THE WERAROA INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13544, 17 March 1906, Page 4

THE WERAROA INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.

THE OFFICIAL OPENING.

The Right Hon. Mr Scddon, as Minister", of Education, officially opened the buildings on the recently-established agricultural industrial school. AYeraroa farm. Levin, on, Wednesday. Ho was met on arrival, at Levin from Foxton by the band of tho •school. In the course of his address the Premier said: Tho school education was' very thorough, ,47 per cent, of the children: over 11 years of aire having boon presented for the Fifth Standard examination, and o sreat many of them for higher standards; Manual training also received considerable attention. At Burnham there were shops for ctiipentry, boot making, and tailoring, and at Wcraroa all the branches of farming work. An important branch of the administration was tiie collection of mainton-. ancq money from parents or guardians. • During the past throe vears the amountsrecovered increased from £1550 to £3000. Tho maintenance of children in industrial schools and similar institutions (including private schools) for 1905 was £14.312: hoarding-out mid medical attendance, £9145: salaries of' staffs. £5734. Buildings and new works ccst £6503: maintenance of buildings. £1223; ■ cost, of inspection and visitation. £2335. The gross oxnemlihiro was f.'O.&Si: less recoveries. £12.v?R;-net. £"6.c2i. The .responsibility of the Minister was all tllO' greater because lie recognised that many children in the institutions hud no taint of crime, were were purely victims of misfortune. It was th» desire of the wholo rolom tn shelter, feed, and equip them for the battle of life.—(Anplause.l Mr Sfddoiv warmly thanked the magistrates of the colony, who, without oxeentifin. took' great nains tn uncertain all the facts before committing children to tho institutions. Such a farm as Hud at Wernroa- was very much wanted, nml lie honed the boys from it and the eirls from the other schools. • would be soueht after by the best class of people. There was not enough homo trainint' in the colony. New Zealand mothers did not do their <]u|c in this respect to their daughters.—lApplauso.) It- had long liccn recognised that the requirements- of Cnvorsham were too great for the site, tho ounrlers bein<r old and inconvenient. Tn jß q 9 it was decided to establish a central bcIioo! for Imys in a cond district in tho North Island. This wo'-dd provide separata schools for boys and sir's, the latter being retained at Cavershani. After careful consideration the site at Weraroa. •'.as chosen as an ideal oil", and in April, 1901. it was decided to proceed with the work. The heavy hush had been felled, but the "burn" was not a good one. nnd the clearing afterwards was difficult and - expensive. The scheme for the buildings provided 'or n large administrative block, with dormitories for about 60 attached four ■ or five-roomed colleges (capable of holding about 12 to 15 boys oaenl. manaffor's residence, office, laundry, workshops, dairy., stables, and farm buildings. The cost of prronvitifr. fencing, draining and planting, and erection of buildings was estimated at £85.000. So far the expenditure had been £13.191! on buildings and £5381 on landa total of £18.559. Only one cottaire had vet been oreoted. but, the hii-en increase in the number of boys—now 127—made it necessary to erect others without delay. Tho erection of a day school was also urgent, and stables and piggeries wero in band. The expenditure, though it seemed large at first, was a thoroughly sound investment to the colony, for the farm would turn out. hundreds of wcll-tr.-.ined. industrious settlers—a source of wealth to the country far beyond the cost of their training.—(Loud anplause.) Tho 'greater part of the domestic work had now to he done by the boys, but plant, would be installed to reduce this as much as nossible, s,i as to allow the boys more time for their technical training.—(Applause.) There was little doubt that when the land had been thoroughly cleared and the farm was in full one-ration the receipts would bo such that the cost of maintaining the boys would be very low. The benefits could not fail to be great. The scheme was largely due to Mr Pope, who had taken a very deep interest in the matter. Mr fVdd'nn expressed complete confidence in Mr Burlinson on account of his previous record.