During the past four weeks representatives of this society have been quietly carrying on the work for which it was inaugurated in November, Some details of its: operations may be of interest besides indicating the importance: ta the community of such work and emphasizing its claim for support.
About 300 released prisoners. have been interviewed and urged to reform, help to do so being offer! ed to any who were willing to embark on a new mode of life. If will be recognized that in such work as. this repented: disappointments must be met with, a large proportion of the released' prisoners being habitual criminals who have no wish for anything but new opportunities for their nefarious practices.
society is fortunate in. having two representatives who: are prepared to spend themselves unserved ly in order to accomplish good and who have gone so far as to shelter in their own homes two or three ex-prisoners with a view securing suitable employment, Clothes. provided: for Sixty Ove, 60 men have been assisted with clothing, being inadequately provided for in this respect, owing to the fact that they were sentenced to imprisonment during the warmer weather, Their own clothes which, of course, are returned to them: when they leave the gaol, are insufficient for the present. season, In this connection it is interesting to hear that one youth, who had received a suit of clothes returned it later, stating that he had since been provided with clothes: at. his own home, Discharged _prisoners,, - without sufficient clothing, and having no money become an immediate menace to the community, but for obvious reasons monetary' help can rarely: be wisely given, However, in several cases rail or passage tickets were procured for men who expressed willingness to return to their homes, It has to be admitted that only a small proportion, of those released are ready to consider Teaving Shanghai. One boy of seventeen or eighteen years was sent back to his biome in Nanking, his fare and expenses costing $3.50, a small item compared with. th importance of delivering 'a youth from his criminal associates and. giving fresh chance to a "first offender,"
Two Russian lads were cared for, one of whom had shown himself very keen to improve his education while. in. the gaol. school. The Russian Relief Association subsequently assisted this lad of 14 years, and it is to be hoped that he has been helped back on to: the right. path,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.