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New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10207, 18 February 1919, Page 8

Some very sensible suggestions were brought forward recently by a member of the Auckland Civic League executive re the protection of boarded-out children under tho care of the State. It was proposed by tho -speaker that the Government request the women teachers to keep a special eye on these children if thy were attending tho primary school and send in a short report once n month, stating whether they seemed well cared tor and happy. This is so simple that it is odd the idea has never struck anyone before, for these poor little mites often need a sympathetic eye, and who is so likely to know their surroundings as their teacher? Tho woman inspector who calls upon them at long intervals can easily bo hoodwinked, but not tho teacher, who sees them day by day. In fact, the idea if expanded could' easily do away with all tho costly inspection methods of our present system, which involves long motor trips and gigdriving, all of which come out of tho public purse. This money could easily bo added to tho teachers’ income to countermand the small increase in labour. This system has been put in practice in tho United States, where tho women teachers are enlisted in this work with the greatest success.