EDUCATION: INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS AND ORPHANAGES (PAPERS RELATING TO). [In Continuation of E.-3, 1883.]

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1884 Session I, E-03

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1884. NEW ZEALAND

EDUCATION: INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS AND ORPHANAGES (PAPERS RELATING TO). [In Continuation of E.-3, 1883.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency

No. 1 Extract from Sixth Annual Eepoet of the Minister, of Education The industrial schools and orphanages maintained wholly or partly by the Government from parliamentary votes are The Auckland Industrial School, comprising the Howe Street Home for girls, and the Kohimarama institution for boys, the Canterbury Industrial School at Burnham, the Otago Industrial School at Caversham, the Thames Industrial School and Orphanage, the St. Mary's Industrial School and Orphanage, Auckland, the St. Mary's Industrial School and Orphanage, Nelson , the St. Stephen's Orphanage, Parnell, Auckland , the St. Joseph's Providence Orphanage, Wellington, the Motueka Orphanage, Nelson , and the Lyttelton Orphanage, Canterbury Full particulars respecting the constitution, management, and maintenance of each of these institutions are furnished in last year's reports * The children maintained in the industrial schools and orphanages may be divided into two classes (1) Children committed to proclaimed industrial schools under the provisions of " The Industrial Schools Act, 1882," and (2) orphan and destitute children who are not so committed. The latter class comprises children admitted on the order of a Government relieving officer, and for whose maintenance a capitation payment is made by Government, and children admitted by the local managers at their own instance, and in respect of whom payment from the public revenue is not always made. Table Q shows that 1,056 committed children belonged to the industrial schools at the beginning of the year, and 1,319 at its close. The number of fresh commitments to the schools during the year was 320, but, as 52 children had been discharged and 5 had died in that period, the actual increase for the year was 263. Notwithstanding this very large increase in the number of children belonging to the industrial schools, the number in residence had decreased from 822 to 800. This is owing to the large number that have been placed out at

* Parliamentary Papers E.-l and E.-3, 1883.

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service or with friends, and to the successful operation of the scheme for boarding out the younger children with foster-parents.

TABLE Q.— Summary of Admissions, Withdrawals, etc., for Year 1883.

The following are the numbers of non-resident children at the beginning and at the close of 1883 :— Jan. 1, 1883. Dec. 31, 1883. Increase. At service .. ..77 104 27 With friends .. ... 151 198 47 Boarded with foster-parents .. 209 209 Absent without leave 6 12 6 Totals ... 234 523 289 Under the repealed Act the children were released from the control of the school on the expiry of their several terms of committal; by the Act of 1882 all are committed for detention in the school till they attain the age of fifteen years, but they continue under the legal guardianship of the manager till the age of twenty-one years is reached, unless previously discharged by warrant of the Governor This provision is of great advantage to those who need protection from their own depraved and worthless parents. Nearly all those over fifteen years who are still under the legal guardianship of the several managers are in service or with friends; a few are on the staff in some of the institutions. As the industrial schools are the only homes that a number of these young people can properly go to when not in service, a few are almost at all times in the

immitti •A. Non-commii ;ted. Totals. Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. Girls. otal. Boys. Girls. Total. 1. In the schools, 31st December, 1882 2. At service, 31st December, 1882 3. With friends, 31st December, 1882 4. Absent without leave, 31st December, 1882 487 52 79 6 335 25 72 822 77 151 6 90 123 213 577 52 79 6 458 25 72 1,035 77 151 6 5. Total belonging to schools, 31st December, 1882 6. New admissions during 1883 624 197 432 123 1,056 320 90 21 123 16 213 37 714 218 555 139 1,269 357 7 Number to be accounted for, 31st December, 1883 8. Number discharged or died during 1883 821 26 555 31 1,376 57 111 19 139 25 250 44 932 45 694 56 1,626 101 9. Total belonging to the schools, 31st December, 1883 Increase in 1883 795 1,319 92 114 206 887 638 1,525 256 524 171 2 -9 -7 173 83 92 263 Particulars of new admissions — 10. Destitute 11. Vagrant .. . • 12. Residing in brothel or disreputable place 13. Uncontrollable 14. Guilty of punishable offence 15. Governor's order in lieu of imprisonment 77 46 20 17 35 2 71 24 17 8 1 2 148 70 37 25 36 4 21 16 37 98 46 20 17 35 2 87 24 17 8 1 2 185 70 37 25 36 4 Totals as in line No. 6 .. 197 123 320 21 16 37 218 139 357 Particulars of discharges and deaths— 16. Discharged by warrant 17 Discharged on reaching age of twenty-one 18. Died 24 27 1 3 51 1 5 17 23 40 41 50 1 5 91 1 9 2 2 2 4 4 Totals as in line No. 8 57 19 25 44 45 56 101 26 31 Particulars of children belonging to the schools, 31st December, 1883— 19. In the schools 20. At service 21. With friends 22. Boarded out with foster-parents 23. Absent without leave 512 65 113 94 11 288 39 85 111 1 800 104 198 205 12 91 111 202 603 65 113 95 11 399 39 85 114 1 1,002 104 198 209 12 1 3 4 Totals as in line No. 9 795 1,319 92 114 206 887 638 1,525 524 Changes of status during year 1883— 24. Returned from service 25. Returned from friends 26. Sent to service 27. Placed with friends . 28. Boarded out with foster-parents 29. Absconded 5 5 21 42 94 7 3 16 21 111 1 5 8 37 63 205 8 5 5 21 42 95 7 3 16 21 114 1 5 8 37 63 209 8 3 4

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institutions, in some cases between the leaving of one situation and the entering on another, and in some instances owing to sickness or incapacity for service. The number over fifteen years that belonged to the schools at the end of 1883 was 133. They may be classified as follows : — Males. Females. Total. In service 31 17 48 With friends .. 23 11 34 On the school staffs 17 8 Waiting for situations, incapacitated through sickness, &c. 14 20 34 Missing 8 19 Total 77 56 133 There is an increase of 47 in the number of children placed out in charge of relatives or friends. In many instances the parents or friends of committed children make earnest application to have them restored to their custody After careful inquiry it is often found necessary, for the sake of the children, to refuse such applications, but not unfrequently they are granted for what are deemed sufficient reasons In such cases the children are licensed as prescribed by the Act, but they remain under the guardianship of the manager of the school, and can be recalled at any time, if necessary, by order of the Minister The parents or others to whom the children are thus intrusted, knowing this, are put upon their good behaviour, and are usually exceedingly careful to avoid such a course of conduct as would lead to the forfeiture of the custody of the children. It thus happens that the committal of a child to an industrial school sometimes proves beneficial to the parents as well as to the child. The particulars given in lines 10-15 of Table Q, and the following classification of the parents of the 320 children committed during the year, supply information of an interesting and suggestive character bearing upon the causes of committal: —

TABLE R.—Committed Children classified according to Parents' Circumstances and Character.

The fathers only of 96 children, and the mothers only of 13, are described as deserters, and 5 are reported as having been abandoned by both parents. The fathers only of 69 children, and the mothers only of 89, are stated to be of good character or poor, and 15 have both parents well reported of, 25 have fathers only, and 72 have mothers only, of bad character, and 22 have both parents of evil repute. The fathers only of 52 children, and. the mothers only of 44, were dead, and 7 had lost both parents by death. The fathers only of 18 children, and the mothers only of 25, were unknown to the authorities , and in the case of one child only was there no information about either parent. The information given in Table S respecting the parentage of the 37 children admitted to orphanages is of a different character ; —■

Mothers described a! Children of Total. Dead. Sick, Lunatic, Disabled, &c. Of Good Cbaracter (or poor). Not known or not stated. Of Bad Character. D ters. 'athers described as— Dead Sick, lunatic, disabled, &c. Of good character (or poor) Not known or not described Of bad character Deserters 7 3 20 1 13 7 3 1 11 4 2 6 33 4 15 2 2 48 19 1 6 16 15 6 22 35 2 4 5 2 6 59 10 84 19 47 101 Total 51 27 104 26 94 18 320

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TABLE S. —Parentage of Non-committed Children admitted to Orphanages in 1883.

The fathers only of 11 children and the mothers only of 4 were dead, and 13 had lost both parents, showing that, out of the 37 children placed in orphanages, 28 had been deprived of one or both parents; 4 children had one or both parents sick or m a lunatic asylum , 2 had been deserted by both parents, 2 had a father and 1 had a mother of bad character The following is a summary of the ages of the children maintained by Government that were resident at all the schools on the 31st December, 1883:—

TABLE T.—Ages of the Children.

At the beginning of the year 25 51 per cent, of all the resident committed children were under seven years , at the close of the year the percentage of children under that age was only 12-37 This large decrease m the number of very young resident children is owing to the large number (205) that had been boarded out with foster-parents, almost all of whom are under seven years of age. About 915 of the resident children were receiving day-school instruction at the end of the year, the numbers being as follows Auckland Industrial School (Howe Street and Kolnmarama), 129, Burnham, 210, Cavcrsham, 236, St. Mary's, Auckland, 44, St. Mary's, Nelson, 132, St. Stephen's, Parnell, 18, St. Joseph's Providence, Wellington, 22 , Motueka, 24 , Lyttelton Orphanage, 82. Those at the Thames School, 18 m number, are included in the returns of " public " school attendance. The amount of payments made by parents on account of the maintenance of their children is larger for 1883 than for 1882. The amounts for the two years were as follows :— £ s. d. Total for 1883 ... ... .. 1,335 16 7 Total for 1882 .. 1,130 13 4 Increase . £205 3 3 The Industrial Schools Act provides that- the earnings of the children when at service shall be placed in the Post-Office Savmgs-Bank, after defraying the cost of clothing and other necessaries The repayment of these moneys, with accumulated interest, is contingent on good conduct. The boys usually receive theirs on reaching manhood and showing that the money will be satisfactorily expended by them. The girls' money is usually paid to them on their marriage

Mothers [escribed as Children of Sick, Lunatic, Disabled, &c. Of Good Character (or poor). Not known or not stated. Total. Dead. Of Bad Character. D 'athers described as— Dead Sick, lunatic, disabled, &c. Of good character (or poor) Not known or not described Of bad character Deserters 13 2 1 1 2 9 1 24 2 3 2 2 4 i 1 2 1 2 1 Total 12 37 17 i

Under 1 Year. 1 and under 2. 2 and under 3. 3 and under 4. 4 and under 5. 5 and under 7. 7 and under 10. 10 and under 13. 13 and under 15. Over 15 Years. Total. lommitted children 4 7 9 15 64 262 269 135 35 800 Ion-committed children 1 2 4 24 62 65 37 6 202 Total 1 4 8 11 19 88 324 334 172 41 1,002

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with the approval of the manager * The following is a summary of the wages account for the Government Industrial Schools for 1883 : — Amount in bank at close of year— £ s. d. £ s. d. Former inmates ... 1,469 19 9 Present inmates 711 9 0 2,181 8 9 Amount, withdrawn in 1883 . 161 8 3 Amount due by employers at close of year .. 160 13 10 Section 53 of "The Industrial Schools Act, 1882," requires that "the Governor, or any Judge or Resident Magistrate, shall, when ordering any child to be sent to a school, state to what religious persuasion, creed, or denomination such child m his opinion belongs, and shall order and direct that such child shall be brought up and educated in that persuasion, creed, or denomination." The following is a summary of the religious denominations of the children admitted to the industrial schools and orphanages in 1883 : —

TABLE U.—Religious Denominations of Children committed or admitted in 1883.

As soon as possible after the Industrial Schools Act came into operation arrangements were made for placing out the younger children with respectable foster-parents, instead of retaining them in the schools as formerly A Lady Official Correspondent and Lady Visitors were appointed m connection with each of the three Government industrial schools at Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin respectively It is the duty of the Official Correspondent to select suitable homes for the children, and, m conjunction with the manager of the school, to forward to the Minister a proposal and a statement of particulars in each case. The statement must supply satisfactory information on the following points (1) Concerning the child—its name, age, religion, degree of education, state of health, date and circumstances of admission to the school, (2) concerning the proposed foster-parent —name, age, residence and amount of accommodation, whether married, single, or widow, number and ages of children m family, and other particulars as to the household, church to which family belongs, school that the child will attend, occupation and circumstances of head of family, amount of payment to be made to foster-parent, and name of local visitor On being satisfied as to all the particulars set forth in the proposal, the Minister, by warrant under his hand, authorizes the boardmg-out of the child as recommended. A code of rules relating to the treatment of the children must be signed by the foster-parents. A suitable amount of clothing is supplied from the school when a child is first boarded out, and as the articles so supplied are worn out the foster-parent is under obligation to replace them with others, so that the child shall always have its own clothing to the full extent of the original supply Every child of sufficient age and strength must attend a school, and also the same place of worship as the family in which it is placed. Arrangements have been made whereby medical aid can be obtained m cases of sickness or accident.

* Last year two brothers received £91 is. 8(1. and £29 17s. lOd. respectively, or £130 between them. They were committed in 1872 for seven years, their father being dead and their mother a drunkard. In addition to the amount in the bank, they had accumulated other moneys and a good stock of cattle. Tho stock of the elder brother began in 1874 with three heifers, two of which were presents from his mistress, and a third from a friend of his employer who had become interested in the boy The brothers have jointly taken a farm of two hundred acres in a well-settled district, and, being good practical workmen and of highly respectable character, there is every reason to expect that their undertaking will prove a successful one. Two young women, who had conducted themselves with great propriety for a number of years, recently received their money from the savings-bank on being married . in one case the amount received was £13 145., in the other about £5.

Denomination. Committed. Non-committed. Total. Church of England Roman Catholic Presbyterian Wosleyan Protestant Primitive Methodist Free Methodist Baptist Lutheran Hebrew 140 107 40 19 1 1 1 8 2 1 22 5 5 3 2 162 112 45 22 3 1 1 8 2 1 Total 320 37 357

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Every foster-child is visited at its home at least once a month by the Lady Visitor of the locality in which it resides A report of each visit is sent by the local visitor to the Official Correspondent, who, after perusal, forwards it to the manager of the school to which the child belongs, for his information and remarks It is then sent by the manager to the department, where it is perused and filed. This monthly report supplies information as to the date of the visit, the health and cleanliness of the child, the state of its clothing, and its attendance at school, together with the remarks and recommendations of the visitor By means of these monthly visits and reports security is taken that any failure of duty on the part of the foster-parent, and anything amiss as regards the child, shall be ascertained and rectified without loss of time. With a view, however, to afford still greater security for the proper treatment of all the children, an arrangement has been made whereby all their homes shall be visited by an officer of the department, to whom reference is made m a subsequent paragraph. Up to the present time the reports both of the local visitors and the visiting officer have been, on the whole, of a very satisfactory and encouraging nature, and already seem to prove beyond a doubt that it is much better to bring up the children as members of respectable families than to crowd them together in large institutions, however well-conducted these may be. There is reason to believe that in not a few instances a strong bond of mutual attachment is being formed between foster-parent and foster-child, to an extent that may render their separation at any future time somewhat difficult of accomplishment. It is-duo to the Official Correspondents and the Lady Visitors to acknowledge the great value of their services, which in the case of the latter are gratuitously given. At the outset only children under seven years of age were boarded with foster-parents, but older children are now similarly disposed of when it can be done with advantage. The rates of payment to foster-parents for board, lodging, clothing, &c, are as follows : — Under seven years of age .. ... ... Bs. per week. Seven and under eight years 7s. per week. Eight and under nine years 6s. per week. Nine and under ten years ss. per week. Over ten years, as may be agreed upon. It is probably owing to their proving somewhat more useful at home that the elder children of eight, nine, and ten years or upwards are in a number of instances taken for a less rate of payment than younger ones. The following is a summary of information respecting the children boarded out on the 31st March, 1884:—

TABLE V.—Information concerning Foster-children.

This return, compared with line No. 22 of Table Q, shows that during the three months following December 31, 1883, there has been an increase of 41 in the number placed with foster-parents. The aggregate present cost per week for the board of these 250 children is ,£9B 155., the average weekly cost per head being 7s. 10-615 d. The three public industrial schools at Auckland, Burnham, and Caversham are wholly maintained by the Government out of a vote administered by the Minister of Education. The other institutions are inspected by, and make returns to, the Education Department, but they are under local management of various kinds, and the money contributed by the Government towards their maintenance is paid out of the charitable-aid vote, which is in charge of the Colonial Secretary The cost of all the public and some of the private institutions is reduced by the contributions paid in a number of instances by the

Official Correspondents. Local Visitors. Number of Children. Schools. In the City and Suburbs. In Country Localities. Total. Auckland Burnham Caversham 1 1 1 j 10 14 17 37 40 95 9 40 29 46 80 124 Total 41 172 78 250

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parents and guardians of inmates. The following is a summary of the cost of the two classes of institutions for the financial years 1883-84 and 1882-83 :— 1883-84. 1882-83. Increase. £ a. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Three Government schools 13,848 16 11 10,443 8 2 3,405 8 9 Other schools 6,870 8 8 6,424 18 5 445 10 3 Total .. £20,719 5 7 £16,868 6 7 £3,850 19 0 It is due to the Commissioner and the members of the police force both at head-quarters and throughout the colony to acknowledge the assistance rendered by them in various ways m connection with the administration of the Industrial Schools Act. With the sanction of the Hon. the Defence Minister, the officer m charge of every police-station is appointed a person to take all necessary proceedings in the Courts of law to recover maintenance money from the parents of committed children. When applications are made by parents or friends for the custody of children, the members of the police force in almost every case supply reliable information concerning the character of the applicants, and advise the department or the managers of the schools as to the propriety or otherwise of granting the application. When a child (not a foster-child) is placed out at service or with friends, the officer in charge of the police district in which the child is to reside is notified of the fact, with a view to his maintaining a friendly watch over such child. Thus almost all the children belonging to the industrial schools who are not in residence or boarded with foster-parents are under (not surveillance in the ordinary sense, but) the kindly and watchful eye of one or other of the members of the police force, and any circumstances of an unsatisfactory nature regarding the conduct of the children or their treatment by their employers or friends are reported as soon as possible to the master of the schools to which they severally belong There is consequently a large amount of correspondence between the members of the two departments, as well as numerous demands upon the services of the members of the police force, who have ever Shown the utmost willingness to render all the assistance in their power The clerks of Besident Magistrates' Courts have been appointed receivers of maintenance money owing by parents, and it is due to many of them to acknowledge the services they are rendering With a view to secure more concerted action between the department, the managers of the industrial schools, the clerks of Besident Magistrates' Courts, and the officers in charge of police districts, in regard to the administration of the Industrial Schools Act, and more particularly the recovery of maintenance money, an experienced officer, of approved character and ability, has been detached from the ordinary work of the Police Department, and his services placed wholly at the disposal of the Education Department. It is the duty of this officer to visit the several centres of population and other localities, to communicate personally with the managers of the schools, the clerks of Besident Magistrates' Courts, and the members of the police force, and to co-operate with them in tracing the parents of committed children, m obtaining maintenance orders against such parents whenever necessary, and m enforcing compliance with the orders when made. The result has already been not only that a larger amount of maintenance money has been recovered than formerly, but that a number of defaulting parents, finding they can no longer escape payment, are showing anxiety to obtain the release of their children from the schools. It is possible that the vigorous measures now adopted for following them up may deter parents from seeking to throw the burden of their children's maintenance upon the State to the extent that has hitherto prevailed. The visiting officer is proving himself of much service in other ways. He has undertaken the visitation of the homes of the children boarded with foster-parents. His visits are of the nature of " surprise visits," and, along with those of the local lady visitors, they are well calculated to insure the obtaining of reliable information as to the ordinary condition and treatment of the foster-children. In the course of his official rounds, he is also able to collect a variety of useful information upon matters of practical importance in connection with the administration of the Industrial Schools Act, the communication of which to the department, to the

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managers of the schools, or to the officers of the police force, as occasion may require, often proves of much value.

No. 2. Memorandum by the Secretary for Education. A summary of the admissions, withdrawals, &c, at all the industrial schools and orphanages under the inspection of the Education Department is given m Table Qof the annual report of the Minister of Education* Corresponding information concerning each of the institutions is contained in Tables Nos. 1 and 2 of this paper

TABLE No. 1. —Summary of Admissions, Withdrawals, etc. (Committed Children).

TABLE No. 2. —Summary of Admissions, Withdrawals, etc. (Non-committed Children).

Particulars. M <D o 43 O w o *3 4a o H 03 o to 4= o H Aua 4 CD H -w 03 CD O w [land. J 1 si £ d ! 1 w S ; a m A 03 •g S I « « O M Boys. 3 Eh a; o ft s o H s a Girls. 6 O >>d § 8 si g s £ m 5 1. In the schools on Dec. 31, 1882 2. At service ,, ,, 3. With friends ,, ,, 4. Absent without leave ,, 822 487 77 52 151 79 6 6 487 52 79 6 90 18 2 i 2 6 1 33 191 7 11 1 161 26 66 3 335 25 72 42 10 1 38 4G 90 9 10 117 6 61 5. Total belonging to the schools, Dec. 31, 1882 6. Commitments during year 1883 1,056 624 624 6 112 I 7 33 210 256 432 53 38 2 46 109 184 320 197 197 13 26 1 30 57 70 123 12 12 3 22 23 51 7 To be accounted for, Dec. 31,'83 8. Discharged and died during '83 1 376 821 57 26 821 26 19 138 3 8 63 267 13 326 10 555 31 65 50 4 I 5 ! I I 68 6 132 12 235 9 9. Total belonging to the schools, Dec. 31, 1883 Increase during year 1883 1 319 795 795 19 135 8 63 254 316 524 65 46 5 62 226 120 263 171 171 13 23 1 30 44 60 92 12 8 3 16 11 42 Particulars of Commitments — 10. Destitute 11. Vagrant 12. Residing in brothel or disreputable place 13. Uncontrollable 14. Guilty of punishable offence . 15. Governor's order in lieu of imprisonment Totals as in line No. 6 148 77 70 46 37 20 25, 17 36 35 4 2 77 46 20 17 35 2 4 3 8 9 1 17 10 2 17 12 9 3 16 30 12 9 4 13 2 71 24 17 8 1 2 2 5 6 4 2 3 18 3 1 6 5 8 2 1 1 36 7 6 ■1 4 5 1 1 • 320 197 13 26 1 30 57 70 12 12 3" I 22" 23 123 I 51 Particulars of Discharges— 16. Discharged by warrant 17. Discharged on reaching 21 yrs. 18. Died 51 24 1 5 2 3 13 8 27 1 3 4 5 10 1 1 8 2 1 1 Totals as in line No. 8 57 26 3 13 10 4 6 12 9 31 Particulars of Children belonging to Schools, Dec. 31,1883— 19. In the schools 20. At service 21. With friends 22. Boarded out as foster-children 23. Absent without leave 800 512 104 05 198 113 205 94 12 11 1,319 795 5 l' 13 100 21 8 3 3 6 1 1 62 1 179 11 22 38 4 160 32 80 40 4 288 39 85 111 1 32 14 3 15 1 45 1 4 1 59 3 54 15 11 40 94 10 66 56 Totals as in line No. 9 135 8 I 63 254 316 46 5 120 226 19 524 05 62

Int 31st Di ihe Schc ecembe: DOlS r, 1882. Admiti ;ed duri] ng 1883. Left (sent oi Fos during ut, died, iter-pan 1883 or with mts). In the Schc 31st Decembe] tols -, 1883. Howe Street, Auckland Kohimarama St. Mary's, Ponsonby St. Stephen's, Parnell Thames Orphanage St. Joseph's, Wellington St. Mary's, Nelson Motucka Orphanage Lyttelton Orphanage Boys. 1 1 12 7 Girls. 8 4 4 3 19 30 18 37 Total. 9 1 4 16 10 19 37 32 85 Boys. 3 Girls. 1 2 1 4 Total. 1 5 1 4 Boys. 1 1 1 Girls. 4 1 2 1 3 5 12 Total. 5 2 3 1 6 9 22 Boys. I Girls. 5 1 ! .. 4 14 5 6 2 22 4 27 10 17 56 29 91 111 Total. 5 1 4 19 8 22 31 27 85 7 14 48 4 4 4 22 3 4 10 18 Total. 90 123 213 21 37 20 28 48 202 16 * See ante, p. 2.

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Four children were sent out from Howe Street Home to foster-parents, and one was discharged. A boy and a girl at St. Mary's, Nelson, and a boy and a girl at Lyttelton Orphanage, died during the year The other 39 who left were placed with their relatives or friends, or were sent to service. Lines 1 and 19, Table No. 1, show an increase of 51 for the year in the number of resident committed children in the three private schools at the close of 1883, and a decrease of 73 m the number of those resident in the three Government institutions, the decrease on the whole being 22. The following table gives the particulars concerning each school:—

TABLE No. 3. —Number of Resident Committed Children.

As already shown, there was an actual increase for the year of 263 in the number of committed children belonging to the schools at the end of 1883, the decrease m the number of resident children notwithstanding this circumstance being due to the large number placed out at service or with friends, and more particularly to the successful operation of the scheme for boarding out the younger children with foster-parents. The following is a summary of the payments made by the Government on account of all the industrial schools and orphanages during the financial year ending on the 31st March, 1884 :—

TABLE No. 4.—Expenditure by Government on Industrial Schools and Orphanages.

The addition of £402 15s. lid. expended on buildings at the Auckland, Burnham, and Caversham Schools raises the total amount to £20,719 ss. 7d. The expenditure on Lyttelton Orphanage includes the sum. of £478 9s. 7d. paid on account of permanent work on the buildings, thus reducing the current expenditure to £1,770 19s. sd. The monthly returns made by the managers of the several institutions show the average number of resident children, and from these the average number for the year is ascertained. The following table has been compiled with a view to show the average number of resident children in each institution for the financial year ending March 31, 1884, and the average yearly, weekly, and daily cost to Government of each child :—

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Schools. Resident, December 31, 1882. Resident, December 31, 1883. Increase for Year. Decrease for Year. Government Schools— Auckland Burnham Caversham Private Schools— Thames St. Mary's, Ponsonby St. Mary's, Nelson 138 281 278 137 233 254 1 48 24 8 38 79 10 45 121 2 7 42 Totals 51 73 822 800

Gross E :penditure. Schools. Recoveries from Parents, &c. Net Expenditure. Salaries. General Maintenance. Fosterchildren. Total. Auckland (Howe Street and Kohimarama) Burnham Caversham St. Mary's, Ponsonby St. Stephen's, Parnell Thames Orphanage St. Joseph's, Wellington St. Mary's, Nelson Motueka Orphanage Lyttelton Orphanage Visiting Officer and Collector £ s. d. 637 1 7 896 7 1 1 265 11 4 £ s. a. 2,014 12 11 4 198 14 1 3,152 7 10 £ a. a. 136 12 0 960 18 11 1,228 0 1 £ s. a. 2,788 6 6 6,056 0 1 5,645 19 3 849 1 8 172 1 8 451 10 8 375 9 0 2,294 13 0 571 14 7 2,450 6 2 131 8 0 £ s. a. 317 12 5 542 1 9 315 18 8 33 2 0 44 19 5 £ a. d. 2,470 14 1 5,513 18 4 5,330 0 7 815 19 8 172 1 8 406 11 3 375 9 0 2,249 9 0 571 14 7 2 279 3 6 131 8 0 45 4 0 171 2 8 Total 21,786 10 7 1,470 0 11 20,316 9 8

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TABLE No. 5.— Average Number and Cost of Resident Children for Financial Year 1883-84.

The Auckland, Burnham, and Caversham Industrial Schools are under the direct control of the Education Department, the Thames and the Lyttelton Orphanages are managed by local Boards, and are maintained by the Charitable Aid vote. The average cost of each child at these five institutions is ascertained by dividing the total cost for the year by the average number of resident children. The average cost of maintenance at the three first-named institutions is higher during the past financial year than it was during the previous year In the year's expenditure is included the cost of furnishing complete outfits of a liberal character to the 250 children boarded out with foster-parents. The much larger expenditure shown on account of Burnham School for the year is owing in some measure to the circumstance that a number of large accounts due for the previous year had been held over by the late manager till after the close of the financial year 1882-83, and these had to be paid out of last year's appropriation. The sum of Is. a day is paid for each child at St. Joseph's Orphanage, Wellington, and St. Mary's, Nelson, the charge at Motueka is Bs. a week, except for seven children for whose maintenance 7s. a week is paid. At St. Stephen's, Parnell, and St. Mary's, Ponsonby, other children are maintained besides those placed in them by the public authorities. For each of the latter class the sum of £10 a year is paid from the Charitable Aid vote, and, in addition to this, a subsidy at the rate of £1 for every £1 raised by local effort is paid to the governing body of each of these two institutions. I submit a letter written by the Secretary to the Victorian Industrial and Beformatory Schools Department on the working of the Industrial Schools Acts in that colony The letter contains valuable information and suggestions. || John Hislop

No. 3. Dr Purchas's Beport on Howe Street Home. Sir,— Auckland, 14th May, 1884. I have to report that at the end of March I made my usual quarterly inspection of the Howe Street Industrial Home, and found 40 children present, of whom 10 were little boys. They all looked clean, cheerful, and contented, and most of them were in excellent health. There were a few cases of congenital disease, one of which is very severe it is that of a girl who has been suffering horn infancy She was for some time in the District Hospital, but was discharged as incurable, and is now much to be pitied. The progress of the ulceration has destroyed her nose, and will probably ultimately prove fatal.

* There are 64 inmates of the Parnell Home. Tho average number for the year of those sent by Government was 18. t Besides the 45 children sent by Government there are other inmates, probably about 10. J The managers of St. Stephen's Home have just forwarded a claim of £893 15s. 3d. for subsidy, in consideration of an equal amount raised locally between October 1, 1882, and March 31, 1884. The amount (£172 Is. Bd.) of receipts from Government is on account of children sent to the school by the Government authorities. § Fixed rate of capitation payment. jj The letter is printed at page 15.

Average Number of Resident Children. Total Cost to Government after Deduction of Recoveries. Average Cost per C: did. Schools. For Year. For Week. For Day. Auckland (Howe Street and Kohimarama) Burnham Caversham Thames Orphanage Lyttelton Orphanage St. Joseph's, Wellington St. Mary's, Nelson Motueka Orphanage St. Stephen's, Parnell St. Mary's, Ponsonby Foster-children . Visiting Officer and Collector I 154 247 250 20 86 22 144 29 *18 t45 £ a. a. 2,334 2 1 4,552 19 5 4,102 0 6 406 11 3 1,770 19 5 375 9 0 2,249 9 0 571 14 7 +172 1 8 815 19 8 2,325 11 0 131 8 0 £ s. a. 15 3 1J 18 8 7f 16 8 2 20 6 6| 20 11 loj §18 5 0 §18 5 0 §20 3 0 £ a. a. 0 5 9| 0 7 1 0 6 3f 0 7 9| 0 7 lOf 0 7 0 0 7 0 0 7 9 £ a. a. 0 0 10 0 18 0 0 10} 0 1 1J 0 1 1J 0 10 0 10 0 1 If Total 20,316 9 8

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I found everything about the institution, as usual, clean and orderly, and as comfortable as can be expected in the present state of the buildings, with the exception of the cooking apparatus in the kitchen, which is frequently out of order. The fence around the premises is so much broken as to be practically useless, and much annoyance is occasioned by the intrusion of trespassers. A. G' Purchas, M.B.C S Eng , Medical Officer, Auckland Industrial Schools. The Secretary, Education Department.

No. 4. Dr. Purchas's Beport on Kohimarama School. Sir, — Auckland, 14th May, 1884. I have to report that on the 29th March I visited the Kohimarama Industrial School, and carefully inspected the same. I have mislaid my note of the number present, but I believe there TOere 93 boys, one of whom was a visitor One boy was in bed suffering from a recent dislocation of the elbow, which I had reduced the day before. All the rest were in fairly good health, as far as I could ascertain, with the exception of one who has long had epilepsy, and a few who had slight sores. The dormitories, kitchen, and dining-room were all clean and orderly, though the first-named were too crowded for health. The privies were not as clean as they might be, owing, I think, to the want of keeping up a proper supply of dry earth. The lavatories are in great need of improvement basins are needed to replace the large wooden troughs in which a number of boys have to wash together, an arrangement which I can only characterize as filthy and loathsome. I recommend that a forcepump be fixed in the well, and a tank be erected at a height of a few feet above the level of the lavatories , and that pipes be laid from the tank to the lavatories, so as to give a supply to a series of taps for the basins I have recommended.* There are plenty of iron pipes on the ground to do all, and more than all, that is needed. The pump would only cost a few pounds. I Mr) Vf* CVp 'A. G Purchas, M.B.C.S. Eng , Medical Officer, Auckland Industrial Schools. The Secretary, Education Department.

No. 5. Dr Prins's Beport on Burnham School Sir, — Christchurch, sth June, 1884. I have the honour to report that the industrial school at Burnham has been kept clean and orderly. With the exception of whooping-cough and measles, from which they have all now recovered, the inmates have enjoyed good health. I append a list of those I had ordered into hospital; also a list of the children under the care of foster-parents I had seen during the last twelve months. The old closets, baths, and sheds have been replaced by new ones, on fresh sites and improved systems. The water-supply and drainage are now very complete. A swimming-bath is in course of construction, which will greatly conduce to the comfort and health of the inmates. The institution is now much overcrowded. The extra accommodation as provided on the plans laid before the Government will, I trust, be undertaken without delay. The band has gained much m proficiency by having the bandmaster now residing on the premises as one of the staff. The whole staff have taken every pams in working the institution efficiently, and the Master's engineering knowledge and military discipline have greatly added to his other qualities as a painstaking and efficient officer in the position intrusted to him. I have, &c, H. H. Prins, The Hon. the Minister of Education. Medical Officer.

* All these improvements had been recommended by the manager and had been authorized by the Government before the receipt of this report,

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No. 6. Dr Burns's Beport on Caversham Industrial School. Sir, — Dunedin, March, 1884. I have the honour to present my report on the Industrial School, Caversham, for the year 1883. The number of inmates was 253 —159 males and 94 females, ages from two to fifteen years. The general health of the institution has been good, only one death having occurred—a child admitted moribund, and dying the day of admission. The main cause of the diminished death-rate I attribute to the removal of the infant department to the custody of private families, and I venture to say that, with the continuance of the boarding-out system for the infants, and the maintenance of the same careful supervision over the sanitary arrangements, and the same attention to the feeding and cleanliness of the children, such ought to continue to be the tenor of my future reports —in the absence of any epidemic disease. I take the opportunity of referring to the outbreak of typhoid fever in the preceding year, because it terminated in the year now under report. Two outbreaks of typhoid fever have occurred in the history of the school, the latter the more serious. So convinced was I, from my experience of the former outbreak, that a succession of cases would follow, that immediate precautions were taken by isolating all who showed symptoms of indisposition in the schoolhouse, which stands fifty yards away from the other buildings. That we failed in stopping the progress of the fever was due to the impossibility of preventing all intercourse between the sick and the well. New cases occurred principally amongst the brothers and sisters of those shut up in the schoolroom. Nor was it till I was assured of the futility of all attempts at observing a rigid quarantine in our own grounds, and determined to admit no new cases in our provisional hospital, but to send them to the public hospital (kindly thrown open to us), that the fever ceased. From the 19th November, 1881, to the 20th February, 1882, we had fifty cases— five deaths. After that date we sent five cases to the public hospital, and on the 29th March we reopened the school. I know that my views as to the contagious (i.e., communicable) nature of typhoid fever are not generally entertained. I have been compelled to adopt them from the inadequacy of any other explanation. Our water-supply, if not the purest, is the town supply, got direct from the Silverstream reservoir Our milk was above suspicion. Our drains were excluded as a factor for originating or disseminating the disease, for drains we have none. The excreta, as has been the practice for years, were buried each morning in special pits at a distance from the school, and from which the fall is into another watershed. Above all, the general health of the children was never better No visitor ever suspected from the appearance of the children that we were fever-smitten. The fever was brought to the school by a child, and the second case occurred in the child brought most in contact with him. If, instead of typhoid fever, the outbreak had been one of scarlet fever, just such would have been its predicted behaviour. A few months sinee —January, 1883—we had a fresh case, also in a newly-admitted child. This boy had been under treatment for a month previous in the Dunedin Hospital for a skin complaint in the same ward was a case of typhoid fever We had him removed as soon as the disease was recognized; and no fresh case occurred. If its contagiousness is developed in the well-venti-lated, well-managed, and not overcrowded wards of a general hospital, how can we expect to escape it among our numerous population, whose tender years make them all the more susceptible to its ravages ? Prompt detection and immediate removal of any case that may occur in future may be confidently relied on as the simplest and most perfect means of preventing its extension ; but perfect immunity might have been obtained if the recommendation I gave after the first outbreak had been attended to, viz., that arrangements should be made for the reception of all new committals into temporary quarters, where they might be kept for a month before admission into the school. I have, &c, Bobert Burns, F.B.C S. Edin. The Secretary for Education, Wellington.

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No. 7. ST STEPHEN'S OBPHAN -HOME, PAENELL. Twenty-fourth Annual Beport of the Managers, being for the Year ending 31st March, 1884. The Board of Management have again to congratulate the subscribers on the continued prosperity and usefulness of the institution. There are at the present time 64 children in the Home, namely, 46 boys and 18 girls, as against 54 children at the commencement of the sessional year The largest number ever in the Home at one time was 67, in the year 1879 The past year ranks next in number It will be noticed that the disproportion between the two sexes not only continues, but is materially increased since the last annual report. The accommodation for boys afforded by the present building has lately been extended, and is now taxed to its utmost, regard, being had to the proper separation of the sexes and the necessary hygienic regulations. Indeed, the Board for want of more room have lately been obliged in several cases to refuse admission to boys. This points to a necessary enlargement of the Home at an early date if its usefulness is not to be cramped. The ages of the children in the Home range from two to fourteen years, the preponderance being of children about eight years of age The following are the numbers furnished from a recent return to the Government Department of Education Children two years and under three years of age, 4, three and under four, 2 , four and under five, 5 , five and under seven, 10 , seven and under ten, 20, ten and under thirteen, 18, thirteen and under fifteen, 5. Of these, 57 are scholars of the day school, all of whom receive instruction in reading, writing, and arithmetic, Holy Scripture, geography, object-lessons, and vocal music , while 24 are taught English grammar and composition and history, and 48 children, namely, 32 boys and 16 girls, are taught needlework. During the past year, 21 children have been admitted into the Home, 4 being in the nomination of Government, making 19 children at present m the Home towards whose maintenance Government contributes Three children have, during the year, been placed at service, while seven have been removed by relatives. One death has occurred m the Home during the year, that of a young child who had been an inmate of the Home for only a few months, and who no doubt at the time of its admission was suffering from cerebral disease, from which death ultimately resulted. The health of the other children has been remarkably good. The income for the year amounts to £1,246 lis. lid., and the expenditure to £1,321 18s. 6d., for particulars of which subscribers are referred to the Treasurer's statement of accounts. By comparing that statement with those of previous years, subscribers will find a serious falling-off in the amount of subscriptions received during the past year, many ladies who in former years have canvassed so very successfully on behalf of the Home having this year made no effort whatever for its support. The Board regret that such should have been the case after the appeal made in last year's report to the friends of the institution not to diminish the liberal support hitherto given by them. This falling-off no doubt has arisen from the supposition that the Board would be placed m ample funds from the bequest of the late Mr Costley But the fact is, as the Board anticipated, that the distribution of Mr Costley's estate has not yet been effected, and, even had it been so, the Board consider that they can only deal with that bequest as an endowment for the institution. In consequence of this diminution m subscriptions the Board have had to obtain a temporary overdraft from the bank to meet present requirements The Board have long felt the want of a room m which the children might play and amuse themselves m inclement weather They therefore during the past year have erected, at a cost of £220, a new building, containing two large rooms, one set apart for this purpose and the other as a laundry drying-room. This building has been found a great acquisition to the Home, and is very much appreciated by the children. In August last the Board applied to the Diocesan General Trust Board for a

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grant of land on the northern boundary of the Orphan Home ground. This has been given for a term of twenty-one years at a nominal rent. The Board look forward to eventually utilize this land, and at the same time extend the usefulness of the institution, by erecting permanent buildings in which to impart industrial training to the children. The Board have much pleasure m testifying to the very satisfactory and able manner m which the matron and governess, and their assistants, have performed their duties during the past year It has been very gratifying to the Board to find their sentiments on this subject fully indorsed by the Inspector for the Department of Education (Mr Pope), in his report to the head of that department. The following is an extract from the letter of the Secretary of the department to the Secretary of your Board on the subject "Mr Pope says that the school is well supplied with furniture and appliances, and the schoolroom is neat and tidy The instruction given is of very good quality, and the order and school tone are most satisfactory The mistress is a valuable teacher, and she deserves great credit for what she has done in the school. Mr. Pope is inclined to think, however, that she requires the assistance of a pupil-teacher The children appear to be very healthy, and they all have a happy look on their faces that shows they are well and kindly treated. The matron has effected a really surprising change since Mr Pope's last visit. Everything is m first-class order, and there is nothing whatever to find fault with. Iron bedsteads might be substituted for the wood and canvas stretchers now in use, to say nothing of cleanliness and comfort, the present appliances do much to obscure the extreme neatness and tidiness that now really exist, and to give visitors an inadequately favourable impression of the institution." In accordance with the suggestion contained in that report, the Board have engaged the services of an assistant teacher, to relieve the governess to a large extent of the charge of the younger children. Part of the new building has been utilized as a class-room for those children, so that a system of tuition better adapted to such young minds may be followed without distracting the attention of the elder scholars. The Board have also substitued iron bedsteads for the stretchers, as recommended in Mr. Pope's report. While the Board have so many reasons for congratulation in their review of the past year, they have, on the other hand, a painful duty to perform in recording the great loss the institution has sustained by the death of its late honorary medical officer, Dr Goldsbro' His kindliness of heart and sympathy with those in trouble or affliction—a sympathy not confined to mere words, but bearing often a substantial form —had endeared him to a very large circle. As honorary medical officer of the Home for years, and one of the Board of Management, his zeal and attention had been unwearied, while his kind and gentle manner with his little orphan patients had won their hearts. His prompt and decisive action has prevented, under the Divine blessing, on more than one occasion, the spread of very serious outbreaks of sickness in the Home. Well has he earned the commendation of the Great Physician, his Divine Master, " Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Mr Bichard Coom, M.B.C.S. Eng , having very kindly offered his services as Dr. Goldsbro's successor, the Board have appointed him honorary medical officer of the institution. To the lady canvassers, the clergy who have organized and reported the results of the canvass, and the many kind friends who have specially contributed during the past year to the support of the Home, or to the improvement or entertainment of the children, the Board desire to tender their very hearty thanks. They would especially refer to the Union Steamship Company and Captain Cromarty, of the " Penguin," for the annual treat and trip to Motutapu , to Mr Crowther, for his annual supply gratuitously of conveyances for the children to and from the steamer, to the Devonport Steam Ferry Company, for their continuance of the free pass for the children of the Home by their steamers, to the Bey C M. Nelson and Mrs. Nelson, for the examination of the school, to Mrs. Beader Wood, for her usual treat and presents to the children, to his Worship the Mayor of Auckland, W B. Waddell, Esq., for a large case of toys for the

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children, at Christmas , and to Mr Baynes, for his annual gift for the children's Christmas dinner The Board, in conclusion, would express the hope that the interest of the subscribers in the Home will not be allowed to abate because of the munificent bequest lately made to the institution. Such liberality would be but a qualified good were that to be the case. The Board trust rather that the generosity of the testator may be an incentive to still further liberality, so that the institution may be made in time to vie in its accommodation and usefulness with similar noble institutions in the Mother-country "Be merciful after thy power If thou hast much, give plenteously, if thou hast little, do thy diligence gladly to give of that little for so gatherest thou thyself a good reward in the day of necessity " —(Tobit iv )

Statement 'of the Teeasueer of the Parnell Oephan Home for the Year ending 31st March, 1884. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. dTo Balance, Ist April, 1883 694 911 By Salaries, wages, &o. .. 367 14 0 Subscriptions and donations 257 9 6 Food, &c. 262 16 7 Contributions towards maintenance— Clothing, &c. 84 16 7 From Government 172 1 8 Coal and firewood 8 18 0 From Public Trustee 13 0 0 Gas 12 2 11 From relatives of children . 194 5 0 Water and drainage rates 4 10 0 St. Stephen's Native School Trustees 25 0 0 House furnishing, &c. 144 8 8 Trustees of late W Morrin, Esq., interest 69 15 0 Medicine, &c. 7 0 3 Interest on deposits 34 9 0 Books, stationery, printing, &c. 32 18 2 Bequest of late John Lavertier, Esq., Fire insurance . 12 19 0 less duty .. 480 11 9 Postages and sundries 17 15 1 Cost of erecting new play-rooms 220 0 0 Improvements, repairs, &o. 104 8 10 Paddock, top-dressing 6 7 6 Cow 11 2 7 Funeral expenses 2 15 0 Fencing, &c, for land newly acquired 17 14 2 Bank interest 3 11 2 Balance .. 619 3 4 £1,941 1 10 £1,941 1 10

The Aea Lodge, 348 1.0., Masonic Oephan Fund. & B. d. £ S. d. To Investment on mortgage on Ist April, 1883 120 0 0 By Balance from last account due to Orphan In Savings-Bank on Ist April, 1883 24 17 3 Home Treasurer . 8 19 8 Interest on mortgage . . 12 0 0 Clothing, schoolbooks, &c, for orphan of Interest per Savings-Bank 14 0 a Mason 18 1 8 Cash per Lodge Treasurer 10 0 0 Invested on mortgage 120 0 0 Balance due to Chilian Home Treasurer. 2 14 In Savings-Bank ... 20 1 3 £170 2 7 £170 2 7

The Beta Lodge, 450 1.0. (Hamilton), Masonic Oephan Fund. £ s. d. £ s. d. To Balance in Savings-Bank account 15 17 11 By Balance in Savings-Bank . 16 12 11 Interest . 0 15 0 £16 12 11 £16 12 11 M. Kawlings, Hon. Treasurer

The Working of the Industrial Schools Acts in Victoeia. [From the Herald of 3rd June, 1884.] Sic,— 27th May. In your remarks of this evening, on the above subject, relative to the committal of three Portarlington children, on the 17th instant, by the Geelong Bench to the industrial schools, you rightly say that the public interest in the disposal of such children is not less than that of the individuals directly related to them. And you further express astonishment and concern at the length of the term (seven years) for which the little ones, were committed and taken from the care and custody of their parents, against whom, as you point out, no charge of neglect is preferred, and who may have recovered from their present dangerous sickness before three months are passed. Allow me to correct some slight misconceptions in your article as to the present working of that part of the Neglected and Criminal Children's Act which relates to industrial schools, and to allay the alarm on one or two points which your somewhat startling remarks may have caused. I. In the first place, children who are brought before the Bench, as in this instance, for being either neglected or destitute, are in all cases committed to the receiving depot, Boyal Park. Thence, in a very few days, seldom over ten, they are (with rare exceptions) transferred to a country cottage

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home and placed in the care of foster-parents selected by the local " Ladies' Boarding-out Committee," who exercise a kindly, but not fussy, supervision. The children, therefore, now being committed, undergo no long years, nor months, of "incarceration" in any institution, unless, indeed, which seldom happens, by their own misbehaviour, such as persistent truancy, it becomes necessary, after trial, to withdraw them for a time from the privileges of life in a foster-home where, if retained, new intimacies and affections soon spring up to replace those ties of which circumstances had deprived them. 11. Further, it is the rule and practice of the department to return children to their parents on application at any time after committal, provided, on careful inquiry, it be found that the characters and circumstances of the applicants render such a course desirable in the children's interests. lam very glad of the opportunity, through your columns, of making this more widely known. Even should there be some doubt as to the parents' ability to exert over the child an adequate control, he is not infrequently, if they apply, placed with them provisionally, subject to recall at any moment. This, however, is only one of several directions in which the department carries out, on behalf of these its wards, a recognized and consistent policy of short actual detention at the public cost, but extended supervision and control afterwards. Should one parent be worthless, and have deserted the home, the other parent is often allowed to receive back the children, and is secured by the action of the department, while thus in charge of them, from any attempt on the part of the other parent to molest or remove them. Should it be the case that both parents are unfit to bring up the children reputably, they are often confided to a more distant relative—a grandmother, an aunt, a married sister, or even a friend of the family —who is similarly secured in the undisturbed possession of them until they reach the age of sixteen, or, indeed, where further protection seems expedient, until the age of eighteen, the State from the date the children are handed over being relieved of all expense in regard to them. Nor does the department wait in such cases for the reputable relatives to apply Sometimes half a dozen branches of the family are addressed, and invited to apply for one or more of the children , and often the appeal is responded to on its being explained that they can be sectored in the undisturbed charge of them. In the case which called forth your remarks the parents had already been communicated with, a week since, through the secretary of the hospital of which they are inmates, and informed that the children could be boarded out at an early date in a comfortable foster-home, but that they could apply for the discharge of all or any of them whenever they themselves, or any respectable relative, should be in a position to receive and maintain them. 111. One of the minor and incidental advantages of the boarding-out (which system has in Victoria superseded, except in the case of one or two assisted schools, the old barrack system), is that, while an unspeakable boon to the children, providing them with that family life which gives each one a home, it is very deterrent in its bearing on slothful and self-indulgent parents, and tends to largely reduce the number of the children thrown on the care of the State. Persons of the class referred to ■ —who would be too ready to part with their children with a view to their entry into what is practically a large boarding-school, where they could see them weekly, and look forward to again claiming them as they became old enough for work—hesitate now to part with their offspring under a system which enables the child's address to be effectually withheld from them until he has attained the age of sixteen or eighteen, and has been some years settled in a country service home, earning his own livelihood. IV. Under the present system of boarding out children in cottage homes, during their stay in which they are required to give regular attendance at school, it is the experience alike of Scotland (see evidence before Boyal Commissioners, Model Schools, Great Britain, 1883), of Massachusetts (see Beport, 1883, of Board of Health, Lunacy, and Charity, page cxiii.), and of this colony, that they develop more rapidly, obtain their educational certificate sooner, and become self-supporting at an earlier age than those trained even in the best institutions. Though the children are all under supervision until sixteen (and for those who fail in gaining a certificate the Education Act at present requires school attendance until fifteen), a very considerable proportion of the Victorian children who have been received young, and not applied for by friends as above, gain their certificate and are secured a suitable situation by the time they are thirteen years old. Where boys or girls are of that age and can read and write fairly, though they may have failed in gaining the school certificate, they are nevertheless, if of sufficiently robust build, licensed out to employers, but with educational conditions. V But for the length of this letter I should have been glad to allude to a kindred subject, which has lately been referred to more than once in your columns, namely, the recovery from parents of fees accruing under Magistrates' orders for children's maintenance while a cost to the State. I should, I think, have been able to satisfy you that, taking into account the many difficulties which beset the question, principally the impoverished circumstances of those liable, or their absence from the colony, considerable progress has been made of late in augmenting the receipts from this source, which it is expected will be further and very largely increased whenever, by legislative enactment, deserting parents outside the colony, or the next nearest relatives in Victoria, can be proceeded against. I will only add that the outlay by the State upon friendless boys and girls in moulding them into honest and hearty colonists is as remunerative an investment as could be made in a young country where hands are scarce and work in abundance awaiting them. I am, &c, George GuillaumE, Secretary, Industrial and Beformatory Schools Department.

Authority; Geobge Didsbuey, Government Printer, Wellington.-—lBB4.