Mr. Lett, the Secretary, read the Report, which showed that the average attendance of the Day and Evening Schools together, had been from 150 to 160 children. Last year, there was a small sum due to the Treasurer, but now there is a balance in favour of the schools. The Report concluded by stating, that a Dispensary had been founded in conjunction with the schools, and urging upon the Meeting the necessity of urther contributions to meet the increased expense. The Meeting was numerously attended, and the following ministers and gentlemen took a part in its proceedings:-the Reverends G. T. Driffield, J. Smith, A. Thelwall, Dr. Cumming, J. Branch, Mr. W. Ferry, and Dr. Cross. GOLDEN LANE RAGGED SCHOOL. THE Annual Meeting of this school was held in the upper School-room, Honduras Street, on Tuesday Evening, 8th June. The Rev. Robert Hamilton in the Chair. Mr. Anderson read the Annual Report, which stated that the heavy expenses incurred in fitting up an additional school-room in the building, were now entirely defrayed, as also the other liabilities due at last Annual Meeting. This had chiefly been effected through the exertions of the ladies connected with the school, who held a fancy sale n the autumn of last year, which yielded about £114. The Infant School has an average daily attendance of 160 children; the Sabbath Schools similar to the attendance of last year. From 80 to 100 girls attend the sewing class on Monday evenings, which, together with the classes for girls on Thursday and Friday evenings, is conducted by the ladies gratuitously. Upwards of 400 articles of clothing have been made by the girls during the year, and purchased by them at a reduced price. The amount paid on such purchases amounted to nearly ten pounds. About 17 girls have gone out to service, some of whom could now scarcely be recognised as the same ragged, wretched-looking girls who were wandering and idle in Golden Lane two years ago. The assembly was addressed by the Rev. John Charlesworth, Messrs. Carter, Ferry, Walker, Green, and Cuthbertson, after which the benediction was pronounced, and the meeting terminated. CAMDEN TOWN RAGGED SCHOOLS. THE Fourth Annual Meeting of this Institution was held on 10th June, at the new Vestry Rooms, Camden Town. Lord Robert Grosvenor, M.P., presided. The Report referred to the pecuniary difficulties which had hindered the school operations in the early part of the year, but these have been entirely removed. The number of the children on the books of the Sunday School was 115, besides the Bible Classes for Adults held on Sunday mornings and evenings, as well as on Friday nights, conducted by the Missionary. There is also a library containing upwards of 100 volumes. In the infant and juvenile Day School, the average attendance has been 120, of whom 24 are fatherless, and 4 have neither parents. Since the opening, 590 children have received instruction. In the schools connected with this branch is a working class, the progress of which has given much satisfaction. The Boys' Evening Class, which the Committee were obliged to discontinue in the early part of 1851 for want of funds, has been reopened, the average attendance is about 30. The Committee intend to re-open the Industrial Classes that have been suspended for the same reason. The Committee sought to impress on the minds of every one who held precious the well-being of society, that the need for heart and hand-stirring interest in such an endeavour as the present was most urgent. The receipts for the year were £282, leaving a balance over the expenditure of £95, including £80 just received from an anonymous benefactor. The Meeting was afterwards addressed by the Revs. J. E. Gladstone, W. C. Williams, J. C. Harrison, W. J. Langdale, J. Henson (United States,) Messrs. W. J. Maxwell, J. G. Gent, Joseph Payne, and J. M. Clabon. Thanks having been voted to Lord Robert Grosvenor and J. Payne, Esq., for their able conduct in the Chair, the Meeting separated. DOVER FEMALE RAGGED SCHOOL. THE second anniversary of this excellent institution took place on Tuesday evening, 18th of May, at the school-room in Adrian Street. The. teachers and children assembled at six o'clock in the evening, and the interesting proceedings of the occasion were commenced by the singing of the hymn," God is Love," which was followed by prayer, and that was succeeded by a suitable address from the Rev. J. Lambert Knowles, assistant minister of Christ Church, Dover. In the course of the address the children were examined in reference to their knowledge of the "Life of the Saviour," as narrated in the Gospels; and the answers elicited were generally satisfac tory. In the course of his remarks, the reverend gentleman sought to impress upon his youthful audience the importance of making the Scriptures the guide of their life, and the necessity of seeking the Holy Spirit's teachings when perusing the inspired word. The observance of the fourth commandment, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy;" and the importance of prayer both to the children and teachers, as well as other points for seasonable instruction, were fervently enforced by Mr. Knowles, who was listened to most attentively by the scholars. At the close, a supply of coffee and cake was served; after which, a concluding hymn was sung, and prayer offered, when all separated, highly pleased with the evening's entertainment. I Papers, Original and Selected. EMIGRATION: SHALL IT BE CONTINUED ? EMIGRATION in connection with Ragged Schools has been attended with a degree of success that we, although sanguine upon the subject, never anticipated. The class of persons forming the material of our schools, their previous habits, their painfully neglected condition, their practices of immorality, and their ignorance of religious truth, naturally led us to form moderate ideas as to the issue of our labours, and to suppose that failures would be both numerous and trying. To expect persons of such a class to become honest and useful members of society, by the simple means we propounded, did, as some friends told us, seem little else than to expect a miracle. Our great encouragement, however, to undertake and continue the effort, was based on what we believed to be a truth, that the work was of God rather than of man, and that it was for us to use the means, and God would give His blessing. Although many years have not elapsed since our labours were begun, yet a sufficiency of time has passed to test the plans, and to prove them eminently fitted to accomplish the objects contemplated. We do not say our system is complete, or all that we could desire. We are inclined to believe it is in a transition stage, but of its future form and character we presume not now to dwell. The success of past efforts, and the duties of the present time, are peculiarly ours. Upon the former we delight occasionally to ponder, and the latter we number among our highest privileges. There is an indescribable pleasure in doing good to those around us, especially those who are in danger and who cannot help themselves. To rescue them from peril, and to place them in a position of safety, is to imitate Him, who, although he took upon himself the form of a servant, was nevertheless "King of kings, and Lord of lords." In this position of helplessness and danger we have discovered large numbers of our fellow-creatures-we have endeavoured to arouse them to a sense of their perilous condition; but language fails us to describe our feelings when the cry of distress is heard, and we find ourselves powerless in the rescue. A cry of this kind has recently reached us, in the following touching appeal to the superintendent of one of our principal schools, signed by forty-two youths and young men. We have inquired into the genuineness of the document, and received satisfactory replies. We have, therefore, no hesitation in giving it entire as― THE SCHOLARS' APPEAL. "Sir,-You and our teachers have often told us, that when we need advice, and require help, to tell you all our troubles, and open our minds freely to you. We are all fully sensible of the very great kindness you have always shown towards us, and of the interest you take in promoting our welfare and happiness. "We are therefore earnestly desirous to excite your warm interest in a matter on which our prosperity seems to depend. ઃઃ Many of our companions have gone abroad through the kindness of the Committee of the school, and other friends of the friendless; and we have been greatly encouraged by hearing from time to time of their prosperity. We have also heard lately how much the colonies want hardworking young men and boys, and that they have sent money over to the Government of this country for them to send out such people as would work hard. This seems to us to be our opportunity. In this wide world, we have no friends to help us but those we have found in the school, and as the Superintendent, knowing us better than anybody else, we come to you, sir, and ask that you will kindly interest yourself to secure from the Government the means to carry us to the colonies. "We humbly make our claim to this great privilege, because, sir, we are friendless, except with you and our teachers. We think you will believe us when we say, that we are desirous of earning an honest living by honest employment, and are quite capable of doing so when the opportunity offers. "We are now suffering both mentally and physically; mentally, because our consciences will not let us do evil; and physically, not being willing to do wrong to obtain money, nevertheless we can get no lawful employment. "As a proof that this desire is sincere, many of us have, as you are aware, hung about the school for months, only earning a few pence at a time, choosing rather to do so and be kept under its care, than go away and be liable to fall into old temptations although we might get more money. "Another reason for troubling you, sir, is this; we think we might benefit the colonies by bringing to them our labour-benefit those who stay at home, by taking away some of the surplus labour-and benefit ourselves by getting good wages where labour is wanted; and, above all, it would specially benefit us, by taking us entirely away from the scene of evils and many temptations of which we have seen too much here. "We therefore humbly beg, under God's blessing, that you will use your best influence in such a way as may induce the Government to grant a portion of the colonists' money to send us out to them." Of the 42 persons who signed this appeal, we find 24 are from 14 to 20 years of age, and the remaining 18 average 23 years. DEPUTATION TO SIR JOHN PAKINGTON. On the receipt of this and other earnest applications of a similar kind, the Committee of the Ragged School Union was induced to make another effort to obtain aid from Government. They therefore appointed a deputation to wait upon the Colonial Secretary, and to lay before him a statement of the objects of the Society-the extent of its operations-the difficulties of poor lads obtaining employment in England-the desire of colonists for the services of these youths-the educational, industrial, and moral training imparted in the schools-and the conditions* required by the Committee of every candidate for emigration. On Monday, June 28th, 1852, a deputation of five gentlemen waited upon the Secretary of State for the Colonies; they were courteously received, and their statements listened to with attention by Sir John Pakington, who promised to give the subject his consideration, and to return an answer. That answer has since been received, and how to transmit it in reply to the "cry of distress" we know not. Sir John says, "He fears he shall *Sound health. Between fourteen and twenty years of age. Regular attendance for at least twelve months in a Ragged School, or six months in a Refuge, including regular attendance in an Industrial Class for at least four months, or a competent knowledge of some handicraft or practical occupation, which would serve as an equivalent for such industrial training. The ability to write sentences from dictation. To work the four rules of Arithmetic. To read fluently. To repeat the Lord's Prayer and Ten Commandments, showing a comprehension of their meaning, and answer questions on the principal subjects recorded in the Gospels. EMIGRATION: SHALL IT BE CONTINUED ? 143 not find himself at liberty in the present state of labour in Australia, and with the great and constant demands for assistance now made upon the Commissioners, to apply the colonial funds in aid of that class of emigrants." Why this class in particular should be shut out from the benefit of a portion of the immense sum (£300,000) recently sent home by the colonists for the purpose of promoting emigration from this country, we scarcely know; especially when all those colonists with whom we have had communication, either personally or by letter, have spoken favourably of those of our lads, whom they have seen in the colonies; and when also we find by direct and indirect communications from a large majority of our emigrants, that they are prospering, and becoming even respectable in the land of their adoption. GRATIFYING TESTIMONIES. It would fill our periodical to an undue extent, to give many extracts from the numerous letters we have received confirmatory of these remarks, but a few may not be out of place. They must necessarily be brief in order to include as many as our space will allow : "Sir,-On reading one of The Times' articles of the 23rd inst., I reproached myself for not having hitherto borne my testimony to the good conduct of the 'Ragged School boys,' sent to Port Philip during my residence there by the Earl of Shaftesbury; and in proof that those objects of deep commiseration would, if judiciously selected, be willingly employed by the settlers there, I enclose a letter of the 1st of August last, from a respectable magistrate of the Portland Bay district, requesting your attention to the following passage:-'I should be obliged if you would procure me some of Lord Ashley's lads, apprenticed for three or four years, not under 15 years of age; I will give them £10 the first year, £14 the second, and current rates afterwards.' I should have sent them away some weeks since, but found with regret that they were not eligible for a free passage, under the stringent regulations of the Emigration Commissioners, prescribed, I presume, by the Colonial Government under very different circumstances. "J. STANLEY CARR, "Chairman of the Committee of Australian Colonists." "MESSRS. * * * AND CO., LONDON. "Dear Sirs,-Yours of the 8th of May to hand this day. Mr. Gent, of Exeter Hall, may send some more boys of the same stamp as those by the Gipsey Queen. They are very much wanted. One was engaged on landing by one of the cabin passengers, and the other two I got placed immediately as servants at five shillings per week and their board, in the houses of very substantial tradesmen, whose wives are good housekeepers, where, if they conduct themselves decently, they will be well fed and housed, and their masters and mistresses will be as good as parents to them. "I remain, etc., A. SCOTT, Adelaide." "My Lord,-It may be satisfactory to you to learn that I have seen some of the children from the Ragged Schools on board the Emigrant ship Artemisia. Mr. Crabtree gave me a most favourable report of their conduct during the time they have been on board. One of them has made himself very useful during the voyage down channel, in acting as tailor, and repairing the clothes of the officers of the ship and the emigrants. "THOMAS CAVE CHILDS, "Rector of St. Mary's, Devonport." "My Lord, I have taken the earliest opportunity of informing you since my return to this country of the arrival at Moreton Bay, New South Wales, of the ship Artemisia, prior to my leaving Australia at the commencement of the present year. I am enabled to inform you that every one of them, [the emigrants,] previous to leaving the ship, was engaged at good wages, and I doubt not will do well. "CHARLES COOPER, "Religious Instructor on board her Majesty's Convict Ships." "On landing, the boys were all hired at rates similar to what they might have got in England. The youngest is with a druggist, and is well liked. One of the girls was lately married to an overseer of a station, a respectable man; and so far as I have heard, all the others have given satisfaction to their employers. "MARK CRABTREE, Passenger on board the Artemisia.” "The boys have all got situations, both those that came out in our vessel, and those that came out in the Osprey, which arrived about six weeks after us. The periods of their engagements are various, from three months up to two years. They are most of them up the country, or, as it is called here, in the Bush, The salaries they are to receive are from £12 to £18 a-year. They are mostly engaged as shepherd boys. Five of the boys that came out in the Osprey have engaged with the same master, to work on his farms up the country. "PHILIP JOHN ĻATTER, "Schoolmaster on board ship." Our source of information has not been confined to letters, but we have inquired of all persons we have met with in this country, who, by a residence in the colony, were able to furnish us with the results of their observations upon the conduct of our emigrants; from these we have received the following oral statements : "Henry Clackson engaged himself to an emigrant that went out in the same ship, did not stay with him very long in consequence of a good place being offered him at the Commercial Inn, where he commenced with 4s. per week, with board, lodging, clothing, washing, etc. He was in this situation when I left. "Daniel Charker became a plasterer; for four months he was earning 20s. per week. He sometimes takes jobs on his own account, as a little master. He would get on better than he does if it were not for being often ill. "James Regus went into the Bush, and I lost sight of him. "James Gilmour is in the building line, and has been earning 4s. 6d. per day all the time he has been in the colony. "John Hearn is a painter, and can earn 7s. per day, but unfortunately he drinks, and so loses his money as fast as he gets it. The young woman, Jane, who went out with him, expecting to become his wife, refused to marry him in consequence of his drinking habits. "Thomas Tombs is a clay worker, and regularly earns 4s. 6d. per day. "John Scully is carrying the hod, and gets 27s. per week. He saved money, and has already bought three allotments of building land, beside half an acre of garden ground. "John Evans is a sawyer, works piece-work, and can get from 8s. to 10s. per day. He dresses well, and appears very comfortable. "John Dard is at work in a tan-yard, and gets 10s. per week, with board and lodg ing, but pays for his washing. He has been in his place fourteen months. Joseph James is a shoemaker; earned 30s. per week. He is doing well at his trade in the Bush. "J. Wezzey is a shepherd at Adelaide, and gets 9s. per week—all he wants. He is doing well. "John Williams on arrival at Adelaide went into the Bush, is a shepherd, has 6s. per week, rations, lodging, etc. "E. J. Smith worked among the ships in the Harbour, at Melbourne, and became a sailor. "C. Green is with his sister at Geelong, and is doing very well. "W. Dowear has become a sailor, and gone round to Sydney. "W. Ward has a place at Clark's Hotel, under an agreement for three years at £20 per year, rations, etc. "John Grady has gone to the Burra Burra Copper Mines, with a good prospect of getting on. "C. Scully was very useful on board ship, and the captain on arrival obtained for him a good place. |