TE ORANGA HOME.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14155, 6 March 1908, Page 6

TE ORANGA HOME.

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY. (Per United Psess Association.) -, r . CHRISTCHUKOH, March 5. ■ The inquiry into the management of Te Oranga homo was continued to-day. Evidence was given by two ex-inmates (now , a(r service) and several other girls, mainly in' corroboration of tho statements of tho | previous witnesses. j One witness stated that she had been confined in the cell, and it was' pointed out Uiat the punishment had iiot been entered ir tho punishment book. [ Mrs' Branting said that as lhe confinement was under three hours it was not entered The Commissioner remarked llmt the icgulat.ion stated distinctly that all punish- [ nionts should be entered in the book. ; Mr Pope said that the practice followed by tho matron had been recognised by the department. •.The;. Commissioner; • Tho .'department can t go outside its own regulations. The ■ essence of the regulations is that punish- » rnchts should be entered. If they are • not it might lend to' abuse. > The witness said that she had no complaint, to mako beyond that she had been ' punished.. . In/ cross-examination she admitted that she deserved her punishment. A girl.of 17j who had been in the homo ( two years, made a, complaint that she was , kept in the homo on account of her \ temper. > . The Commissioner: That'relates to the t question of committal, and thoy all have a complaint about that. v • ■ _ The witness added that the staff"'might be more civil. The matron was civil to , tho girls, but the staff'was not. i .In reply to Mr Hunt, the girl said that ■ she. .was; a bit sulky. The staff were kind to her;'but. she'had been unjustly put in > the. colls for burning an apron. • The next witness, a girl! of 20, who had been four years in the home, said that she had been put in tho cells for giving im- : pudence, and had Jier ears, boxed by the' , matron. .'..'. ■■' 1 Have you) any particular grievance against the treatment you ■■ receivo ■■ here now!—l have hot. . ' ' 'Mi; Hunt: You like working among tho , lupins and the trees?—Oh, yes. Miss Ada, Harrison, who occupies tho position, of day school teacher at To Oranga, was enllod by Mr, Salter. Her | first remark was:'"l have been teacher ■i here for four years,, and I still want to i lemain."' ■ , ''■■■■' > Mr Bishop:-. What do you wish us to 1 infer from that?—that you think you might not'-remain here? Witness; Well, it might bo very awkward for me. •..'■■ Mr Bishop: At: this-stage I have not the faintest idea of what you are going to say. ■ What do jou wish to tell us ? Witness: I would like to put a question to Mr Pope. ' Mr Bishop: Certainly. Witness: Is it a usual method in the to dismiss officers without letting them'seetthe complaint made against them? ■'• ■■..'■■ , 'Mr Pope:' May, I answer that question later, on, your Worship? Mr- Bishop: If you prefer to do so. Personally, I cannot conceive.that it is the practice ; -in any Government department to dismiss a; person without letting him know the reason for his dismissal. If the Education Department does it I should bo immensely surprised. Tp;tlio witness: Do you imply that you may bo dismissed because you are going to give evidence? Witness: I understand Miss Howden has never seen the report on which she was dismissed, and I don't want to be dismissed oh a' secret report., Mr. Bishoj): I don't think that is a fair way of putting it.. J have her own complaint in writing. ■,-..'■ Mr Pope: Do you want mo to answer the question? .' I would prefer'to leave it until I give evidence. Mr Bishop: I am quite prepared to leave it, though if an answer were given it ( might, reassure the witness. Miss Harrison was then examined by Mr Salter. She stated that she- had been regarded ae ranking after the matron on the staff, and she had twice taken charge during the matrori'6 absence,' the periods being .a little over a month in each case.. On those occasions she had not allowed other meniberp of the staff to punish girls first referring to her. ' Are relations, 6trained between you and the'matron?—She has no sympathy with the school- work. J How does she show that?— The girls are I kept away for any excuse—to do mending, gather honey, or anything of that sort. They have only two hours a day, and I think that rather short. To the matron: I think, you would want to take that time off ; too, would ,you? The Commissioner: The matron does not fix the hours of the.eohool. ' ■ Witness: Some of the girls miss their two houre, and I don't get a good repos at the end of the year: Mr Salter: Do you find the girls hard to manage in school, or harder than ordinary school girls'—They are very good at first. One or two are very troublesome. Two ; girls I have now I have to watch all the morning. They are up to tricks all the time. Mr Russell said that the matron had Miss Harrison as a capable, iconaoientious, and good teacher. In reply to his questions Miss Harrison said that she had talked over home matters with Miss Howden, and they might explain how' Mr Salter heard that, she could give evidence. The girls she taught' ranged in age from 11 to 20 years. < / Do you notice art imporvement in the girls as time goes on after they come to the home ?—Their moral tone has improved very muoh since the school started. Mr Hunt: Have the girls complained to you ?—I don't allow them to complain to me. Thoy havo said that they don't like outside work, and that they wanted to be put on cooking, dressmaking, and general housework: '■-.'■: In reply to Mr Bishop the witness stated' that she held two schools in the homeone in the morning, at which 30 of the younger girls attended, and one in' the I afternoon for the older girls, of whom 20 , attended. The afternoon girls were frequently very tired after their morning's work, arid 6he allowed some to remain seated all the time. The morning school lasted two hours and a-half, inoluding half an hour for drill, and tho afternoon school two hours, j The classes were subject to standard examinations, but she v had not received reports of the results for some time. The work was only carried on to the Fourth Standard, Mr Anderson (Assistant Inspector-general) having intimated to her that that was the department's wish. Personally, she was of opinion that it should be taken to the Sixth Standard, and 6he had been informed that this was under consideration.' Mr Pope. said that the matter mi receiving- consideration at the present time. The majority of the children were beyond school age, and a very special course was required for them. That was now under the consideration of the Inspec-tor-general, ' <He did not know of any regulation limiting the standard to which work could be taken. The Witness stated that, in her opinion, it should bo compulsory for every girl to attend school for two hours every day. That was little enough. There was only accommodation for 32 pupils in the school. She would prefer to teach all the girls together if she oould have them for four hours every day. That, of course, would interfere with their outside duties. Mr Salter: The chopping and sawing would not bo'done then. Mr Bishop: That' 6 all very well, but these girls must have physical labour. It is only a question of degree. • ' In reply to Mr Pope the Witness said that the matron would like to shorten the school hours. She did not know that prior to her own appointment tho matron had herself taught the girls. She had not mentioned to any of the officers of the department that the afternoon school girls were'.tired out before thev went to school. She had not complained to. the department about the irregular attendance, as she considered that she had no right to interfere with the matron. The witness produced her attendance book, and, quoting from the' January register, showed that four girls had been noted for arriving late, and one had been unavoidably kept away for a full day. Mr Pope remarked that this showed that the attendance was very good indeed. The inquiry was then adpournod till next day.