The Express.
London, England, 1868-01-23 00:00:00

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

CONFERENCE.---(THIS DAY.)
This afternoon a conference called by the Society
of Arts was held at the Rooms, Adelphi, on the sub-
ject of Technical Education. Mr. W. B.,twES presided ;
and there were present the Earl Russell, Mr. C. Burton,
M.P., Alderman Salomon, M.P., Mr. E. Baines. M.P.,
Sir Walter Stirling, Bart., the Rev. A. J. D'Orsey, Mr.
Baxley, M.P., Mr. Goshen, P&P., Mr. T. D. Ached,
M.P., Professor Greenwood, Sir Charles Trevelyan, sir
1 J. D. Elphinetone, Bart, H.P.,
_Professor A. J. &m Tea
Mr. Merrifield, F.R.S., Mr. Godwin, F.R.S., Rev. lb.
Irons, the Earl Granville, the Right Hon. W. Bruce, M. 1.,
Mr. A. Brady, Re.
The Cuxisistan stated generally the nature of the buq.
ileac The council proposed the following programme for
discussion :-1. The neoseeity for improved national educa.
tion for the working classes generally ; (a) improved pri-
mary education, and the measures necessary for securin;
the same ; (b) additional facilities in primary schools for
affording the elder children the means of learning the
elements of scientific knowledge. 2. The necessity
for the establishment of schools for technicA
and industrial education in relation to science and art, in
which pupils, after leaving the primary schools, may
obtain instruction suited to the special industries with
which they may be connected as workmen, foremen. ~r
managers. 3. The best means for securing the object. 4.
How far technical education can be promoted by the aid
\of existing educational endowments.
Dr. PLAYFAIR opened the discussion, and was followed
by Earl ii.I.,4IELL.
(The conference was proceeding when our report left.)

THE CONSOLI
DATES DAY. )E.
DATED NAIV (LIMITED).

The half-yearly meeting of the shareholders was
held at noon, at the London Tavern, Mr. duns rex tut
in the chair.
The report, which appeared in the Express of Tuesday
last, having been taken as read,
The CHAIRMAN moved its adoption. After e‘•
pressing regret at the absence of the chairman (Mr.
W. Smith) from indisposition, and after speaking of
the great loss the company had sustained in the death
of Mr. James Aspinsll Turner, he remarked that the pro.
• green of the bank during the last aix months was nai—
lfactory. With such • state of the money market great
care was of course required to arrive at the results now re-
i ported. He believed that the bad times were lauing
away, and as trade improved they must participate in
' the benefit. Even under present circumstances he thought
the position of the bank was such as to compare favour.
ably with that of other institutions of the same kind.
(Hear, hear.) During the last six months there had. be
was happy to illy, been no bad dew' and he hoped the
bank would soon recover the position which it occupied
before the crisisof Iri66. 10,000/. more had beenaddel to the
reserve on account of the liability in respect of the
Atlantic and Great Western Railway, and considering the
• favourable accounts which had recently been receiv‘d,
they might look forward to • great improvement.
• Even as the matter stood any possible improves en
, well covered by the reserve funds ; and the share.
11 holders might rely upon it that after the
r experience which hail been gained no such loss would be
incurred in future. (Cheers.)
The report was adopted without discussion, and a didh
dead at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum having been de.
dared, and the directors having been re•eleeted.
On the motion for the re-election of the auditor.,
Mr. WOLFIN remarked that it was not stated that the
auditors had examined the securities, and said he i hog,:
that some sharehulders should be employed for that
purpose.
The CHAIRMAN said the board were not willing to take
any course different from that which was pursued in other
banking establishments. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. N 10101.1.8 considered the statement laid before the
directors an honest and satisfactory one. (Hear, hear.)
Not a shadow of a doubt should be cast on the correctness
of the accounts. (Hear, hear.)
The CHAIRMAN observed that the securities had been
carefully elNllinell by the directors, who, if they were
to he trusted at all, should he thought be trusted impli.
eafy. (Hear, hear.)
The auditors having been unanimously re-elected,
The prozeedings terminated with a vote of thanks to
1 the directors, moved by Mr. Scorer, and seconded by Mr.
1, E. Head, and a similar compliment to the manager, Mr.
0,411. - -

DISTRESS AMONG TRE AGRICULTURAL
LABOURERS.

Our (Mane/wafer Examiner) Melton corm.
'pendent writes 1—" The present is a time of great
trial for the labourers in the agricultural divisions
of Yorkshire. The fine autumn enabled the farmen to
get very forward with work on the land, and gave them
the whip-hand at the ' statute hiring,' where
Bided and successful onslaught was made against higli
wages. This same reason has caused work to be
very scarce, and it is pitiable to see in every town
and village numbers of willing workers about
without any hope of emPloyment. Even the usual
of road clearing from snow and parish pay for it has failed
this year. With no work, coals advancing, Hour :Is. per
stone, and potatoes (as retailed to the poor customer is
small quantities) from fis. to is. per bushel, the miserable
condition of the labourer with wife and family may. he
better imagined than described. There is a general an.
pression that wages, with the present prices of foal. are
too low, but want of work is worse. Upon the Welds there
is another feature which is now productive of much sutler
Mg. A custom prevails of 'me ring'
the labourer
in the farmer's bane, and paying him additional
wages' of perhaps To. per week, upon which he has to
clothe himself and family, pay house rent, and keep
possibly a wife and four or five children—in many ewes
not more than 048 shilling per head per week, The
state of poverty and utter want with which thew
poor people are surrounded only now and again comes
before the world when a coroner's inquest on 801110 cane
of
stavation affords the material. One of these
occurred last week in the family of a labourer employecased at
Ilarphain, East Yorkshire, and the Dritlield corre•powled
of a local paper has given these details :—The deceved,
Isabella Dixon, was the child of John Dixon, labourer,
who, while he got bis meals at his master's bonen litres
miles off), bad to keep a wife and five young children or
75. a week. ' One morning last week the mother and her
five children rose from bed, and the only larealcfsat their
cupboard afforded was half of a cold, sad dumpling, a
thm seir
turnip from the field. These they warmed up for
morning's meal. They had then to fast until night, whet
by some means they got • listle flour. With this • cake
was made, 80018 kind neighbour giving a little dripping
to it. After the day's fast the meal was voraciously de.
. The consequence, were indigestion, diarrlues, sod
enured
convulsions in the child,for which a does of salts and semis
was administered. and the child died. The oormer and
jury found the house in a wretched state, and the mother
and children without food, and had to subscribe to ',glee
their immediate wants.' The correspondent referred to
says this is far from being an isolated case on the Drilfield
side of the Wed., and says hundreds of families of five te
seven membersl have to subdst bee. to 7s. • week."