TE ORANGA HOME INQUIRY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 139, 6 March 1908, Page 8

TE ORANGA HOME INQUIRY.

> EVIDENCE BY TWO EX-INMATES. SCHOOL TEACHER'S STATEMENT. . ■ , EDUCATION FACILITIES. - (BY TELEGRAPH.—I'ISESS ASSOCIATION.) Christcfturcli, March 5. Tho inquiry into tho management of the To Oranga Homo was continued to-day. Evidence'was given:by 'two ex-inmates'now at service, and several other girls, mainly in •corroboration of . tho statements of previous witnesses. ;, • . On'o witness stated that slio had been confined in' tho cell,. and it. was .pointed out that ; tho punishment had liot: beeujcntered in tho punishment book.. ■ Mrs.' Branting' said that as the confinement was .under'three, hours it whs not entered. Tho Commissioner, remarked that lations stateil distinctly that all punishments ■ should bo entered in the book. * Mr, Popo .said that the practice followed 'by tho; matron' had been recognised by. tho Department. . 'Tho. Commissioner: The Department can't £o.outside its.own'regulations. Tho essence of- tho regulation'is that punishments should bo entered:'. If they .are not,, it lead to abuse. : . ■ -.-Tho witness'said that sho had no complaint to. mak'o beyond that, sho had punished. ..■ln;ci;o3s-examinat.ion;she admitted that sho ■ deserved her, punishment. ' . , A ;g!rl- of. seventeen,- - who had been in tho' Homo two years, made a complaint that sho .was . kept ...in the Homo on'account of. lier . i: * V.Tho-' Commissioner':-- to tho question of 'committal,' and -thoy all havo a. complaint : about '.that. ' ■- The . witaess added .that the staff might bo m'oro;civil! '.Tho matron was civil to the .girls;'but .tho'staff were not. . ; ' ' . In reply to Mr. Hunt, the girl. said that sho'was a bit sulky. The staff wero kind tq .her,'lnit-she-had been unjustly put in tho cells for burhing. an-apron.-> > ; The next ■ witness, a cirl of twenty, .who had been four years in 'tho. Homo, said that she, had been put in tho cells "for giving.impudenco, and ,had her cars • based -bythe matron... . . .... ' - , . ■ .Havo.-you"any-particular grievance against, the i treatment you..receive' hero now?. : I havo net: -. A •,:'Mr. .Huiit.: You. like working among tho lupines and the trees? * . ■ Oh, yes. . . .. , . ' 'A'-'DAY ••TEACHER'S EVIDENCE. : - _ Miss Ada. Harrison, who. occupies thoposition of day school teacher, at Te Oranga, was called by Air. Salter. ■'('■' Her first remark was, " I havo been teacher hero for-four years, and. I still want 'to remain.!'.: ■ - . ... .. . .' • ' .. .' Mr., Bishop: What do you. wish us. to. infer . frpin.'that? i That you think you. might not. >remain.here? • • .• . ■ ' ! -Witness: Well, it. might be very awkward fo; me. ■ ■ Mr. Bishop ::'At''this;stage I havo not tho I faintest idea of what you aro going, to say. . ■-.What do you wish to Melius? ' - JWitness: I would like to put a question to Mr. Pope.' " Mr. Bishop:. pertainly: Witness -. Is it a usual method in the Department to dismiss .officers ,without lotting them'.see thfe complaint made.-against them? ■ Mr. ■ Pope :,i May,' 'I ' answer that question later on, \our Worship? ; •Mr; Bishop: If you prefer to do so: Pcrconaljy, I cannot, conceivo that it is : .4ho practice in any Government! Department to .dismiss a person without letting him know the .reason for his dismissal.. If the Education Department does it'l''should .ho immensely surprised..,. To witness :: Do'you imply that you may be dismissed .'because you aro-going to give evidence?. ~ .

Witness: L understand Miss Howden has never seen tho report on which she was dismissed,: and. I don't want to -bo', dismissed on a secret report. . • ' . Mr. Bishop:. T don't .think that is-'a. fair' way. of putting-it.' { J havo her own complaint in. writing.;, ./ Mr.l'opc: Do von want me to.answer the question? I would prefer to leavo it until l givo evidence. ■ , ■

, Mr. Bishop: I am quito satisfied to leavo. it, though 'Jf an answer were givon it might reassure the witness.' .

'-, Miss Harrison' was' then examined by Mr.' Salter.' She stated l ',that, sho had : been regarded as ranking .after-''the matron on the staff, and slip had twice taken charge during tlio,matron's abscnce, tho periods being a,, little over .a month in each .case.' .On those occasions sho had not /allowed other rcombers of the staff to punish girls without •first referring to her. 1 THE SCHOOL WORK. \ Are' relations strained between you arid tho matron f- . Slio.hasno-:sympathy with.the schoolwork. How does she show that-!'-Tlie' girls, are. kept' aivay ; ; for. any excuse to. do'iihendiiig, gaihor honey t or .' "anything of the ' sort.' -They. have, only two hours' a dayi, and !'think that rather short. !' To thq. matron : I think you would want to take that, time -'off'too, wouldn't you? - Tho Commissioner:Tho matron does not fix tho hours of the school.- ■

'Witness:' Some other girls miss hours, and. I don't, get a good report at the end of the yeai\ ... : ' . . ; Mr. Salter: ,Do you .find the girls hard to manage in' school, 1 ' or "harder than ordinary schoolgirls? . 1 ' . They avo. rery good' at' first. There are one,or two.-. very, troublesome;, but .you.expoet'"that. '.Two girJd!'T have now' 1,, have to watch all' the!morning. .They aro.up' to' tricks all .tho tmo.';;,''"". .' ' • -Mr.-.-Russell'.'.'said.gjhat'-.'the .matron, had described Miss Harrjson as a capable, conscientious,, good teacher.. In. reply to his questions;, Miss'VHarrison' said that:'she had tallied' over. hi)nio ,matters with Miss -Howdon-, arid, that might 'explain how Mr. Saltor :heard.that she could give evidence. Tho girls she taught ranged in age from 11 to 20. : ;•■■■ '.

:: Do' you ''notice an improvement in the girls as titn'e goes oh, after they come to tho home ?' . . 7 - " . Tlieir .moral,tone has improved very much sinco the. school: started. • ' . Mr.' Hunt::' Have tho girls complained to you? -' - : : .- 1 /.; '-. . . . I don't allow./them- to complain to me. They', have said, that they, don't like outside work, and that they wanted to be put on ' cooking. . dressmaking,, and general housework. .(■ : . ■liuroply to Mr.'Bishop, tho witness, stated that sho held two schools, in the Homo, ono in tho morning, at -which thirty of' tho youiiger-girls attended,'and one in tho afternoon for:, the older girls, of whom twenty attended. .. :Tho ; afternoon girls were frequently. very-.tired after their morning's work, - and she . allowed somo to remain seated all'the time. Tho morning school lasted'two and a' half hours, including half an hour for . drill,-and tho afternoon school two/hours. The classes were subject to standard examinations, but she had not received reports ■of the. results for somo time. Tho; work, was only carried on to the fourth standard, Dr. Anderson, Assistant InspectorGeneral, 'havins intimated to her that ..that was the Department's, wish. Personally she was of' opinion that it should be taken > to the sixth-standard, and she had been informed that this was under consideration.

A VERY SPECIAL COURSE. Mr. Pope'said that tho matter was receiving consideration at'the present time. Tho majority of the children were beyond school ago,' and >a very special course was required for thcim: That was now under the consideration of the> I MDec tor-Gencrai. 'He did

know of any regulation limiting tho standarcl to which work could bo taken. " ■ Tlig witness stated that in her opinion it should bo compulsory for ovory girl to attend school for two' hours every day. That was little onough. There was only, accommodation for thirty-two pupils in tho school. She would prefer to teach all tho girls together if she could have thcni for four hours every day. That, of courso, would interfere with their outsido. duties. Mr. Salter: Tho chopping and sawing would not be done then. Mr. Bishop: That's all very well, but these girls must have physical labour. It is only a question of degree. ■ In reply to Mr. Pope; tho witness said that the matron would like to shorten the school hours. She did not know that prior to'her own appointment tho matron had herself taught tho girls. l She had not mentioned to any of the officers or tho Department that the afternoon schoolgirls were tired out before they went to school. She' had not complained, to the Department about the irregular attendances,, as she considered that sho had no right to iiiterfere with tho matron. Tho witness her attendance book, and quoting from the January register showed that four girls had been noted for arriving. lato, and . one ' had been (unavoidably) ,kept away a full day.. Mr. Pope remarked that this showed that the attendance was very gornl indeed. The inquiry was then adjourned till next day- I