THE ORPHANAGE, LYTTLETON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 4748, 3 February 1877, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE ORPHANAGE, LYTTLETON.

TO THE EDITOR. Sißj—Those who are interested in philanthropic schemes, and have not visited this South Island of New Zealand, may like to hear a little of its charitable institutions. Yesterday I visited a very excellent one, the Orphan Asylum at Lytteltou. The situation of the Orphanage is very beautiful and picturesque. The harbour of Lyttelfcon, though not to compare in beauty and picturesque effect with the Waitemata, is yet extremely pretty, and a feast of the eye to one who, like myself, loves the mountain and the sea, and has been exiled to inland plains. The hills of Lyttelton bear the usual features of New Zealand coast scenery, bold, rugged, brown hills. The harbour is well enclosed, and one has to row out a mile or two, or go up the Summer Road to see the Heads. As a ship enters the port, the Orphanage forma a very distinct object in this land view, built almost facing the entrance of the harbour, at a good elevation, with rather an imposing front. It looks very well indeed, and a nearer view does not dispel the favourable impression. I was admitted by a little boy, whose courteous gentlemanly demeanour would have shamed many a lad brought up in a gentleman's house. I found the principal, Mr. Giraud, a very courteous man, and the children as clean, healthy, and happy-look-ing as it has ever been my privilege to see. On entering the Orphanage, you find the wing to' your right-hand occupied by the girls. They sleep in a row of hammocks with iron side rods, fastened by irons to the wall at the head, and having slender iron cross rods to support the side bars at the foot; there are no mattrasses, but to each bed is an abundant supply of blankets, and I fancy they must be very comfortable, and particularly clean, as the whole thing can be taken to pieces by the children themselves either to air them to to conveniently clean the floors. The girls have a splendid schoolroom, with a spare place left to build an organ by-and-by. The old school-room and organ were burnt down. In the new schoolroom service is held morning and evening. For a little time the plan wa3 tried of educating boys and girls together in the school, but it does not seem to have succeeded, and the plan was abandoned after four months' trial, so the boys are now again instructed in their old school-room, in the other wing. The Orphan School is now under the Act, and the children examined for standard as in the common schools. The two defects in the system here seem to me to be, first, the rather indiscriminate admission of children. In visiting a similar institution on Kmerald Hill, Melbourne, I asked as to the conditions of admission, " They must have both the parents; must in no case be the children of criminal parents, nor committed by the Bensh." Here I find these conditions are not strictly observed, soxe are in the Orphanage who should be in the Industrial School; and I know of my own knowledge of one family who should be in the Orphanage who have been sent to the Industrial School: a worthy old woman, the widow G , who washes for roe. Her son's wife is very lately dead, and, he being and idle purposeless man, it was found necessary to do something for the children, all young and innocent, and orphans. To my surprise I find tkey have gone to the Industrial School, whilst many with both father and mother living, perhaps criminals, are sent to the Orphanage. I think an orphanage should be for orphans, and that the children of the criminal classes should have, if possible, entirely separate institutions—as in Victotia. Another great difference between this Orphanage and the Victorian onee, is the difference of training. In Victoria it is assumed that these children will have to get their living in the lower middle classes of society, and every effort is made to enable them to do this. The boys, under skilled instructors, make all the boote, and boys' clothing, and bread for the institution, and raise all the vegetables. The training of the girls is such as to fit them for domestic service. In some of the Victorian schools—in Pentridge Reformatory, for example—the elder boys are divided into two gangs. The day is divided bj dinner time. Those who go off Yv-ork today at dinner time do not go on till to-mor-row at the same hour, but take "school" instead, so that each boy has half a day's school and half a day's work, —to my mind a very excellent arrangement. Now, here in Lyttelton it is all sohool and only sehool. I should, of course, be one of the last to undervalue the blessings and benefits of. a good education, and I esteem as highly as anyone can the enlightened and intelligent as well as liberal policy that hasi given to Canterbury its splendid sohool system ; still I much, doubt if we are all calculated to shine as educational lights, nor do I think it .would be a good thing if we were, as learning would soon be a drug in the market and teachers starving. For all time the majority must live according to Divine decree, " by the. sweat of their brow," and whilst we are constantly striving to import useful people — handicraftsmen and domestic servants, —it would be well, I think, to train "a home force " out of those children who, through the vice or misfortune of their parents, are each in the care of the State. This seems to me to be a want at Lyttelton. I was shown no busy workshop, no well-kept garden. The one work that I saw progressing was the admirable but oldfashioned taste of "darning," which the

clean, happy and orderly girla exhibited with pardonable pride. The dress of both, eirl* and boys is abundant and respectable I saw thorn at tea, consisting of bread and dripping and a cnp of milk. There was bread and milk for the little ones, some of whom were not more than two years old • and of_ everything, there was plenty. Mr! Giraua, who has had charge of the institution For a lone time, j 3 ranch interested in. it; evidently his whole heart is in his work 3 >* rs - Giraud, in spite of a sick baby and .11 health, exhibited an equal interest. lifH nnmber of children is not Urge—only a ner would be much smaller if it were n<« for tne worthless, dissolute character of the parents for there is very little teal poverty here. Those who will work can live, and only the idle and drunken go to tho wall. In Victoria there is a great deal, and even in Auckland a little real, hopeless destitution. • I am to visit Iftttelton Gaol, and will write of it in my am, &c. t ..-^ &ARV A- COLCLOtTOH. j^f