BOYS ON TREK.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5736, 3 November 1905, Page 5

BOYS ON TREK.

FROM CAVERSHAM TO LEVIN. A NEW INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL. One hundred and five hoys from the Caversham (Dunedin) Industrial School passed through Wellington yesterday morning on their way to their new home at Levin. They came from Dunedin in the steamer Zealandia, and reached the city about 9 o’clock in the morning. On arrival, tho Right Hon Mr Soddon, Minister for Education, went on board tho steamer, and gave a short address of encouragement to the lads. Cheers wore given for tho Premier when ho finished speaking, and then tho hoys fell into lino, and headed by the school bands—-bagpipes and brass alternately—marched to tho Wellington and Manawatu railway station, where they entrained for Levin. A bright, healthy-looking lot of lads they were, clean and well set up. A number of them wore the regulation public school ■ cadet uniform, and tho playing of tho baudsboys did credit to themselves and to their instructors. Mr J. M. Burlinson, manager of Cavcrsham, was in charge of the boys, and will act as manager of tho now school. Speaking to a “New Zealand Times” representative, ho said the removal of tho scholars from Caversham was in fulfilment of tho policy decided upon by tho Minister for Education several years ago. The party had had a pleasant trip up, and this was due in a great measure to the kindness of tho captain, officers, and stewards of the Zealandia. Was tho Caversham school to bo abandoned altogether? No; but in future it would be used as a school for girls only. The Work would be extended in the direction of teaching girls cooking and general domestic work. At tho Levin school—tho first of its kind in tho colony—the intention was to give boys training in practical and theoretical farming. It was felt that farming was tho most important industry in tho colony, and a number of well-trained boys should he welcomed in tho farming community. In 1392 Mr Burlinson took charge of the Caversham school, and has controlled it ever since. He has great faith in tho future of tho hoys who pass through the Government industrial schools, and says that 90 per cent, of the lads have turned out well. Tho keynote of his work is the formation of character. “Heredity?” ho said. “No; you can’t count that. That is mostly a cant phrase. Tho whole thing is a question of environment. Give tho youngsters plenty of fresh air, plenty of air space, and room to move about, and they have a chance. And you mustn’t judge them until the end of the chapter.” The ages of tho lads rango from nino years to eighteen years, but only a few are under twelve years of age. Tho New Zealand system is to board out with private families as many children under twelve years at possible, so that they are brought under tho influence of homo life. Naturally, however, there aro some young tinkers amongst them who cannot be controlled by tho fostor pareiits, and so they have to be brought back to tbo schools. More than half of tho squad that went to tho Horowbenua: home yesterday are North Islanders, and thoro was a largo number of relatives of the youngsters on tho railway station to speak with them for tho little time available. Fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters reached their arms through tho carriage windows to hold for a moment a small member of tho family whom they had not seen probably for a conple of years. Faces were held up to bo kissed, and there were tears from women. They were all poor people—very poor they looked, in ill-assorted clothes—but who shall judge what sort of a heart is covered by a dilapidated coat or whether a mother down at heel and with tawdry hat is not as fond of her child as tho finest madam of you all? On arrival at Levin tho boys, headed by the bands, marched to thoir new home, and formed up in front of the main building. There Mr R. H. Rope, assistant inspector of industrial schools, who has been indefatigable in his efforts towards the equipment of the now place, formally handed over the keys of the school to Mr Burlinson. Cheers were given, and Mrs Pope, formally opened tho door of the institution. . Tha new school is about two and a half miles from the Levin post office. Tho total amount of ground attached to tho institution is 404 acres of firstclass land—some of tho finest land in tho district. In all, tho cost of tho erection of tho various buildings was £II,OOO. In the main block is tho large assembly room (which for the present will bo used as a day school), tho long dining-room, the roading-romn, sleeping-rooms, bath and dressingrooms, hospital ward, with nurses’ apartments, and kitchen—yesterday it was a placo that a starving man might cjreain fafoout. On one', *tablo alono eleven great plum puddings smoked and cracked their sides with the very pleasure of the enjoyment they were to giveDetached from the main block are the manager’s dwelling, the laundry, Iko dairy, the farm overseer’s house, the “cottage home,” cowshed, and offices. In front of the whole is a beautiful great green playground, about four acres in extent. Very complete arrangements have been made for fireprevention purposes, and there are two chemical engines and a large platform manual-engin© capable of throwing a jet of water 100 ft. The “cottage home” system ■ is on trial by the department, and the one that has been erected on the Levin estate will accommodate about fourteen lads. It is as well to mention hero, however, that tho Government industrial managers are unanimous teat too best system for tho younger children is tho boarding-out system. The entire institution is lighted with electricity; the dairy work and the cooking will bo done by steam; arid in winter the rooms will be heateu by special stoves diffusing bot air. Mr R. H. Pope, assistant inspector of industrial schools, informed the reporter that tho department’s intention was to place in the Levin institution only tbo better class of boys, and as far as possible to develop them in the branches of industry best suited to their capabilities. Agriculture will not solely be taught in the school. On the books of the Government industrial schools at the end of the year there were 1387 boys and girls—an mcrease of twenty-on© over tbo number in 1903—as follows: 135; Receiving Home, Wellington. 195; Receiving Horae, Christchurch, 23G; Burnham, 231; To Oranga Home, C 3; and Caversham, 527. The number of inmates who during 1904 ceased to be under the control of industrial schools was 182. Of these 129 were discharged by warrant, 40 reached twenty-one years of age, 5 were married, and 8 died. Of this total 132 were of good character, 6 fair, and 10 bad; 4 were weak-minded, ll were missing, 12 were discharged under fif-.

toon years of ago (3 of whom wore adopted), 6 under that ago died, and 1 was sent to a school under a misapprehension. At the end of 1001 there was in the Post Office Savings Bank on account of the earnings of Government industrial schools a sum of £14,055 14s lid. Per inmates of the schools a sum of £1755 Gs 8d was withdrawn. The money is earned by tho boy or girl at service, and a certain percentage of it paid into tho school, and becomes tho property of the Crown. When tho scholar is discharged, the whole of tho money paid over to him or her is refunded, provided that the course proposed to ho taken with it is approved. It is only in rare cases that the money is withheld, no matter where the ex-inmate travels to. One boy, who, got as far as British Columbia and took up some laud there, wrote and applied for money ho had earned in one of this colony’s industrial schools, and after inquiries had been made by tho department tho money was forwarded. Tho total number of inmates dependent upon Government and other schools at the end of 1904 was 1172, or 37 more than at tho end of 1903. Seven hundred and forty-six, although still subject to control and supervision of the schools, were not dependent upon them for maintenance. They were classified as follows:—Licensed to reside with friends, 178; at service, 494; in hospital, 4; in lunatic asylum, 5; in the Cost ley Training Institution (Auckland), 3; in other institutions, 15; in gaol, 3; absent without leave, 44.