19 MARCH 1836, Page 8

The members of St. Patrick's Society had their fifty-third anniversary

dinner on Thursday, at the Freemason's Tavern. Amone the dis- tinguished persons present, were the Duke of Li-meter, Lori'Morpeth, Mr. O'Connell, Mr. 0•Loghlen, Lord Ripon, Mr. Spring Rice, and Mr. Westenra. Earl De Grey was Chairman. Subscriptions amount- ing to 12601. were announced. Among them was one of N. from Mr. O'Connell. When it was mentioned, some ill-disposed persons tried to get up a disturbance ; but the cheers of the company soon convinced those persons that they were in a small minority.

At a meeting of the Bank of England Proprietors, held on Thurs- day, a dividend of four per cent. for the half-year ending April 5th was declared. Mr. Paulson, the Governor, stated in reply to several questions, that the amount of the " rest". would be 2,734,5421. ' • that besides providing for the dividend out of the profits of the half-year, an addition of 25,0001, had been made to the " rest," and 15,0001. "written off" on account of Fauntleroy's debt. Ile also stated, that no part of the public mollies had been removed from the custody of the Bank ; but that, under the authority of the Excise department, some Excise-duties formerly received by Mr. Ward, lately a Director, bad been ordered to be paid to the London and Westminster Bank.

There has been a good deal of controversy in the Times within these few days on the subject of the ;treatment of pauper children belonging to St. James's parish. The statements are very contradictory ; one party asserting that the ehildfen are " farmed' out at Norwood, at a great expense, and are at the same time much neglected ; others that the arrangement is both economical and 'conducive to the health of the children. There certainly appear to have been many deaths and much sickness at the Norwood establishment.