Ws notice by the Hongkong papers that the Hon. A, Lister, Colonial Treasurer, hina issued a report upon the Dost methods of dealing with mendi conoy, of, more correctly perhaps, with destitution, This is a matter which has an interest for as in Shanghai, and we lose no time in bringing it before Our readers, The preseuoo in this place destitutes, by which we menu foreigners with scarcely a dollar in their pockets, who are anxious to work but can find no work to do, is a fact of which we receive daily illustration, and it is time that some measures should be put in force for dealing with the evil. We distingtly do not refer to those who are mendicants by profession, and who may be classed as irreclaimables. Of these there are probably not a few, and many benevolent efforts have been put forth on their behalf, Bat all attempts to ameliorate their condition have failed, for the simple reason that the persons themselves prefer vagabondage and a precarious existence to regular work. There are some who have been taken ap by the Ladies' Benevolent Society, rescued from a life of misery, and comfortably provided for: but the vagabond just has been too strong, the healthful occupation is four tolerably irksome, and the old courses have been fallen into again, It is not euch persons whom we have uow in our mind. There are others, men whu by shoor misfortane have been thrown upon their own resources, whose appearance is decent and respectable, who are not without education, who are accustomed to work and who want to find something to do, but for whom there seems no room in the place. They are in every sense of the word destitute, or on the very verge of becoming go: they live on until the; have no money left to pay for their lodging, and then they either rau into debt or are compelled to take refuge in some disreputable and unhealthy slam, wh deterioration sets in with fatal rapidity, Many of these persons aye arrived in Shanghai in sanguine ox-pectation of getting a berth almost immediately, and their disappointment is very keen when day after day, and week after woak, pass by and the hoped-for opportanity never comes. Now Mr, Lister's scheme, although parently inolades provision fordestitutes of all classes, is worthy of cou by the Municipal authorities hai, His iden is the establishment of casual ward, and a Bond has been appointed by Sir George Bowen to cou-for upon the proposal and report. This ward, sys Mr. ould be con. dacted on similar principles to the recently closed Sailors' Shelter, where "bamboo beds, light, soap, and water seem to I all that was pr vided, with an ocensional ticket for a meal elsewhere. On the average eight men per night have ocoupied this shelter, which has afforded relief to about a handred-and-sixty different persons each year, the total expenses being as nearly as possible a dollar a day, clading rent." Woe only quote this a: affording a starting-point for the di cussion as to whether some such it stitution could not be established here. 'The Suilors' Home is of course for sailors; the Temperance Hall is to all intents and purposes a hotel, the charges of whiok may be moderate enough, but which are still beyond the parse of penui-
Jess men; and as faras we know ther nothing else. Now there should bea place where decent men who are really without either friends or money might findashelter, There area good many of these men about, but not so many as to necessitate a large and expensive estab. lishment; and admission should be granted to applicants solely on the recommendation of responsible persons, or proof of the destitution being genuine, Whether our suggestion be considered good or not, there can be no doubt of the facts upon which we base it, What is to be done with decent and respect. able meu who want work and cannot afford to wait until they got it? That is the problem, We do not propose that Inzy persons should be kept in idleness What we want is that deserving persons should not be left absolutely shelterless and Lelploss, and driven, perhaps, by sheer desperation, to seek consolation in the gin shops of Hongkew. And that every precaution should be taken to prevent such a rofage from abuse it would only be necessary that a certain supervision should be exercised, by those in charge, over the inmates, in order that every man there should continue on the look. out for employment, and promptly leave the shelter us soon as he was in a position to earn his living without help,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.