The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-06 00:00:00

Discharged Prisoners and Children.

A meeting was held on Friday at Willis's
Rooms for the purpose of promoting a more efficient
co-operation among the existing Catholic institu-
tions for the care of discharged prisoners and of
children released from reformatory and industrial
schools. Archbishop Manning presided, and was
supported by the Raman Catholic Bishops of Shrews-
bury and Clifton, Lord Petre, the Right Hon. W-
Monsen, M.P., the lion. C. Langdale, Colonel
Townley, Canon O'Neal, Mr. Weld, of Lulworth ;
Mr. Gainsford, Mr. G. Houghton, Admiral Spen-
cer, Canon Kershaw, the O'Conor Don, the Rev.
B. Doran, and others. There were also present the
Marchioness of Lothian, the Marchioness of Lon-
donderry, Lady Edward Howard, Miss Bowles, Miss
Stanley, Miss Langdale, &c.
The CHAIRMAN expressed his regret that the
person to whom they owed the calling of the meet-
ing was not present—he alluded to Lord Henry
Howard, whose absence was on account of ill
health, though he was happy to know that his lord-
ship's illness was but of a transient nature. To his
earnestness and zeal to promote the objects of the
institution they were indebted for their assembling
together that day. The specific object for which
the meeting had been convened was to promote
a. correspondence and co-operation among the
existing Catholic institutions for the care of dis-
charged prisoners and of children released from re-
formatory and industrial schools. It was ob-
vious that the maintenance of these institutions
must rest upon the means and efforts afforded by
the localities in which they existed. Those gentle-
men and clergymen who represented the different
localities would speak of their respective institutions.
It devolved upon him to give an account of the in-
stitutions existing iu London. There were five in-
stitutions in and about London for discharged pri-
soners and for boys and girls from industrial and
reformatory schools. He considered these five insti-
tutions to be as many as could possibly be under-
taken with their present strength. The meeting had
not been convened for the purpose of raising funds,
but with a view to promote a correspondence be-
tween and a co-operation among the institutions.
That co-operation was sometimes called patronage,
and sometimes agency, but, call it what they may,
its real signification was, that in the large towns
there should be some persons who would undertake
the care of prisoners when discharged, and of chil-
dren when coming from the reformatory schools to
pass them on and watch over them in their transi-
tion state. Such a system of agency or patronage
was absolutely essential to the permanent existence
of the institution. The time that the children remained
in the schools under the control of the association was
about five years, but the period that discharged pri-
soners remained was only a certain number of
months. The difficulty of doing any permanent
good with such persons in so short a period of time
was exceedingly great, and the danger of such per-
sons relapsing into their former vicious courses was
proportionately imminent. What, therefore, was
required was a certain amount of supervision and
watchful care on the part of same charitably dis-
posed persons over those discharged prisoners and
children when they had passed from their hands.
There were two ways in which this might be done
—cone was to select and pay a certain number of
persons in all the chief towns of England to do this
work ; but he confessed that such a suggestion did
not appear to him to be practicable, because the
amount which would be required to give an axle-
' quate remuneration, so as to retain the whole ser-
vices of those persons, was beyond their strength,
and to give them only a retaining fee would not be
sufficient. The other alternative, and which ap-
peared to him to be the more practicable one, was
that they should look out for persons of zeal, and
who had the interests of the prisoners and children
at heart, to do this work voluntarily. Were this
course pursued, he felt confident that plenty of
persons would be found willing to take upon them-
selves this specific duty.
The Rev. JAMES NUGENT then read the report,
which stated that the number of cases assisted by
the society during the last 12 months was 413, in-
cluding 86 persons assisted on their second applica-
tion. Out of the 413 cases only nine had been re-
committed, and 36 were going on badly or doubt-
fully, making a total of 45 unsatisfactory cases,
against 32 unsatisfactory cases, as shown in last
year's report, thereby showing an improvement in
the conduct of the recipients of at least 2 per
cent. Of the 187 cases for which employment
had been obtained the most satisfactory reports
were given by their respective employers. Many
had obtained good positions, had made deposits in
the savings bank out of their earnings, and had
shown every disposition of reformation of charac-
ter. Out of 76 cases assisted to emigrate the
society had most reliable information as to at
least two-thirds of them doing well. The re-
mainder had so recently gone that there had not
been time for the society to hear from them•
The most satisfactory results had attended the com-
mittee's efforts in shipping men and boys on long
voyages, and out of the 61 cases for whom the
society obtained ships 43 had received good dis-
charges and been re-shipped ; the remainder had
not yet returned from their respective voyages-
The past experience of the committee showed
them the great advantage of emigration for this
class of persons. They had recently had a most
advantageous offer made to them from an author-
ized agent from South America, for the employ-
ment of a large number of boys, from 16 years of
age upwards, in agricultural and manufacturing
pursuits; and in the event of their effect-
ing satisfactory arrangements this would
open a large field for the remunerative employ-
ment of boys from reformatories. The committee
regretted that during the current year the subscrip-
tions and donations had considerably decreased, and
that a debt of upwards of £2OO was pressing heavily
upon them. The society was not merely local, but
extended its assistance to boys from reformatories,
and discharged prisoners belonging to any part of
the United Kingdom and Ireland, upon the recom-
mendation of any gaol chaplain, whatsoever his
religious denomination. The committee, therefore,
appealed with earnestness and confidence to a gene-
rous public for their subscriptions and donations to
enable them to effectually carry out the objects of
the society.

On the motion of the Bishop of SHREWSBURY,
seconded by Canon KERSHAW, the report was
adopted.
The following resolutions were also agreed to
That it is of great importance to the welfare of
prisoners and of children discharged from prisons'
reformatories, and industrial schools, that all Catho"
lie institutions of this character be in correspondence
and co-operation."
" That a general committee be formed, and that
it hold its meeting annually in succession is Lon-
don, Liverpool, Manchester, Birkenhead, Lee,c,ls,
Birmingham, New cantle-on-Tyne, and Sheffield.
The meeting having been addressed by Colonel
TOWNLEY, the Rev. J. N UGENT, and others, tne
proceedings terminated with the accustomed vote
of thankfito the chairpia,n.