TE ORANGA HOME INQUIRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 70, 21 March 1908, Page 7

TE ORANGA HOME INQUIRY.

THE MATRON'S EVIDENCE. (By TelegrafiS- —Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. The inquiry regarding Te Oranga Home was continued by Mr. H. W. Bishop, Commissioner, to-day. Mr. Eussell stated that Mrs. Branting, the matron, gave the postman 5/ at Christmas time, and when asked, how it was to be charged, she said to the clerk, "Put it down to fruit, fish, dinners, or anything you like." The item waa charged to dinners. It was no use denyj ing that she acted unwisely. With regard to discount from girls' money, Mrs. j Branting was allowed 10 per cent discount by some of the warehouses, but girls got the benefit of this, and ii the amount they had credited to them was j not sufficient to cover the cost of articles j they wished to purchase, it was made up by Mrs. Branting out of her own pocket. Mrs. Branting, who gave evidence, ■ stated that she had been 71 years in I charge ot the institution. She was not ■ dependent on the home for a livelihood, I and b.eld the position more for the love of the work than anything else. When i she took charge of the home there were 6o girls on the roll, 54 of whom, were in the institution. Moral persuasion was used, and she was always trying to persuade the girls to reform. Impudence j TrVas the principal fault among the inmates. In order to preserve discipline she told the staff that they had to speak to a girl three or four times before she was reported for punishment. In order to punish a girl she might have to go short for tea. When a girl was put into a cell it was immediately reported to her, and she either confirmed or cancelled it. When. a. girl assaulted another she strapped tier, but she usually talked the matter over with any such girls before punishment was inflicted. Twelve strokes of the strap were usually administered to absconders. The girls would assert themselves if discipline was not maintained, and if the strap were abolished what would happen to the staff? She was of opinion that they would all send in their resignations unless something equally efficient were provided. The witness, in answer to further questions, said that she had never received any complaints as to the work given to the girls, and she had only heard one complaint as to food, and that was of a shortage at one meal. It was not her practice to bos girls' ears. One girl who attempted to take another away was strapped. 'She was very trcublesome, and received 12 strokes besides getting her hair cut off. Witness received permission from Wellington to cut off her ha:r. She did not know the staff were against the girl, and she was not aware that a ,giri had to hang out clothes in her bare feet when snow was on the ground. It was her own fault if she did so, as witness did not order her to do it. Witness then went into details of Miss Howden's engagement. Continuing, she said that only a very small proportion of the girls were morally bad. A light was generally left burning when a. girl was confined in a cell at night.

The Commission then adjourned till to-morrow.