FACTORIES—DESERTED CHILDREN. (Hansard, 11 July 1836)

§ Mr. Mark Philips

availed himself of that opportunity to correct a mistake into which a right reverend Prelate had fallen, when he stated, that 8,000 deserted children had been found in the streets of Manchester, which was attributed to the factory system. The truth was, that all children found straying in the streets of Manchester were taken care of by the police, the number was a proof of its vigilance, not of the evils of the factory system. Of the 8,000 so called deserted children not ten had been, as described by a right rev. Prelate in another place, abandoned. The rest had merely strayed from their homes, and by the assistance of the police had been restored to their parents. He considered it his duty to allude to this subject in consequence of having received communications on the subject, more particularly as such a statement was calculated to do much injury. It was also asserted, that the poor-rates of that place were extremely high, which indicated distress among the inhabitants; so far from it, the poor-rates were never known to be lower, amounting to only one shilling and four pence in the pound. It would be very desirable if those who were disposed to acquire correct information on these subjects would have the kindness to proceed to the manufacturing districts and judge for themselves, instead of giving currency to misstatements.