§ MR. CAWLEYasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to a coroner's inquest held in Salford, on Monday the 9th instant, on the body of a boy named Patrick Slane, aged nine years, who had been confined in the Roman Catholic Industrial School at Ashton under Lyne, and at which inquest the jury, whilst finding a verdict of death from natural causes, added that they were of opinion that the officers of the institution have not had sufficient experience to qualify them for the duties they have to perform, that they believe there has been considerable neglect in the domestic arrangements of the school, and that the deceased boy had not had either the kind attention or suitable nourishment required by a boy of his tender age and weakly constitution, and that in their opinion an inquiry by magistrates of the county, or some other duly authorised authority should be instituted into the whole discipline of the school; and, whether he is prepared to order such an inquiry; and, if so, whether it will be conducted in public?
MR. BRUCESir, the Question of the hon. Member divides itself into two parts. First, the circumstances of the boy's death; and, secondly, the condition of the Industrial School. As to the first point, it appears that the boy was admitted in December last in delicate health, and suffering from the disease of which he died, and was placed under the care of the house surgeon. It is asserted by the managers, but was not satisfactorily proved to the coroner's jury, that the boy received every care and attention from the matron and officers. On the 26th of May he was, by the surgeon's advice, allowed to go home to his mother, where he died in a few days. His death ought to have been reported to the Home Office, but was not. The Inspector of Reformatory and Industrial Schools has applied for fall information 1162 to the manager who is in temporary charge of the school, but has not yet received it. Now as to the second point. The state of the school has been the subject of inquiry and correspondence for three or four weeks past on the part of Mr. Turner, the Inspector. The school was set on foot in 1869 by the then Roman Catholic priest of Ashton-under-Lyne. He was assisted by Mr. Aspland, a Protestant magistrate, and latterly by a small committee of Roman Catholic gentlemen of Manchester and the vicinity. The school was carried on with fair average success for the first two or three years; but on the inspection for last year it was found necessary to represent very strongly the want of cleanliness and effective teaching, and to threaten the suspension of the certificate. Unfortunately, in consequence of Mr. Aspland's illness and other circumstances, the management of the school and the receipt and control of the money paid by the Government and by local authorities for the maintenance of the boys committed to it were left without any interference in the hands of the priest, and the result is that the school is now involved heavily in debt, and that for some months past the discipline and treatment of the inmates have been very unsatisfactory. The late manager was removed by the Roman Catholic Bishop and another priest appointed in his place. Mr. Rogers, the Assistant Inspector, has visited the school, and conferred with the Committee. He will meet them again in a few days, and after receiving his Report, I shall be in a position to decide whether it will be necessary to revoke the certificate and discontinue the school, or whether such improvements in its future management will be guaranteed as will justify me in sanctioning its continuance.