REFORMATORY METHODS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 66, 15 September 1906, Page 9

REFORMATORY METHODS.

« THE BOY, THE GIRL, AND THE STATE. AN INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL PROBLEM, Among tho problems to be dealt with in tho work of making our industrial- | school system an increasingly powerful moans of advancing th-e general well-be-ing of the community, the most important, and certainly the- most difficult (says the annual report of the Minister of Education) is that of dealing with that section of tho reformatory inmates — both young men and young women — whoso I dangerously sensual and criminal tendencies hamper the general work of reforming uhe other inmates. Happily, neither in Burnham nor in Te Uranga Home are the numbers of such ca&ss large, although it is idle to deny that there are a few in each institution who should be entirely separated from the others — that is to say, that another grade in the classification scheme j should be instituted. To do this "other buildings must, be erected, either as separate institutions or as annexes to the existing sohools, but they must be thoroughly isolated. There are in the gaols of tho colony, no doubt, a proportion of tho younger prisoners who have similar characteristics. Probably tho cases of this class from the reformatories and those from tho gaols should be brought ! together in institutions sp»cially equipped to deal with them. There ire some of these young people who, either from mental deficiency or moral obliquity, seem impervious to all efforts made in their behalf; and as the industrialschools law is at present there is no power to detain inmates ofter they reach twenty-one years of age. Tb& matter is of grave concern, and the question of providing for these unfortunates is one that intimately affects the public weal. The report further says that in planning the buildings and works at Levin the predominant idea has been that th* principal functions of such an industrial school are to give the boys a good moral training, together with a sound publicschool education ; to teach various branches of firm-work and agriculture, dairying, fruit-growing, and gardening; to give\them a good general knowledge of such trades as carpentry and blacksmithing; and to provide other suitable occupations for those incapable of heavy work; in short, to prepare tho boys for the stations in life and the occupations that they are individually beat fitted for. The return for the expenditure is seen when many colonists, who would otberwiss have been found in the ranks of tlie, unfit, show themselves to be sturdy farmers and artisans who havo learned their business under good conditions. This institution is open for the reception of boys who do not need refoimatory treatment, but aro not suitable for "boarding oui, by reason either of their age or temperament. Tho removal of the Caversham boys to Weraroa effects another important achievement in the development of the industrial -school system of the colony ; thero is now no Lidustrial school at which girls reside where boys over ten years of age are resident inmates. The purpose of the Caversham Industrial School is now similar to that of the Auckland Industrial School — it, is for girls of, any." age, so long as they do not need reformatory treatment; and for boys not too old or too wild to bo boarded out, or who can be placed at once at service. ■ At tho end of 1905 was in the Post-ofßce Savings-bank on account of the- earnings of inmates' of Government industrial schools a sum of £15,457 11s 4d, and on account of inmates of private industrial schools £3673 5s Id. For inmabes of Government schools a, anm of £1619 11s 9d was withdrawn during the year, and for / inmates of private schools £143 12s.