TE ORANGA HOME.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12965, 19 November 1907, Page 8

TE ORANGA HOME.

METHODS AND MANAGEMENT OF THE INSTITUTION. AN INFORMAL VISIT OF INSPECTION. (BY OCB SPECIAL WBPOBTEE.) In tho discussion that has recently arisen, the fact that Te Oranga Home i_ a purclv reformatory institution has become largely obscured, and most ol tho criticisms levelled against iw management have apparently been inspired by the assumption that something in the nature of a charity establishment is involved. Such, however, is far from being the case. When the Home was constituted by the «°™ riimen *' ?V W *. intended for the reception of girls ol bad character committed by the magistrates, and girls transferred from industrial schools as being in most instances incorrigible. It would bo unfair to describe the process employer! in dealing with such difficult as punitive. Naturally the circumstances call for the oxercise of rigid discipline; were any laxity in this respect admitted, the usefulness of the institution would be gone. In the words ot the manager of the Home (Mrs Braining) "there are girls detained at le Oran-a of sufficiently desperate character—of almost indelible criminal taint—who would stop at nothing to regain their liberty, and to contaminate their companions with knowledge of the most dreadful vice*." Through the courtesy of the Minister for Education, and by the kindness of Mrs Branting and her staff, a representative of this journal was permitted to make a thorough inspection of the institution yesterday, and to make himself intimately acquainted with the methods pursued in its conduct. It Uraugu Home is situated in the Shirley district amid pleasant surroundings, the amenities being particularly suited to tho purpose of its existence, save only that, the land being ot indifferent quality, the raising of vegetables for the institution and fodder for the live stock is accompanied by serious difficulties. The area at present consists of 34 acres, but a lease of 20 acres of on© of the City Council's reserves has been secured, and this portion (at present densely covered with broom and lupin) will be brought into cultivation as opportunities serve. The staff consists of five ladies and a gardener, who is employed to do the heavy work about tho place. At present there ar© 53 regular inmates, the ordering of whose daily lives is as follows: —Rise at 6.30 a.m.; commence housework (bed - making dusting, etc.) at 7; prayers at 7.55: breakfast at 8; school at 9.30; drill, 11.30; dinner, 12.15; school till 3: work (mostly outdoors) till 4.45; tea at 5.30. Three evenings each week are devoted to recreation; two evenings to singing and Bible classes, and one evening to sewing. The girls do trie light work in th© garden, such a_ weeding, watering, transplanting, etc., the stronger ones assisting to cut down scrub, dig out roots, etc. In addition they chop th© wood, milk th© cows, feed th© fowls, attend to the cooking, washing, ironing, etc. As there are so many hands, tho work cannot, by any stretch of imagination, bo termed hard. At th© time of our representative's visit rosy-cheeked', sturdylimbed, well-clothed damsels, ranging in age from seventeen to thirteen, were pottering about everywhere. Som© wer© tending the garden plots, others wer© feeding th© fowls, _,couple were bringing up tlie cows, and nowhere was the slightest trace of "driving" or overworking. Neither was there any indication of cringing or fear. Members of the staff supervised oil tho operations going forward, but there was no suspicion of rigid surveillance, and in every instance the Chris tian name of the girl addressed waa employed. The Home is divided into two distinct portions, on© being devoted to girls of th© first class, and the other to girls of the 6econd and third classes. On being admitted, every girl (say© the younger ones) is placed in the second cl«_s, and 1 if she shows herself fit,_ or improves morally, she is raised to the first class. It will readily be understood that some such system of separating the fairly good from the obviously bad inmates is imperative, end these never meet except at meal-times and in school. The school-room is splendidly equipped with single desks end all the most modern educational devices. A State teacher superintends this important department, instructing the backward girls in the morning, and the others in the afternoon. The school ie examined by Government inspectors in tho ordinary way, and under the circumstances most excellent results are achieved. Mrs Branting states that, almost without exception, the girls sent to the.Home, although of average intelligence, are lamentably deficient in education, a Second Stindard pa6s covering the capacity of most. During their stay*in tlie Home th© first class girls over fourteen years of age aro creditod with eightpenoe per week, and the second and third class girls with sixpence, th© manager expending portions of these earnings, it the request of the girls, upon finer articles of clothing. The loss of half a mark entails a deduction of ©halfpenny, and of a whole mark a penny. Mrs Branting finds it necessary that th© girls should b© in the Home for at least two years before they are fit to go out to service, as in many instances they do not know even the rudiments of domestic economy upon being admitted." When they are qualified to "go out" they are licensed to employers for so much per week for a term of, say, six months. Tlie license is then reviewed, and, everything being suitable, and the girl comfortable, is renewed at an advance of wages if necessary. The usual practice is to allow the girl four shillings per week for clothing and a shilling for pookotmonov, the balance being placed in the Savings Bank to her credit. Mrs Branting encourages the girls in service to buy thoir own clothing where they are competent to do so, but examines tho bills to ascertain that the money is wisely and economically laid out. Upon closer inspection, th© interior of th© Home was seen to- successfully vie with the proverbial new pin for spotless cleanliness. It did more. It reflected the comforting atmosphere of a splendidly-equipped home—such « home as, alas, the great majority of inmates had never known before. Indeed, the only obstacle to entire happiness and contentment was the fact that the liberty of the subject was circumscribed. The bath-rooms are models of convenience and excellent appointment; the dining-room airy and cheerful, and hung with capital pictures. There ar© two well-stocked libraries upon which the inmates are at liberty to draw, and at ©very meal one of the zirls is appointed to read aloud to her companions. The girls, it seems, are more devoted to fancy-work in their leisure hours than to reading. The large work-room is fitted up with a rtage. and here from time to time little plays are performed, the Home authorities providing tho costumes.. In the clothing store are shelves for each inmate, and three changes of garments 'made by the wearer) ar© available, •some of the blouses and dresses were if splendid quality nnd finish. One girl in the sick-list has beef-tea sent up -o her every morning, and is pro•ided besides with such comforts as a lainty bed-jacket and a hot-water lottle. The various dormitories ire delightfully fresh »nd cheerful, and the beds well loaded vith rugs. blankets and sheets. ■ Mrs Branting has encouraged the girls

to make all kinds of articles in fancy needlework, which 6he sells and obtains a Government subsidy of £ for £ upon the proceeds, the money being devoted to a recreation fund, by means of which a tennis court has been laid out, and tennis and croquet materials purchased. Tho little detached hospital only having had two cases of measles under treatment in it during eight years speaks volumes for the healthrulness of the life. Th© girls nave individual garden plots, and compete for prizes given by sympathisers with the institution. Both the flow : er and vegetable gardens are extensive and well cared for. A system of septic tanks is installed at the institution, and tho effluent is utilised for irrigation purposes. Even the pig styes are connected with the septic tanks. The sanitary arrangements throughout the entire Home are admirably designed, and ample lavatory accommodation is provided everywhere. The various denominations are afforded abundant opportunities for religious exercises. So far as punishments are concerned, it will be freely recognised that, owing to the character of the inmates, difficulty is frequently experienced in dealing with troublesome cases. Mrs Branting states that only in very exceptional cases does sho re-sort to corporal punishment, and only then when a sufficient time has elapsed after the commission of an offenco to give ample opportunity for explanation or repentance. Cells are provided in which recalcitrants aro confined for varying periods of hours, and sometimes all night. In the latter case, mattresses and bedclothes are furnished, and one of the attendants is within hail, so that the punishment amounts practically only to deprivation of companionship. In the recent exceptional case, the cutting off of a girl's hair was only resorted to with the concurrence of the Mimst.*. and the girl subsequently admitted that that was the only expedient that would prevent her at tempting to escape again The best evidence that the girls in service appreciated the Homo treatment, Mrs Branting said, was the fact that they invariably assisted in tracing fiifftivies. One girl who got away for a brief interval on being brought back, naively remarked with considerable gusto, that she had had "twenty minutes of frightened liberty." One of the ex-inmates who was recently happily married, and drew £55 from the Savings Bank, entrusted Mrs Branting with th© purchase of her household goods, came to the Home to prepare her houso linen, and left the top piece and bottom tier of her wedding cake with Mrs Branting as a token of her gratitude for the start in life she had been afforded. Other girls in service frequently came back to the Home to spend their holidays, and many fall back upon its hospitality in th© event of sickness or unemployment. "During the whole eight years not one girl who has been placed out at service from the Home, has fallen," Mrs Branting boasted with motherly pride. "I could place all our girls in good situations," the speaker continued, "and mistresses one© having To Oranga girls always ask for more. The girls have told mc over and over again, that the work here is not a fifth as hard as in a situation. We keep track of them all the time, and as they are not able to draw savings at "21 without the sanction of the Minister, this acts as a further incentive to good behaviour." From what could bo seen the institution is at present overcrowded, and such a building ns tho Minister has promised to provide (in which to place and detain the worst girls, constituting a fourth class) is an urgent necessity. An acetylene gas installation is also badly needed to supersede the present inconvenient and dangerous system of kerosene lighting. It may confidently be claimed that the management of th© institution is humane and efficient, and this contention is amply borne out by.the wonderfully good results achieved, having regard to tliei nature of the material that has to be worked upon.