EDUCATION: THE COSTLEY TRAINING INSTITUTION. ("THE COSTLEY TRAINING INSTITUTION ACT, 1885.") [In continuation of E-3a, 1896.]

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1897 Session II, E-03a

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Sess. 1T.—1897. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: THE COSTLEY TRAINING INSTITUTION. ("THE COSTLEY TRAINING INSTITUTION ACT, 1885.") [In continuation of E-3a, 1896.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by command of His Excellency.

The annual meeting in connection with the Costley Training Institution was held on Thursday evening, 21st January, 1897, at the building, Eichmond Eoad, Auckland. The annual report and balance-sheet for 1896 was read, as follows :— At the close of another year, the trustees have the pleasure of reporting that the work of the institution has been quietly and satisfactorily carried on during the preceding twelve months. The objects for which Mr. Costley denied himself the luxuries and many of the pleasures of this life have been duly regarded, and, to some extent, furthered; and the benefits he contemplated have been conferred on a number of boys and girls, who but for his benevolent aid and forethought would have been left to fight the battle of life under difficulties and hindrances that would have left them but little chance of victory. They are now enabled to make a good start, and those who pass through the institute leave it well trained and furnished for the struggle, and success then depends chiefly on their own energy and good behaviour. May they ever look to Him who alone can give them strength and grace to continue in the right way ! There are twenty-three boys now in the Home, of whom fourteen are learning different trades, and the others, being too young for apprenticeship, attend the nearest Government school, and in the evenings practical instruction is given by a competent mechanic in the workshops in such work as carpentering, blacksmithing, plumbing, &c, as will be useful to them in what occupation they may follow in after-life. With one exception, the conduct of the inmates has been very good. The manager, Mr. Earnsay, has succeeded in maintaining a quiet and willing submission to a mild discipline. This is the more satisfactory as youths of seventeen and eighteen may naturally be expected to be somewhat impatient of a restraint which is imperative where a number of lads from twelve to eighteen years of age are congregated together. He has been materially aided by Mrs. Eamsay, whose kindly maternal interest in her charges has secured their good-will and affection. The exceptional case was that of a boy who was convicted before the Eesident Magistrate of stealing a valuable ring. The trustees have ever been most anxious to exclude the criminal element from the institution, and of impressing on the boys the necessity of maintaining its good reputation, and they referred the case to the Government, who authorised the boy being transferred to the Industrial School at Burnham. The health of the inmates has been generally very good ; there has been but one case of serious illness. A boy had a severe attack of typhoid fever and was removed to the hospital, from which he was discharged, after over two months' care and treatment, thoroughly restored to health. Minor cases of sickness and trifling accidents have been attended to at the Home by Dr. Knight, the honorary surgeon, to whom the thanks of the trustees are due for his prompt and ready attention to every ailment brought under his notice. The trustees also record their thanks to Mr. Kirker, the manager of the South British Insurance Company, for a handsome gift of twenty-four volumes of interesting books for the use of the boys, and would be glad if others would follow this excellent example. Besides the twenty-three boys at present in the institution, there are other four who have been placed in the country, and four who have been licensed to live with relatives who have desired to take charge of them, and there are five girls still on the rolls who are either at work or in domestic service. The trustees have determined, as a general rule, that where it appears desirable that boys should follow a country life rather than be brought up to a trade they should remain at the institution till they are sixteen years of age, and receive such technical instruction as would be most useful to them when engaged in farming pursuits. The total house expenditure for the year on account of the twenty-three boys maintained at the institution has been £624 2s. 6d., or just £27 per head, made up as follows : Food, £13 145.; fuel, gas, and sundries, £3 125.; clothing, £3; superintendence and servant, £7 4s. : total, £27. The amount appropriated from the boys' earnings towards their maintenance has been £215 Os. 7d.,

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or £9 per head, making the net cost of each boy £18. The remainder of the wages, amounting to £111 Bs., has been placed to a trust account in the Savings-bank for the benefit of contributing boys and girls ; the total credit of this fund is now £392 14s. 3d. The general charges for rates, taxes, insurance, repairs, &c, and on girls' account, have amounted to £129 17s. Bd. The trustees offered to purchase from the New Zealand Estates Company a triangular piece of land in Richmond Eoad, west of and adjoining their present property, and which they thought would be a convenient addition to their block, but they could not agree as to terms, and have therefore abandoned the idea. The balance-sheet is attached, and shows that the income has exceeded the expenditure by £27 6s. 4d., which being added to the balance of revenue accounts gives that a credit of £1,644 19s. 4d. The total amount of the cash assets of the institution is £10,470 16s. 7d., and the value of the land, building, and furniture is £3,996 6s. 6d. The interest received from investments has been £540 18s. 5d., a smaller sum than in previous years, but this is owing to the general fall in rates and for money uninvested. The trustees have a difficulty in finding good securities that will pay over 4 per cent. W. C. Daldy, Chairman, i

Balance-sheet on 31st December, 1896. Dr. £ s. d. & s. a. Or. & s. d. £ s. i. To Costley bequest .. 12,150 0 0 By Buildings and land .. .. 3,996 6 6 Rebecca Hodge be- Mortgages and interest .. 7,539 1 0 quest .. .. 672 3 9 Fixed deposits '.. .. 1,500 0 0 12,822 3 9 Savings-bank .. .. 392 14 3 Savings-bank Trust Ac- Manager's cash in hand 18 4 3 count .. .. .. 392 14 3 Cash in bank.. .. 1,413 11 4 Revenue Account .. .. 1,644 19 4 — 1,43115 7 £14,859 17 4 £14,859 17 4 Revenue Account, Tivelve Months ending 31st December, 1890. Dr. £ s. d. | Cr. £ s. d. To Maintenance .. .. .. 708 11 2! By Interest .. ..... .. 540 18 5 Boys' allowances .. .. .. 10 13 6 Boys' earnings .. ... .. 251 1 7 General expenses, rates, &c. .. .. 45 9 0 Balance .. .. .. .. 27 6 4 £792 0 0 £792 0 0 £ s. d. By Balance .. .. .. 27 6 4 Dr. 30th December, 1895 .. .. 1,617 13 0 To Balance per balance-sheet .. ..£1,044 19 4 £1,644 19 4 Examined and compared with the books and vouchers, also securities, and found to agree therewith, and I am of opinion the above presents a true state of the affairs of the institute. O. B. Waymouth, Auckland, 14th January, 1897. Public Accountant, Auditor.

Approximate, Cost o/Pa^er.—l'veparation, not given; printing (1,475 copies), £1 (is. (id.

By Authority: John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB97. Price, 3d.}

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