PRIVATE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2429, 3 October 1900, Page 10

PRIVATE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS.

: (Fribii! Ottr Own Ooebjispojfdbnt.) . WELLINGTON, " September. 2b. Tha debate -on the Private Industrial Schools Inspection and Industrial , ' Schools v Act Amendment- Bill opened at. half -past 7 this evening. For, some plays'' past levelheaded men had • expressed the fear that the recent events connected with the. Stoke" Or- 1 "phanage might result in ' panic legislation, which might" cause the innocent .to suffer. Soon after the Premier had commenced his speech it became evident that he .recognised this danger, for he devoted a great- deal^oE ' his time to show that it would- be both un- ' wise and unjust to take the extreme step adj vopated by some membdrs, of cltisiiig tEey j private industrial schools, or converting theni into State institutions. In arguing ' against this proposal, the Premier ref ejcrSd" to ■ ths splendid work done by the private schools controlled by Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and the Salvation Army, _t>,ndj,so their success, as shown by the subsequent^career of the inmates. He thought iif-.w2B~most unjust that aIL these schools shdttldrsttfTer, hecaiise of the allegations made against one of them. The Premier also pointed out that seaoidals quite as grave- as those alleged to have taken, place at Stoke had occurred from time to time at Government institutions in the colony. The remedy suggested by. Mr Seddon, wa3 not the closing of- all private industrial schools, but additional powers of inspection and control by the State, and to see that these powers were fully, carefully, and- continuouFly exercised. The Premier was followed by Mr G. W. Russell, who," after dealing at consiclerabla length with the Stoke affair, concluded by a strong appeal to the House in^ favour of .State insitutio'ns, and State institutions only. The same view was taken by Mr Pirani, who ■ condemned (the way in which the Premier had besmat-iered the Government institutions. Mr PirarJ declared that the speech of _th& Premier showed that he was a denominationalist at heart. The' meiiirjer for Palmerston North advocated the abolition of private industrial schools, aud hoped the State would adopt the cottage' liome system' in dealingwith the waifs of society. The Minister of Public "Works agreed with the latter suggestion c f Mr Pirani, and in- ■ formed the House that the Government were already making- preparations to give the system a triak Mr Hall- Jones quoted statistics?' which showed^thatthe New Zealand industrial, school system, had produced results which' compared more than .favourably with other colonies. The ' proportion of boys and girls reported as doing well was 90 per cent, in.! ' New Zealand, as against a little over 70 percent, in. England. Messrs Graham and Meredith urged thab the State should take over ail the industrial Fchools— the former, as mem- . ber for Nelson; speaking with some warmth. All the members who had so far spoken carefully refrained from commenting in any way on the particular charges" which are subjudice, though the general management of the Stoke Orphanage occupied most of the tims of the speakers, and references to tlie bill were few and far between. Mr J. "Hutchcson was responsible for 2b. somewhat dramatic incident. In the courss of his speech he produced a pair of leg-irons, which .he said'^w-ere similar to those which, had been produced at the inquiry, and after holding them up for the' inspection of member? he suddenly let them' fall with a loud clank to the floor. - ' Mixny^ o£ .the- speakers spoke with considerable^ .warmth, th& .^debate being carried on mainly by the advocates of a- revolutionary " change in the industrial school system of the Colony. Sfo-gfc -oiLtlie speakers expressed their* ' intention of moving -os__supporting amendments in this direction. wherT'thc^bill gets int» committee, so that it appeal's that the measure will experience a very stormy passage through committee.