SECRETARY'S REPORT. 29 



It will be seen that the wages paid for labor are very high ; under 

 ordinary circumstances we think the same labor might be done for 

 one-fourth less money. But as the fi^rm is connected with the insti- 

 tution for the reform of six hundred convict boys, Ave deem it our 

 duty to employ help of a character to carry out the benevolent 

 designs of its founders. 



The number of boys employed has averaged eight3'--three per day, 

 for the whole year. During the summer one hundred and fifty per 

 day have been employed ; many of them are small and cannot 

 do work enough to pay the overseeing. There can be no doubt 

 that the health and good of the boys require out-door exercise. But 

 the Board should not be held responsible for a lack of economical 

 management in the expenses of the farm ; the wages allowed so many 

 small boys cannot be less than $1,000 more than the profit of their 

 labor warrants. The want of suitable accommodations for boarding 

 the men is a serious inconvenience, which we hope will soon find a 

 remedy in some way, by the Legislature. 



Respectfully submitted, 



Seth Spkague, 

 Samuel Chandxek, 



Committee on Labor, 



The Committee on General Improvements, Farm Arrange- 

 ments, Plans, &c., at this meeting, submitted the following 



REPORT: 



On the work done to improve the land below the farm house, 

 directly west of the town road. 



There has a been a trench dug, running east and Avest, thirty-eight 

 rods long, eight feet wide, five and a half feet deep, filled Avith 

 stone four feet deep, and covered Avith earth one and a half feet. 

 This trench took 1,254 perch of stone to fill it. 



Another trench was opened for a road-Avay from the barn toAvards 

 the institution, twenty rods in length, ten feet Avide, four and a 

 half deep, filled Avith stone three feet deep, covered Avith earth one 

 and a half feet, and taking 620 perch of stone. 



For the Avork done, the expenses have been as folloAvs : — 



169 days' Avork of men, ..... 8280 65 



2,264 " " of boys, 226 40 



91 '♦ " of oxen, 136 50 



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