DESTITUTE CHILDREN.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9670, 8 March 1897, Page 4

DESTITUTE CHILDREN.

We sympathise with the motives of those who took a prominent part in the meeting held on Saturday night to consider the establishment of a home for destitute children. There is no doubt that they are actuated by humanitarian views and that they pointed but some defects in the present system of dealing with neglected and destitute children. Wβ fear, however, that they are not very practical in their proposals. Parliament is not at all likely to vote £20,000 to establish a new institution to do work which ought to be done , by the schools already in existence. Those who are anxious for a much-needed reform would dd far better to concentrate their efforts on getting the present system improved. We do not believe in multiplying large institutions, and herding together children in them. Modern experience is entirely opposed to the barrack system, and is in favour , of extending the boarding-out principle as baing far better adapted for giving children the advantages of a healthy home life. In our opinion, Burnhara and the other industrial schools of the colony should be merely receiving institutions, and the children should be drafted into private homes as quickly as possible. The great blot on the present system is the want of proper classification. We have several times urged that it is a scandal and a crime that orphans and destitute children, who have been guilty of no offence except that of baujg helpless

and friendless, should toe herded together with children proved in a Court of law to be of depraved or criminal habits. It is not necessary, however, to create a new institution at vast expense to meet this difficulty. Why should not Buruham be kepi; as a receiving school for destitute children only, and all the criminal children ba sent to Cavershaui ? We see no difficulty in thvts securing a complete and satisfactory separation of the two classes. The destitute children should be boarded out as soon as suitable homes can be found for them. Perhaps it may be necessary to keep the oriminal children for a short time hi order to give them a preliminary training and discipline, but they also should be boarded out at the earliest possible moment. In any respectable cottage home they would have a far better chance of getting rid of the criminal taint thau in the best-conducted Government barracks ever desigued.