TE ORANGA HOME.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue 9480, 3 December 1907, Page 5

TE ORANGA HOME.

THE PUNISHMENT OF GIRLS.

HON. G. FOWLDS INTERVIEWED.

AUCKLAND, November 30.

Interviewed to-day in regard to Tc Oranga Home, the Hon. George Fowlds defended the administration of tli at institution. As to the alleged riogging, he said it was no more thaa a sHght strapping. "As for thei cutting of hair," said the Minister for Education, "I was responsible for giving permission that that should be done. I have no time for these who think it is better for girls tbat they should be allowed to find their way into brothels 1 than that one or two should have their hair cut off. It should also be remembered that in the two casesi in question the ages of the girls were only sixteen and eighteen. We never cut girls' hair unless there is plenty of time for it to grow again before they reach maturity. It is a. form oi' punishment whicii the regulations stipulate shall not be done without the sanction of the Minister."

"Does it serve as an efficient deterrent?"

"Yes, it isi most efficient* not only in. regard to the girls on whom it is inflicted, but in regard to others to whom it serves as a warning. Neither of these two modes, of punishment will, however, be required "when we secure more effective classification by means of a separate third-class, building. Thea*e is urgent need of this at T© Oranga. The intention is to put the really incorrigible girls in such a building that they would there have less facilities) fcr getting away, and whilst *he close confinement in, their case would take* the place of the method of punishmentr now provided for, it will enable greater freeicm to be allowed to the well-behaved girls, in the other nortion of the institution.

Speaking" of the manageress of the Home, Mr Fi«w]ds said that the official visitors to the Home spoke- in the highest terms of praise of Mrs Branting. "The ve-ry best possible, testimony to her character and capacity," he said, "is that of all the girls 1 whom she has sent to service during the eight yeto-s that she has been in charge of the. Hojtk; not one has fallen."