The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-29 00:00:00

OCCUPATION OF THE NEW HOUSE.

Sir GEORGE GREY said he understood the new
House, owing to the favourable change in the weather,
would be ready for occupation on Thursday next, and if
convenient fur Hon. Members, he would propose that
they should have a morning sitting in the new House on
that day at twelve o'clock. Some anxiety had been ex-
pressed with respect to the progress of the Irish Elec-
tions Bill, and no doubt that Bill might be taken at the
morning sitting.—(Hear, hear.) It was intended to
meet in the old llouse again at five o'clock.

It was then agreed that the House at its rising ad-
journ until Thursday, at twelve o'clock.

EMIGRATION OF PAUPER CHILDREN.

Mr. W. MILES presented several petitions from
various parts of the country in favour of a plan for the
emigration of pauper children. The Honourable
Gentleman, after presenting the petition, then
proceeded to move, " That it is expedient that the Go-
vernment, with the consent and assistance of the boards
of guardians throughout England and Wales, should
take immediate steps to forward the emigration of
orphan girls, inmates of the several workhouses, and
capable of entering service, to Australia as apprentices."
It was of the utmost importance to the country, circum-
scribed as England was, to have a free outlet for its super-
abundant population, and what outlet could they find
better than a colony which, by the fertility cf its soil
and the congeniality of its climate, rendered it peculiarly
adapted to the energies and constitution of English-
men? Parliament should, therefore, encourage as much
as possible the introduction of capital into the
colony of New South Wales, while next to that it ought
to facilitate the transfer of domestic servants from this
country to the colonies. The emigrative capitalist, with
a family, experienced nu greater inconvenience when he
reached the colony than the difficulty of procuring do-
mestic servants, and it was the knowledge of that incon-
venience which had induced him to bring forward the
present motion. He wished it to be understood that
all the arguments which he should have to bring for-
ward might be applicable to New South Wales,
and without going to times gone by for reports,
he would wish the Members to refer to docu-
ments which had been long before the House.
If they would refer to the returns from the
six magisterial divisions of Sydney and from Port Philip,
they would find the great request in which female
servants were in these districts. That was the general
complaint in all those districts, and the question
was, whether England was in the position to provide for
the colonies; and he thought that if the House would also
peruse the domestic returns relating to this class, they
would find that there were abundance of materials.
He found that there were as many as 173
boys and girls in the twelve workhouses in the
county which he represented who were capable
of entering service, and the boards of guardians
entirely approved of the proposition for their removal to
the colonies. The number of these young persons
was rapidly increasing, and the cost of their sup-
port and education entailed a very large sum upon
the country. Soon after the formation of the poor-law
unions his attention was very much directed to one
union, containing a population of 56,000 persona and
three workhouses, in which were located the able
bodied, the aged, and the young; and on examining the
pauper school, he was astonished at finding such a large
number of children, many of whom were orphans and
without protectors or friends. Inconsequence of the ex-
pense of maintaining three workhouses the inmates
were transferred to one large establishment, where the
children, up to the age of 15, were kept apart from the
elder paupers, not being allowed to enter the general
ward. After that time they were occasionally employed
in the women's ward; but he was sorry to say, from
the description of persons with whom they then as-
sociated, they frequently became contaminated. At
the age of sixteen they were considered able-bodied,
and could leave the house at any time, on giving
twenty-four hours' notice; and he could mention nume-
rous instances of the demoralisation and crime which
resulted from these orphan girls being suddenly cast
upon the world. It had been stated that a general
disinclination existed in the colonies, particularly in
Australia, to the reception of pauper labour; and in that
respect he thought they were right, because so far as
able-bodied men and women were concerned, they were
neither efficient labourers nor servants; but with respect
to children the case was far different, and ho would en-
deavour to show.the result of their industrial training,
because..e on that training depended their usefulness to
In colonists. Mr. Cooper, in a report made to the
Emigration Commissioners,:said that the children brought
up in properly-managed workhouses are more intelligent
and equally as able to earn their livelihood by labour
as when broughtupbiy their parents, and he believed
theyth a t under the
pthreove circumstancesexistmorengdesirable eemigrants
ofnt a
thanth e colonies
persona
of the same age who have not had the advantages of the
education given to children in th
workhouses.ofwritten,
what he had
other
the period at which that report weas
evi-
dence had been given confirmatory
stated. He referred to the evidence of those gentle-
men who had been sent out, he believed, by a com-
mittee of the Privy Council, under the authority
a the Poor-law Board, es commissioners to de-
termine as to the education of the schoolmasters,
and as to the efficiency of the schools. When he
stated the name of Mr. Tuffnell as one of the five com-
missioners, he was sure the House would receive with
deference any opinion he might have given. Mr. Tuff-
nell stated :—" It is a frequent remark of visitors to
workhouse schools that the girls present a very superior
;o,whthilee tlahtetefroarmreercoamrepahreaatlitvheyl;
in look, and altogether of
laopopkeianrga nand
t o
wt heel
.6. boyro rows
lo ment. I was long puzzled to
astuntedinferior in growthslledsesveheaplthy
i as
etrhs eu a tdreeda t
tmh eant t ot f
is b
oo twhi
nigs
very similar account forlar .
this difference, iI afferrnencneo,w. p
In general there is no difficu. y
to the want of appropriate induslttrialwofirnkdifnogr the boys.
siderable part of it, such as sewing,
suitable employment for the girls ;in anids
sthedoeungtharay,cothne-
flagrant than the other rseN, and .0
female constitution seems to suffer
ifarwl:ssbsinfgro,moceoounr: