visited by the inspector without inconvenience. E. had observed no unnecessary interference on the part of the inspector during the year his institution had been under the Act. F. stated, that so far from experiencing undue interference from the inspector, he had been obliged to incite the Government to more frequent visitation. G. corroborated these statements, speaking for an old and important institution. After some conversation on the nature of the grant from the State, it was agreed that Government aid ought to to given in annual grants, which do not bind either party for more than a year, rather than in sums contributed for building, which might necessitate a continual charge upon the Government for the supervision of the institution.

II. Further legislation. The necessity of supplementing, or amending the Youthful Offenders' Act' was acknowledged, and Mr. Adderley stated that suggestions in relatlon to this would be valuable, as he had given notice of his intention to bring in a bill, which would be circulated for consideration when read a first time. H. believed nine out of ten parents of the children, sent under this Act, could pay the expense of their children's maintenance at the reformatory. Many of such parents were receiving wages from 20s. to 50s. per week. J. thought the parish ought to pay at first, but the difficulty of obtaining the repayment by the parents was owing chiefly to the absence of a power to imprison them on refusal. It was stated that all the London police magistrates had expressed decided opinions in concurrence with that just mentioned as to the mode of enforcing the responsibility of parents.

Only two cases were mentioned of attempts to put in force the power given by the Act for compelling parents to support their abandoned children, and in both cases the efforts were in vain.

K. had summoned a parent who neglected his child; the magistrates could not agree in their construction of the Act, and adjourned the case. A new bench of magistrates was present at this adjournment, and, after a second discussion, the case again stood over. The leading witness was absent on the third hearing, and when the secretary of the institution attended for the fourth time to take out a new summons, he found the man had absconded.

It was generally admitted that the defect in this part of the Act was serious, and particularly so in devolving upon the officers of charitable institutions the invidious duty of recovering money by legal process, without supplying distinct directions as to how or by whom it was to be performed. It appeared to be generally agreed that a police officer, especially designated for the purpose, would, at least, in large towns, be the proper person for attending to this duty, and that his very presence and authority, and successful performance of his duty, would materially diminish the number of parents who at present, without any check, abandon their children to the care of others.

L. said that in Scotland, under the Vagrant Act,' the magistrates sent the boys to the reformatory, and the secretary of the institution, without difficulty, convicted the neglectful parent. Every person inciting a child to beg or steal incurred a penalty of

£5. There was a child in his school, who was always regular when his mother was in prison, but became irregular in attendance when the mother came out.

III. The next subject considered was the expediency of mixing in the same institution children sent by a magistrate, or otherwise committed against their will, with destitute children who seek refuge of their own accord.

M. said he had four boys sent by magistrates, and they agreed well with the rest who were voluntarily there. N. had twenty-seven sent by magistrates, and eight voluntary boys, and there was no difference or disagreement. O. had fifty voluntary cases out of 200, and with the same good results. R. confirmed this view; he had nine magistrates' cases. S. thought two classes of institutions required.

IV, Power and means of detention. It was allowed that bolts and bars and mere physical means were not advisable. A proper res traint, combined with healthful exercise, was rendered difficult in refuges built in great cities. It was often desirable that frequent access to the inmates should not be easy for their parents or former associates. On the other hand, such a situation gave opportunity for much supervision, and the good influence and Christian sympathy of friends and subscribers, which in the country was almost absent. T. said it was easy to retain boys when they had been accustomed to the discipline for a little time. Most of those who absconded did so in the early period of their residence. K. Boys from prisons were more disposed to abscond than those who entered on their own application. It was no proof of a boy's depravity that he ran away. Few abscond twice, and he knew of none who did so a third time. Of 180 boys, fifty ran way; but thirty-seven of these returned and behaved well afterwards. U. In Edinburgh the boys are retained under a sentence by which punishment is still pending over them. In Glasgow they are apprenticed to the institution, which, therefore, has power to detain and punish them. V. Out of 160 boys allowed to visit their friends, only ten had not returned. W. Out of 128 boys admitted, twelve had absconded, but were all brought back; they wear a uniform dress. He copied every letter to and from the inmates, and was thus enabled to trace them when they absconded. X. In his reformatory, out of fourteen boys admitted, eight ran away. Only a year had elapsed since the institution was commenced. Z. said his reformatory was in London, and had no walls. Out of seventy lads from sixteen to twenty-two, only four had absconded. V. Number of inmates in each institution.

M. At Mettray there were 500; but De Metz himself thinks there should be only 300; they were divided into classes, each under a competent person. Individual knowledge of each inmate by the manager was necessary. There were often exceptional cases of such a character as to require to be treated by those who had intimate and personal knowledge of the case; such, for instance, as a boy he knew, who had become a thief, in order to save money, and who had saved what he had stolen, to the amount of £60. N. had lately taken an assistant to help him, but the order and discipline of the

reformatory were at once deteriorated, owing, he supposed, to the fact, that his personal influence upon the inmates had been rendered less direct, and, consequently, less powerful. O. suggested 100 as the largest number which could properly be entrusted to the management of one man. This appeared to be recognised as a limit to the numbers; but, of course, no general rule could be laid down on this point.

VI. Qualifications for institutions under the Act.-The conference then proceeded to discuss other qualifications considered to be important for institutions to be certified under the Act; among these, was the prospect to be held out to the inmates, of an opening for honest livelihood after leaving the Reformatory.

A. stated that each of his boys was able, after a year's residence, to earn from ten to twelve shillings a week. They were taught the employments of carpenters, turners, and blacksmiths. B. cited a case to show that even young children could look forward a long way in advance, if a hope of reward was held out to them. He knew of a very little girl, who on being taken into service, said at once, Do keep me a year, and then I shall get the prize,'-meaning a reward given by the Ragged School Union to scholars from their schools who kept their places with credit for a year. C. He had fiftythree boys; there were not ten of those not trustworthy. He left them for fourteen days, and found order well preserved. Their industrial employments were those of gardeners, carpenters, shoe-makers, and tailors; and to some the prospect of emigration was held out. It was agreed that varied occupation was an essential part of reformatory discipline.

From the previous disenssion, it appeared, that in considering the eligibility of an institution for the purposes of the Act, regard must be had to the situation of the building; the means of detention; the union of voluntary and coerced inmates; the nature and variety of employment; the inducements offered to reform, by prospects for the future; the means of reclaiming runaways; and the numbers under the direct and constant personal management of the refuge superintendent or governor.

VII. Miscellaneous.-During the discussion on the foregoing topics, several interesting particulars were given which were not classed above.

D. stated that in the Glasgow Refuge, commenced in 1838, there were 440 children, and this was supported chiefly by a local rate of Id. in the pound, producing about £3,000 a year. The children were all voluntary inmates. E. stated that the police commissioners of Edinburgh granted his Refuge £100 a year, besides £25 a year obtained from the Privy Council.

Suggestions were considered as to an uniform system of inspection for all Reformatories,* by an inspector specially appointed for the

purpose.

Throughout the proceedings, the terms Refuge' and Reformatory' appeared to be used without any precise definition, and often indiscriminately. It is, however, well to suggest that the latter term should be restricted to institutions designed for children who are sent thither by other persons.

Many signatures were appended during the meeting, and afterwards in the evening, to the subjoined memorial, which was subsequently presented by the Earl of Shaftesbury

To the Right Honorable Sir George Grey, Bart., her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Home Department.

'The undersigned memorialists, being all interested in the management of various Reformatory Schools, represent their earnest desire that her Majesty might be pleased to direct that some one might be specially appointed for the sole inspection of Reformatory Schools throughout the kingdom, who might be styled 'Her Majesty's Inspector of Reformatory Schools.'

The following resolution was moved by Lord Henry Cholmondeley, seconded by the Rev. Dr. Guthrie, and carried unanimously

That the gentlemen now present constitute themselves a committee for receiving and disseminating information, and for communicating with the government on this subject, and that they be empowered to add to their number, and to summon another conference when advisable. That Mr. R. Hanbury, jun., be the convener of the committee.'

Mr. Maxwell proposed, Mr. Baker seconded, and it was unanimously resolved

་

That the following gentlemen he a sub-committee for the abovementioned purposes:-Messrs. Hanbury, Bowker, Bowyer, Macgregor, Maxwell. Oliphant, and the Rev. Sydney Turner.'

The Rev. T. Carter proposed, Mr. Playfair seconded, and it was unanimously resolved—

That the sincere thanks of this meeting be given to Mr. R. Hanbury, jun., for the kind and active interest he has evinced upon the important subject of juvenile reformation, and especially in connexion with the proceedings of this meeting."

The vote of thanks having been acknowledged, the conference terminated.

In the evening, a large number of ladies and gentlemen assembled at Mr. Hanbury's house, and a summary of the morning's proceedings was given, followed by addresses from several gentlemen, which were listened to with great interest.

Warwickshire, through the example of Mr. Adderley's School at Saltley, has become the centre of the Reformatory movement. A Meeting was held at Warwick, last April, for the purpose of establishing a County Reformatory, and the following admirable addresses were delivered :

"M. D. HILL, Esq. (Recorder of Birmingham), then addressed the meeting. He said: Mr. High Sheriff,-Though neither a Magistrate nor a freeholder of Warwickshire, I have been honoured with an invitation to this meeting, and with a request to take part in your proceedings. Sir, I offer my hearty support to the motion before you. (Cheers.) Not only do I feel that the establishment of a Reformatory School for this county is greatly to be desired, but I must be permitted to say that it stands before my eyes as an impera

tive duty on the inhabitants. It is difficult, if not impossible, for me to produce in other minds the deep impressions which, in my own, have been the work of many long years, and of a large experience in the treatment of criminals. My best chance, however, of showing in a clear light the practicability of reformation and the value of Reformatory Schools in effecting that object, will be to yield myself up to the train of thought which the town where we are assembled, the audience I address, and the object which has called us together, have set in motion, and to recapitulate very briefly the steps by which I arrived at these conclusions. Five-and-thirty years ago I joined the Bar of the Midland Circuit, and became a member of the Warwickshire Sessions. At that time, the whole judical business of the county, including that which arises at Birmingham, was transacted at Warwick, with the exception only of such as belonged to Coventry and the small district forming the county of that city. Such being the case I hardly need say that the docks of the two Courts in the neighbouring hall were, every Sessions and every Assizes, filled, emptied, and replenished many times in the day, and for many successive days. It is needless, also, to tell you that a young barrister, whose friends were not numerous, and whose pretensions were humble enough, was not so encumbered with briefs but that he had sufficient leisure to observe what was hourly challenging his attention, and to reflect upon the consequences which flowed from the administration of criminal justice as the law then stood. Then, Sir, as now, the great majority of offences were slight in character, and were not visited with heavy punishment especially at our Sessions, over which a tone of great humanity always, or, at least, during the fourteen years of my practice, uniformly prevailed, a fact which those who remember the three Chairmen before whom I practised will have no difficulty in believing. When I joined the Sessions bar, I found the Court under the presidency of the venerable Wriothesley Digby, whose clemency was proverbial. He was soon followed by Sir Grey Skipwith. The urbanity of this gentleman made him a universal favourite, even among those who knew him but slightly, while a more intimate acquaintance disclosed the secret of his winning manners, which had their origin in genuine kindness of heart. (Cheers.) The third whom, after fourteen years of attendance at the Warwickshire Sessions, I left still presiding as Chairman, was Sir Eardley Wilmot, a very early, zealous, and able supporter of the principles on which you are this day assembled to act-(loud applause); principles which you, probably, know are inherited by his son, the present Baronet, my excellent friend and neighbour. (Cheers.) The feeling of the Chairman and his brother Magistrates were in unison, and all prisoners-yes, even poachers!—were dealt with in a merciful spirit. The Court, however, strove to make their sentences efficient as well as humane; and if they succeeded but ill in these praiseworthy attempts, the fault was not theirs-it was in the law which they were bound to administer. Experience came in aid of the promptings of a kindly nature, to disincline them to inflict long imprisonments. They knew but too well that our prisons, as then conducted,