry, to their present position
of alma and roped.
The SECRETARY (lir. Wise) then reed a report of the
committee, which stated that, owing to the emcees of the un-
dertaking, the committee had been obliged to engage still
larger premises, at Mansell-street, in the Whitecbapel-road.
During the first year of the society (1854), 170 boys were
admitted, with an average of 20 at work ; in the second year
' 132 boys Wire admitted, with an average of 30
at work ; in the third year 110, with 60 at work,
while during the east year 123 had been admitted,
with an seeress of 60 at work, making • total of 630
boys who had been more or less benefited by the society.
Their united earnings for the put year had amounted to
9431. 6s. 7d., which bad been apportioned as follows :
wages, 6741. ; boys' bank, 1921. ; society's share, 1761. The
121 boy. admitted had been disposed of as follows :—Ob-
mined *dilation., 9 ; restored to parents, 7; absconded, 24 ;
diamiseed, 19; placed in other situations, 2; employed in
the tomboy, 62. The above list of expenditure and of the
bnr• e,unloved, shows .bet the average rum expended was .
about 121. per bay, while of convicted orinoinels the cost to the
public is moot 40i. per head, in addition to the value of the
property stolen.
The Rev. Canon CHAMTNEYB (the vicar) referred to the
great advantage which the refuge had been in hie pariah,
which teemed with the idle and the dissolute, and im-
premed upon the meeting that the institution was not •
pauper eatabliehment, but that it wee to a large extent
supported by the labour of the boys, who made their own
deflate,. including shoes, and also the blacking and brushes
with which they exercised their calling. The society had
proved itself to be the most useful surdliary to the ragged
school, ea it had been found that situations could be readily
got for the boys when they had been subjected to the neon-
athy amount of training and discipline In the refuge.
Mr. HUBERT HANItURY, M.P., said the community had
gust cause for thankfulness that the principle of ragged
sr:lmola, reformatories, and refuges had taken such bold upon
the public mind. He was, aware that it had been urged that
refuges and reformateries ware, in point of fact, premium,
to crime, hut ha denied the truth of the as-
pertain, and believed that a single visit to the
East London Hogged School filsoebleck Society and
Ittfuge would suffice to destroy such an argument.
Looking at the question merely In the unattractive light of
political economy, be was prepared to prove that it juvenile
criminals were not rescued, or destitute children prevented
from committing crime, the state would have to pay fur its
neglect in their regard. He therefore recommended the
friends of those institutions to endeavour to bring public
opinion to bear upon them through the influence of the lead-
ing journals. For his own pert, he telt doubly interested in
the movement, and the more be exerted himself iu its behalf,
the more strength he appeared to receive for the work.
(Hear, bear.)
Mr. H. N. FOWLER (banker), the Rev. Mr. TYLER, and
other gentlemen, bemire addrvated the meeting, resolutions
were peered recommending the association to the public ea •
preventive em well as a reformatory institution.
Several donations were announced, including 201. from
Masers. Truman, Hatibury, and Co. 201. from Mr. John
Davie, and 61. from the Rev. Canon Ciazepoeye, dc.
The protredings terminated with • vote of thanks to Sir
R. W. Carden for presiding.

ELECTION OF THE MERSEY DOCKS AND HAR-
M/VS BOAl.l).—The first election of 24 members of the
Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, pursuant to " The
Mersey Docks and Harbour Re., 1667," and "Toe Mersey
Docks Consolidation Act. 1838," took place yesterday
(Monday) in the board-room of the dock-office at Liverpool.
The election excited an unusual degree of interest. there
being rival lista of candidatse--oni of the associated com-
mercial bodies and ono of the ratepayers, the latter, who only
put forward ale candidates, beton mooesaful in getting four
of there elected, the only gentleman who was elected and
whose name was in neither list Min Mr. Charles hitlver,
of the, Cunard Company. When the poll closed at 4 p.m.
the following gentlemen were declared to have been elected
—Messes. T. D. Anderaon, 8. J. Arnold, Francis Boult,
R. Brallebeek, Byre Even.. I. Farnworth. T. B. For-
wood, S. R. aflaTNI, J. Holum, J. Ilabback, R. Hutchison,
Wm. Inman. Wm. Langton, J. H. Lockett, C. Witter,
J. Monde), W. M. Moen R. Rankin, T. K. Rounthwaite,
1ia1.411 Seger jun., F. Shand, Ise. Smith, 1. A. Tobin,
and Charles Turner. Mr. Harold Littledele hes bean rumi-
nated as a tonsil 101111iDen by the River Mersey Commis-
sioners, and Mr. C. Bushell, rem of the government mad-
wee., will be re-elected to-day (Tuesday).
ORTSTAL PALACE. - ONE SHILLING DAT.-
Mitt; I.Ar, JAN. h.—Admissions on payment, 1,364; ditto by
seems Henna, 399; total. 1,763.