STOKE ORPHANAGE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 9833, 4 August 1900, Page 3

STOKE ORPHANAGE.

Further Evidence.

[per press association.]

. Nelson, Last night. lh;s morning the Stoke Oiphaoge enquiry Commissioners visited the school, accompanied by Mr Hogbeu. The Press was not admitted. The purpose was to hear the complaints of the boys. The visit was informal in ordar to remove as far as possible the restraint on the part •of the boys. It is understood the complaints are no more serious than already made. Messrs Wardell and Hogben left for Wellington at midday. In the afternoon Mr Bush sat alone to hear evidence. Drs. Gibbs and Talbot had been instructed by the Commissioners to report Upon the condition of the boys. Dr. Gibbs stated that he had examined 116 boys out of 126 iv the absence of others satisfactorily accounted for. He found the boys generally healthy and well nourished, but appeared uoderfcized. Their heights were below the average of boys of the same age in England. There was no data> to enable a comparison of the boys. No marks of injury were found. Most of the boys were dirty. The clothing was adequate for warmth. The sheeting material used was coarse, hard, and unsuitable. Many of the stockings were full of holes, and the beds in a small dormitory were unsatisfactory. Evidences of vermin (fleas) were very plentiful. The big dormitory was satisfactory, most of the mattresses being new. The children's dormitory was not satisfactory, but not as bad as the small dormitory. As a general result there was a want of care and cleanliness in the clothing. Witness condemned the confinement described in the evidence, also the dosing of the boys with mustard and water, and recommended the appointment of a medical officer for the institution. Counsel for the management said this was suggested some time since by the Department, being done by weekly visits of inspection. The school authorities at the request of the Commissioners presented a fresh statement of the receipts and expenditure covering the last two years. The former statement showed the receipts at £4944, expenditure £4421. The list of details of the expenditure showed £3802 only. Tho new statement showed receipts £5234, expenditure £4749, leaving the same balance at the bank as before stated. £z Counsel for the Board wished to kuow how the former descrepancy was accounted for. He was informed that £500 was paid off the property, the debt not being included in the first statement. The savings for two years were thus over a thousand pounds. The accounts will be further gone into, The Brother Provincial of the Marist Order will be examined at WelliHgton on Monday or Tuesday.