as good Mr. Kindersley, the magistrate for Birmingham, says, that it is heart-breaking to "see a little child of seven years old cowering in the corner of a dark police cell, sucking its thumb, and crying for its mammy!" It is a disgrace to the common sense and decent feeling of England, and it is enough to break the heart of any Christian man. Just think for a moment how the fatal crime-hardening process is begun, and you will see that the danger and injustice of these committals are often as gross as they are pitiful.

95. The Howard Association Report of 1875 tells of a child of eight years sent to prison for petty theft.

Another boy of seven years sent to prison for injuring a sixpenny lock.

A child of seven years imprisoned for three months for stealing fourpence and some sugarplums at Worthing.

At Jersey a girl of thirteen, in February, 1875, was locked up in a stone cell for receiving a pat of stolen butter. Afterwards it turned out she did not know it was stolen. The air being chill, and the floor frozen, and the food bread and

water, the poor child pined away and died in a fortnight. A local jury returned, "Death from natural causes," and might have added, "but unnatural treatment."

96. Many causes from which well-to-do children are free may drive a poor child to steal in the streets.

A terrible story I read the other day in a book (see the "Gaol Cradle"), and it is well authenticated. A boy, eight years old, lived with his mother, to whom he was devoted. The poor woman worked as long as she could, until she was laid down with cancer. In the midst of her trouble and suffering she had that dreadful hunger which belongs to cancer. You cannot feed cancer enough. The poor woman craved for food, but there was nothing left.

At last the poor little fellow went out into the streets to beg for his dying mother.

It was the first time he had ever begged.

The policeman was soon down upon him, and handed him over to the magistrate, who gave him a month.

When he came out of prison, he naturally rushed to see his mother. She was dead. He

was met by the woman of the house, who said, Oh, you little gaol-bird, go into the streets, I won't have any thieves and beggars here.”

And that poor little urchin was driven from door to door, and down, down, until he became a confirmed criminal. That is the way in which numbers of children are saddled with crime by the agency set up to check crime.

97. I repeat that the police court is not the place for children. If a policeman gets hold of them, as is natural enough, he should not be empowered to take them before a tribunal to be dealt with as criminals.

What is the remedy? We have it in our own hands. It is in the School Board, or the National School Committee in each district; but the School Boards supply numerous centres in which you could successfully deal with almost all these poor little juvenile criminals. Instead of sending them to the magistrate, send them to the schoolmaster. Let the policeman take them to some one who will teach them better; not, as now, to a place for the manufacture of criminals.

Let the School Committee assist the master

with its judicial wisdom, and let the schoolmaster deal with the criminals, and give them advice, instruction, or a good whipping, if ne

cessary.

98. I am not in favour of incessant whipping amongst rich or poor, but it is merciful sometimes, though it is better to enlighten and persuade without it if you can. Still, all public justice is a rule of the rough-and-ready sort, and I do think that the association between moral evil and pain is wholesome, as it is certainly Divine.

Deterrent influences are not good for nothing, but for the reformation of children the police court is worse than good for nothing.

I say we are making more criminals by the action of our police courts upon the young than we are saving men or protecting society. Change your policy, and try the machinery ready to your hand. The use of the School Boards is to teach the poor child, and it may teach one who has begun to go wrong what he is to avoid, without casting a stigma upon him which will drag him down till he becomes one of the dangerous classes.

99. In passing to adult crime, one glance at its causes will make us more merciful, and, I trust, more wise.

Drunkenness, hereditary, or induced by the pressure of want. Exhaustion and disappointment. Pauperism, hereditary, or induced by disease or drunkenness. Over-crowded rookeries and low lodging-houses, where every feeling of comfort and decency is soon extinguished. Want of labour, ignorance of where to seek it or how to secure it. A bad harvest, a depression in trade, an epidemic, death of the bread-winner, protracted sickness, ignorance, strikes, and the evil counsels of half-instructed agitators. The mistakes of honest men. The wear and tear of a struggle in which employers and employed are trying the solution of problems not yet solved. Unwise or inadequate legislation. The administration of "Justice's justice;" and a hundred other direct and indirect causes, thrust men and women and children, tottering on the verge, over into the abyss of crime.

100. And what is our remedy?

Punishment. And what are the special objects punishment is to accomplish?