The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-13 00:00:00

PRINCESS ALICE'S DOWRY BILL.

This bill was brought up from the Commons and read a
first time.

RAGGED SCHOOLS.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY moved for the evidence
on which that part of the report of the Education
Commission which related to ragged schools was founded.
He complained of the statements and opinions put forth in
this respect, and thought it was actually necessary that the
evidence which enabled the commissioners to come to such
a conclusion, should be produced. He had read the report,
and in his' opinion it was untrue, unfair, and ungenerous;
not wilfully untrue, but untrue in fact ; and altogether a
mere flagrant abuse of public authority had never 12een pet-
petrated by any body of men. Numbers of the returns
made by the secretarys of ragged schools had altogether
been omitted. Incorrect as the statements were as regarded
the metropolis, those affecting the provinces were much
worse. In the report Lancashire 'was put down as having
but six ragged schools, with an attendance amounting to
927, but the information supplied by the town of Liverpool
alone contradicted such a statement. In 1855 there were in
Liverpool 11 Sunday schools, with 1,515 attendants; day
schools 11, with 1,478 scholars ; evening ragged schools,
29, with 3,379 attendants; and industrial schools 2, with
210 scholars ; making a total of 53 schools, with
6,582 attendants in Liverpool alone : while the
commissioners had set the number down at six.
He felt certain the report would create the
greatest dissatisfaction, and that the whole of the
benevolent individuals interested in the spread of
ragged schools would, he felt certain protest against it,
It had been objected that ragged schools drew scholars from
the day schools. That no doubt was true, but it was also
true of other schools. Many parents sent their children
to free schools in order to save the money they would
have to pay for their education, but that was not solely
confined to Ragged Schools. Supposing a commission
was sent out to examine into the Blue Coat School
in London a school founded for the sons of
poor citizens. Why he thought it would be as-
cethined in a most positive manner, that a gr eat
number of the scholars in the Blue-coat School bc.
longed to parents who could well afford to pay for their
rhildrena oduengon (Hear, hear.)
[LEFT SPEAKING.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(THIS EVENING.)
The SPENNER took the chair at four o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Lords' amendments to the Bradford, 'Wakefield, and
Leeds Railway Bill, Kilrush and Kilkee Railway and
Poulnasherry Reclamation Bill, and Morayshire Railway
Bill were considered and agreed to.
The Stratford-upon-Avon Railway Bill as amended was
considered and ordered for third reading.
The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Birke;head Railway ; Coleford, Monmouth, Usk, and
Pontypool Railway; Elland Gas; London and North-
Western (Cheshire Lines) ; London and North-Western
(Liverpool Lines) ; Rathkeale and Newcastle Junction
Railway; and, Salisbury and Dorset Junction Railway.
The following bills were considered, and ordered for 3d
reading :—Frosterly and Stanhope Railway; London and
North Western, and Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln-
shire Railways (Manchester London Road Station) ;
Manchester and Wilmslow Road ; Mid Wales Railway ;
Price's Patent Candle Company (Lords); Saint George's
Harbour. _ _ _

The following jbills were considered :—Great North of
Scotland Railway, Metropolitan Railway (Extension to
Finsbury Circus), Victoria Station and Pimlico Railway,
and Wolverhampton New Water.
Several private bills were also read a first time.
CATHOLIC PAUPERS IN SCOTCH WORK-
HOUSES.

Mr. M'EVOY asked the President of the Poor-law
Board whcther it was intended to take any evidence before
the select committee now sitting on poor relief (England)
in reference to the complaints made of the proselytism of
Catholics in workhouses in Scotland ?

Mr. 'VILLIERS said he did not think it would be proper
to introduce any evidence of this kind before the committee
who were called on to investigate the subject alluded to.

MR. 1‘10;,,5.
Mr. Alderman SALOMONS asked the Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs if he had received a copy of the
communication addressed to Mr. Moss by the English mer-
chants of Yokohama, on the sentence of fine, deportation,
and imprisonment at Hong Kong recentlypassed by he r Ma-
jesty's representative at Japan upon that gentleman ; and
if he intends tl lay upon the table any papers on this case
for the information of the house ?
Lord J. RUSSELL was understood to say that the
'papers were referred to the law officers of the Crown, and
that at present they could not be produced.
ADJOURNMENT OF TIIE HOUSE FOR WHIT-