Tae principal, if not the only, oblections put forward at the Into Rate> payers' meeting to the proposal of M. Vonillemont that Tls. 1,000 should be devoted to the Providevoe Orphanage were that the institution in question published no accounts, and that the ratepayers hadueitherany means of knowing how the funds were useduor opportunity of exercising any control over their application. That the decision arrived at on these groauds onused disnppointment in the quarter interested can scarcely be doubted; and it is possible that some may have been disposed to think the refusal somewhat nugracioas. Shanghai, whatever may be its faults, is @ most cburitable community, and however bad times may be it is rare that any appeal, based on deserving want, is addressed to unheeding ears, Bat we believe that the decision of the Ratepayers in this particular instance was a wise one. It is absolutely necessary that we should know something about the application of any fands that may be subscribed or voted for philanthropic purposes, and the method of working that is followed in the special stitution for which the application in question was made. Wel do not for a moment wish to throw doubt upon the genuine kindness of the Roman Catholic Sisters who are in ce, or upon th ren under their care in the best possible way according to their lights, But women who from their very position are debarred from the pleasures, the responsibilities, nnd the experience of maternity, may Inck the instincts requisite to the best way of dealing with children; and from what we know of French scivols, apart from religious considerations altogether, we are by no means sure that the institu. tion to which we refer is curried on upon the best possible principles. In the French method there is often f@ great deal too much of the disciplinary element, and too little of that attention to the wants and requi ments of young children ually considered. If the Provi ence la to be assisted by either public or private subscription in Shanghini, it is absolutely necessary that tle nuthorities should publish not only accounts of the expenses incurred, but also schedules of the regulations under which stitution is carried on. OF these whatever is known officially and if any ramon that is current with regard to them is unfounded, it is the fault, not of those who bare heard it, but of those who are in charge of the school, It would be interesting, therefore, to know whether there is avy troth in the reports that, in this cold, wiulry weather, the children are rise at half-past four o'clock in the morning; that their roome are insufficiently warmed, or not warmed at all; that the diet provided for them is principally Chinese; and that they only have ment once n week. Such, at any rats, are slalements thut have been made to ne, and.we th are justified in culling public attention them. If hey are incorrect, we shall be only too glad to contradict them at once 5 if true, We havea sufficient reason before us forthe refuanlofthe Rutepayerstogive the expected subsidy. In either onse, we enurely fail to see why the maungers of the Providence should expect subscriptions to be voted for the benefit of an institution of the working of which the public is kept in ignorance. No other institution in Shanghai, og far as we know, asks for public support and refuses to publish the usual schedule of accounts nud working regulations, The Eurasian School, the Shanghui Library, the Shantung-road, St. Luke's, and General Hospitals, all muke this necessary concession, and it is not bee cause the bulk of people here are Pros testants and the Providence is a Roman Catholic institation that the requested aid was refused,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.