The Express.
London, England, 1861-08-08 00:00:00

TO OUR RRADERS.

SPORTING INTELLICIMCE.

A !ate edition el the EsprrAssimpubiishecl every
erenisg (luring the racing season, contaiuing the
results a the day's races.

Ir would be difficult to select any . abject which
has been more thoroughly investigated than that
of Pauper and Destitute Children. During the pre-
sent Session, besides a chapter in the Report of the
Education Commissioners on Destitute Children,
this subject has been investigated by a Select
Committee of the House of Commons, and their
Report now lies before us. The condition of
Pauper Children, which was also considered by the
Education Commissioners and by the Select Com-
mittee just mentioned, is still under inquiry by
another Select Committee, of which Mr. ensure,
VILLIZIM is chairman. If there were any difference
of opinion upon those subjects, or any lack of
information, such interniinsble inquiries might
be defensible. But it is to be observed
that every new inquiry only serves to
confirm the conclusions which have already been
arrived at. The only legislative result which the
various inquiries have yet produced is to be found
in the Industrial School Bill of the present session.
Whether the obstructives of the Poor-law Board
will succeed in producing evidence to contradict
the unanimous opinion of those who have hitherto
considered the question of Pauper Schools in
workhouses is extremely doubtful, but it is clear
that if the Report of Mr. C. V ILLlELeSCommittee
coincide with the opinion of the rest of the world,
the time consumed by them will only have served
the purpose of delaying a most vital reform.
At the present stage of the inquiry it may be
convenient to explain the means which at present
exist for dealing with Destitute and Pauper Chil-
dren, and to point out the defects in those means
which require a remedy.
In discussing this question it is assumed that
every child ought to be educated in some efficient
school, for it is now admitted that if not educated
there it must be educated in tho streets, and be-
come either a pauper or a criminal, or both. For
the independent poor—that is, for every man or
woman living by their own earnings—there are
the Public, National, and British Schools, to which
admission is obtained by the payment of a penny,
or Private schools, the admission to which is settled
by the proprietors. But, besides the children of the
independent poor there are—find, children who
have acquired criminal or vagrant habits ; es
condly, there are children of out-door paupers,
destitute orphans, and deserted children who re-
ceive out-door relief ; and lastly there are the
children within the workhouses. Besides these
time classes there is a residue which can only be
dealt with in what are called Ragged Schools. Ao-
cording to the Report of Sir S. Noierneove's Com-
mittee and the Report of the Education Commis-
airmen it is impossible to ascertain the amount of
this residue. Assuming, however, that a certain
number of such children does oxen it seems to be
now finally settled by this Report upon the Desti-
tute Children, which confirms that of the Edu-
cation Commissioners, that these children can
only be civilized, if at all, by the mis-
sionary efforts and voluntary subscriptions of
charitable persona, unaided by contributions from
the public funds. It is, perhaps, to be regretted
that some of those who have taken the deepest
interest in Ragged Schools should have been led
into expense by tho vacillating policy of the Go-
vernment. But the public resources must be care-
fully husbanded, and henceforth the promoters of
Ragged Schools must be content even with a
smaller contribution from the State than they
have hitherto obtained,

Three claws of children still remain. As
to those who have acquired criminal and vag-
rant habits, they are to be dealt with
under the Industrial School Act. Hitherto
the parliamentary definition of such children
has been too narrow. But under the new
Act it has been materially extended ; nor is there
much doubt, if the magistrates before whom the
children are brought' will construe the terms of
the Act with reasonable judgment, that every par-
peas for which the Act was intended will be
accomplished. In order to be made subject
to its provisions, the child, if under 12, must
be a criminal or an associate of thieves, and
if apparently under 14, must be a beggar, or
homeless, or without any visible means of subsist-
ence. Such children may be sent by magistrates
to any industrial school the fitness of which has
been certified. Whilst the child is in the
school the Hoes Sweeney is authorised to pay
such sum as he thinks proper towards the child's
maintenance, whilst a power is given to the magis-
trate to make an order upon the parent for pay-
ment of a certain sum out of his own pocket. It
is not to be doubted that this power of imposing a
pecuniary obligation upon the parent in conse-
quence of his neglect will, if judiciously adminis-
tered, do incalculable good. It may be observed
also that the Act specially provides for parents who
cannot control their children, by enabling them at
their own expense to send the children to an In-
dustrial School.

As to the second clam, consisting of Outdoor
Paupers, the Report of the Select Committee, con-
firming that of the Education Commiaaioners, in-
sists that their education shall be provided for
by the gnardiana being compelled to pay the school
pence out of the rates—by making, in fact, Mr.
Dasitiox'A Act compulsory, and enforcing the
child's being sent to school as a condition of relief.
It is a mockery to require parents who cannot
keep body and soul together except by parochial
aid to pay the school pence for their children. It
is not to be tolerated that parents who are