THE HOME FOR NEGLECTED CHILDREN.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4406, 28 September 1871, Page 3

THE HOME FOR NEGLECTED CHILDREN.

The Home for Destitute and Neglected Children has now beeu removed to the building formerly used as a Grammar School, in Howe-street, and previously as an Immigration Barracks. It is a building well suited for such an institution, at least until the number i? a J 6S becoraes numerous. Efforts should, however be made as soon as possible £w°^ i a plac , e in some rural < list ™t where the boys and girls would have a better opportunity of being prepared for the life of colonists, and be removed from the scone of temptation incident to city life. There arc, at the present time, 23 boys and 22 girls waking in all 45 children being cared for! -LAc periods for which these children have been sent to the school vary from one to eeven years, so that the institution is of no ephemeral character. The master and matron are the same as were appointed when the school was first opened in Fort BritomartMr. and Mrs. Stickley, who seem well qualified for the onerous duties. Iho schoolroom is on the ground floor, and the children "were .all at their lessons when our reporter entered yesterday. Since the number of children has increased so much, the committee have been obliged to engage an assistant teacher, and a young lady has been Belected for that purpose. This permits the matron to devote more attention to the clothing and food of the children than she could have done -while that and teaching also devolved upon her. At present she ■attends in the school-room in the afternoon, and some of the children are making considerable progress in their studies. One little sandy-haired boy was pointed out as particularly devoted to his studies, who, while the other children are playing, frequently steals to his room, and there alone pores over his lessons. Instances of devotion to study of this kind should be made known to the committee, and they ought to take some measures to permit such children to "follow their bent." The sphere of life from which this poor little student has been taken should be no bar to his future advancement, but rather the reverse, when those indications are shown which promise that money spent on his education would be well repaid. Besides the ordinary branches of an English education, the girls are taught sewing and knitting, and the boys are taught gardening in the grounds surrounding the school. A considerable portion of these grounds is being got into cultivation, and by - and - by, no doubt, the produce from them will soon become a sensible relief in the support of the institution. In the back portion of the building are the kitchen and the room where the children take their food. There are two long tables, with forms on each side for them to sit upon. The rooms up. stairs are the sleeping apartments of the children. At one end of the building are the "rooms for the boys, and the opposite those for the girla. Between these two divisions are the quarters of the master and matron, so that no opportunity is afforded for the boys and girls intermingling. The beds seemed to be clean and tidy and well clad, and tbe whole establishment was in admirable order. We understand that the master has made a considerable number of repairs to the building siuce the Government handed it over to the committee for the purpose of the institution, but more repairs are still needed. In the grounds outside we saw a number of boys at work, some hoeing potatoes, some attending to cabbages, and other duties. This is such au institution as must commend itself to the care and consideration of all having a wish for the welfare of the neglected children amongst us. A few donations would not be unacceptable, and complaint is made that the sum which the Provincial Council passed in aid of the institution is being doled out by the Provincial Government. For such an institution as this, we should have expected that the Government nould have paid the sum over at once, so that the money might have been put in the bank, and interest obtained upon it until it was required by the exigencies of the institution. In the coming session of the Provincial Council liberal provision will have to he made for this institution, for the number of inmates is rapidly iuci easing. In the annual report which \\ ai adopted a short time ago, only 33 children aie accounted for, and there is alrearly an increase of more than one-third. We heartily commend the institution to the consideration of our readers, and can nssiuc them that the children possess a happy and contented homelike appearance.

THE NEWTON SUNDAY SCHOOL. It will be remembered that, by the sevcro galo which occurred some time ago, and swept away the Newton Congiegational Church and school, the 140 children who attended that school were left without a place to assemble in. Various appeals were made to the public foraid to get thesehool rebuilt. 1 hese appea s have not been in yam ; for, up to the piesent time, a sum of C2SO has been gathered. The former school was on leased ground, and, as the lease had nearly expired, the committee deemed it advisable to tsy and socme a freehold. This they did by purchasing an allotment in Edinburgh-street;, running at right angles with the Kai.xngabape Road. Some time ago the contract for erecting the school was taken by Mr. William Coote, builder ; and the building will he handed over to the trustees in the course of a foilnight from the present time. The building is 65ft. long by 30ft. in widjh, and bt.inds with one end facing Edinbuigh - street. Inside the main entrance will be a porch, having a door on each side leading into the body of the hall. At the other end will be a small gallery, and under which will be a couple of classrooms. In front of the gallery will be a raised dais, with a couple of steps at each end of it. On this will be placed -a reading stand or table, as may be required, at any time the school may be let tor the purpose of holding public meetings, &c. In the front, on each side of the main entrance, is a window filled with stained glass, which will have a very pleasant effect. The contract price for building was £242, which sum is on hand, to be paid when the work is completed. The school will be fitted up with gas, so that evening classes or public meetings can be held should occasion require. We understand that it in the desire of the committee to secure a few more pounds, that the expense of painting and gas-fitting may be paid by the time it is opened, so that that ceremony may take place under the exceptional circumstance, amongst religious communities at least, that of being free of debt. There was one radical defect however which we noticed, -and one common to many places of assembly — no means of ventilation. It is true the window can be opened, and a stream of cold cutting wind be thua permitted to blovr upon a few unfortunates who may be sitting near the window. A regular and natur \l means of ventilating ought to be provided near the highest part of the roof, ■which would keep the place fresh and cool without the cutting and rheumatism-produc-ing draughts produced by open windows. Such^ a serious neglect cannot be too unmercifully condemned, and the more so in this instance that the lining on the roof not only has the edges of the boards planed, but matched, and thus any means of ventilation through the shingles on the roof is securely prevented. It is to be hoped that this matter will be attended to while there is yet time to rectify the architectural defect.

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