BOARDING OUT POOR CHILDREN.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 152, 30 June 1887, Page 4

BOARDING OUT POOR CHILDREN.

A leading English statesman who recently visited this colony has, in a letter to Sir George Grey, expressed his admiration of our Industrial School and Reformatory and. more especially the plan of boarding out children which is pursued here. In the course of his address to the electors last Friday night, Sir George Grey made a passing reference to the subject, and justly pointed out that the success of the boarding-out system here was in a large measure due to the action of benevolentladies in visiting the children who were boarded out. Considering that the system is liable to abuse by mercenary and heartless people, this supervision is indeed of the most vital importance. In England the boarding out of pauper children is extensively carried on, but, from, various causes, there is a tendency to degenerate into a system of "farming" the unfortunates for profit. - A London cablegram to a New York paper qu 17th May stated that such an abuse had arisen In the parish of St.-, Pancras. The > guardians were informed that at a place called Dunmead, where a- number of -children were boaided, four of them were sleep? ing in one room where the bed was as high as the roof. In" another case a score of children were found feasting on pork rind, potatoes and bread,' out of broken gallipots and a broken basin. The contractor in this case was an old army pensioner, in receipt of six shillings a week. In' the third instance a woman with six children of her own was boarding three more, all of wkomwere in a filthy ami diseased condition. The people of these colonies have not the pressure of ...crushing <. poverty driving them to such inhuman practices for the sake of gain, and there is something also in what the member for City East says about the lady visitors in England not being jn touch with the people visited, but separated from them by the lines of social caste. Still, even in New Zealand, there have been cases of parents who treated their own children badly, and such are manifestly unfitted to have charge of other people's children on a.temporary and commercial basis. The care exercised by the authorities and the supervision, already referred to have hitherto proved effective in preserving the boarding-out system in New Zealand from even the semblance of abuse, and it is fully deserving all the praise bestowed upon it by impartial observers. A still better point in favour of the colony is the fact that there is no hereditary pauper class here, but the children who are supported by the State are rendered destitute through death, desertion, or neglect of their parents. More valuable than our excellent boarding-out system is the liberalising of the adoption laws, under which people are encouraged to accept the responsibilities of parents towards the waifs and strays of society. If the attention of our late distinguished visitor had been called to that feature of our social system, we fancy that he would also have had for it the warmest commendation.

A poll of the burgesses of Onehunga will be taken next Wednesday for the purpose of. deciding definitely the vexed question of raising a loan of Lf),000 for waterworks purposes. . Mr Justice Ward will sit in Chambers (for set cases) at 10 a.m. on Saturday, and in banco (for special cases) at noon of the same day. An interpleader case will be heard in Chambers at 9.30 a. m to-morrow. ' According to the Tahiti" paper, " L'Oceanie Franeaise," King George of Tonya , is not favourably disposed towards tlio proposed confederation of the PolyJ nesian nationalities under the segis of: the King Kalakaua of Hawaii. In spite of his extreme age, George Tubou believes in the vitality of Jiis dynasty and the prestige of the all-conquering Tongan warriors, and if there is to be any confederation ho is convinced that he should be the head of it. Mr Sydney Weefcman, F.R.G.S., and late Inspector of Surveys for Auckland, left today by the Te-Anau for Gisborne, where he will tako up his residence, having been appointed District Surveyor for Poverty Bay. As a long resident in Auckland, Mr Weetman leaves behind him a large number: of friends, many of, whom attended.-at the pier to see him off, ;

■ For the • been shelved. launch bUfoAL^ 0 " 1 ' years ago, and no f Ihe Government ha£w ß by again to purchase §? able vessel, and w≥f^ • to charter her at a VearK, been one-sixth Hint sum. y renta lol;J In Chambers this nia. ■ John Allaway, S Cocking Daniel Clare, Henry J affies Cherry (deceased), whileKftS tration were ordered tk *&% °N Charles George GraLr^T 8 ' Elizabeth Alafy Adam7\v° S ' : one surety being accepted in H/S The application for Arama Karaka Hau£ S°v r P filing) affidavit as to death Thp ?tat, taxation of a bill of costs ' kechme was adjourned till Sah.ii l! S _ Flea, Davy. as lows:-L500 to be tion of the. debt . upon Army Barracks. The wh| mats, weapons, etc., to J the 7u ■ Muaeum (this provision :W, ? been carried out);;LlOO to -fe P? Gate Biigade, and a like sum Jit for Fallen Women. .A'gJ acres at Kikowhakarere, CovomiA the dwelling-house, etc.,-upon \u\ to- Mary Davis, the widow : Mα I brother, Edward Davis, ; for her* The will also provides for : the mamfe of Mrs V ouug, 'Mrs, Davis's sister f mainder of the estate; after the &f& a number of bequests to refftfi friends, is to be divided fcetweeutie nell Orphan Home, the AucklsHdfe the Young.. Men's .Christian' "A®* -' and tke and Foreign Bible Society! Th?K under the will; aro Mr sWillilf] and Mr Alexander" Mackie.'",TWg took place this afternoon, and in aasi with deceased's last wish that fete ceive a Salvation Army funeraljafe Spratt conducted a. funeral 'senjl'i Salvation Army Barracks/ one o'clock. The funeral residence of Mr Alexander street,for Waikomiti, at half-pastaa. With reference to the an' English clergyman at pondent writes to say. that therep J place as " Twickenham, lie thinks that possibly sety Bath, was the place meant-^afe the gift of fOriell: College, Oxod, i L 395. Twickenham isiiri Middlesex, \ Mi , , J. Dinsdale has been appi i Town Clerk for the Borough'ofrjjeivip This gentleman, it will be remembm been acting temporariJy-in thatcapaff some time past. Richard Matthews has issued, a challenge to fight any man in J N?wjZe for LSO or LIOO a : side and tlieicS ship. Although two boxera'.'com'pefJ' the championship in Wellington on TiJ night, Matthews claims.that he ; ; aids| a claim to the title bf*cHittnplpn"Of| Zealand. .■; ji King Richard's desire for aliorail have been grafcifietj jesferday,Jbad fern , in'oiir timesp at r a£lesserctetTOan)p dom. ; Some.days.jago.a horseSyasJap in the Park, • where it; had, deatrpyds valuable trees. It was senfc-tojthep and after being kept : sereral daysMf expense, was sold for—half-a-cromi. ' The' variety ■entertainment' given b; Riiikle last evening in the/ Agrica* Hall was well received by ; a;latge appreciative audience. ; .Each ifem loudly applauded, in seyeial instance cores were enthusiastically demanded responded to by'the performers.]:As entertainment will be given this m and those who have not..witnessed' people's i>alacc of amuseineub" shoaM fail to'have " a good nigut-Vfuii tot pence." . Thomas Gregg was loading a M\ bread outs;ds Buchanan's Bak^Mi .,. tield-street, yesterday, which the horse had not been barns tilted back and, threw the-whole W Gregg. He was extricated by Messrs« and°Cochrane, and sent home in a cab. Coom, who attended him, found w injuries sustained are not of a scridusati and that no bones were hroken.. Since the result of the race was made: known, the holder of stakes in the match hetween Beach a LTanlan has been besieged wiifringu© to whether the race will take place. • . keenest disappointment is tie , tory of Gaudaur. Responding-to Jj 1 inquiries,., Beach's stakeholder W* Hanlan's backer, asking him tostaW nitoly his position. 7.N6' reply*" received, consequently %m y« c «M felfc as to whether the race.wdltaJjef The monthly inspection of the para* the Wairoa South Rifles : tooW Saturday last m the WwMfJ.Wj There was a good muster,:f:^",; ranks being present. was in command,.and piemen tW a variety of movements. - Captair. bcto A. D.C. to; General Sir Gcorp;.™( waspreseut,.and in conimn w> Crawford inspected the aPPf" tm of the men. The _ ; cised: the men in skirmishing: W half-an-hour. Before the. Captain Schmitfc inntcd the •.whole^ pany to have a refresher ; ,■ Hotel. He also intimated-that|# intention to present the a Maltese cross to be fewl for. . to be arranged by the '.officers. pressed satisfaction of the corps, and ul report favourably to the mgW upon his return to Auckland., A correspondent ("Well^-: gests to the Issociatiori the g« charge for admission to $* pre. to M just now is'not t° o Pj en Sa profitoui t ect is.not so much g^o the undertaking &%£s?. rf our lc tothepublic^e^abah^^^ midst, the: object byinducing^gjS^dt^ The French visited this 7W*gfSgW a first-el on the South Pac ; took politan Ground. e esenta were composed of ?«p»| MessrS; Mad •'Herald' j^ Logan, Steen and C *Slg6oAs "«| and Mr lVMackie f neia» a W as Avell axSsecuredthoPg ahead of the Herald,;^ 1

* C a ptain Edwin reports.—" Glass further ■•., rise and hard frost to-night. jir- A man named David Henderso*, em- . nloyed as a bushman at Whenuakite Bush, "Mercury Bay, met with, a serious accident '' : , o n Tuesday last, nnd died yesterday orn ing. He had been jacking logs on a ii tramway, when the.jack slipped, and he ffaS jammed by the logs. A young man named Dafflel Ensor, in the '.■ employ .of- Mr Palmer, butcher, was {Jirown from his horse in Vincen* -street .. with such force that he was un- ; conscious for half-an-hour afterwards. On ooniing to his senses it was found that, though a good deal bruised, he was able to proceed about his business. The Rev. A. J. Smith will deliver in the 1 Alexandra-street Schoolroom to-morrow : "evening a lecture on "The Life and Charli acter of J. B. Gough, the Eminent Temperance Lecturer." The rev. gentleman Las on more than one occasion had the pleasure of listening to the talented lecturer, and will no doubt pourtray in very f> vivid' style the'impression made upon him at the time by Mr Gough's efforts. The lecture is in aid of the school funds. The , c jiarge for; admission is only 6d, so that there ought to be a crowded house. V A- meeting of delegates of the Junior ;' Football Association will be held this evening in the club-room of the Young Men's Christian Association at 8 p.m., for the settling of disputes in connection with Cup matches. . ■ .