EDUCATION: INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS. [In continuation of E.-3, 1906.]

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1907 Session I, E-03

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1907. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS. [In continuation of E.-3, 1906.]

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

No. 1. EXTRACT FROM THE THIRTIETH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION. In view of the developments that have taken place during the last few years in the industrial-school system, it appears desirable to give a statement of the several establishments connected therewith and the functions allotted to each. Under the authority given by the Act the transfers from one institution to another necessary to secure a broad general classification of the inmates are freely made. The establishments belonging to the Government are the following:— Auckland Industrial School. —This institution receives girls who do not need reformatory treatment, and it has also the care of boys who are not too old or too wild to be boarded out, or who can be placed at once at service or in the Costley Training Institution. Girls only are taken into residence. Boys' Training Farm, Weraroa, receives boys who, not needing reformatory treatment, are, by reason of age or temperament, not fitted for boarding out. Wellington Receiving Home receives infants and young boys and girls fit to be boarded out, and older girls who can be trusted at service. It is not at present adapted for residential purposes. Christchurch Receiving Home. —The purpose of this establishment is similar to that of the Wellington Receiving Home. Te Oranga Home, near Christchurch (Reformatory). —This is a reformatory for girls whose character requires that they shall be kept under strict discipline. Young women of seriously vicious or depraved habits committed to the Home are at present transferred to institutions more specially fitted for the care of such persons ; but they will form a separate section of the institution when the contemplated extension of the buildings has been effected. Burnham Industrial School (Reformatory). —This is a reformatory for boys whose vicious or criminal tendencies" do not admit of their being dealt with at any of the other institutions. Caversham Industrial School. —Similar to the Auckland Industrial School. The private schools established under the Act are all in connection with the Roman Catholic Church, and receive boys and girls who do not need reformatory treatment. They are the following : — St. Mary's Industrial School, Auckland, with separate branches for boys and girls. St. Joseph's Industrial School, Wellington ; for girls. St. Mary's Industrial School, Nelson, with separate branches for boys and girls, St. Vincent de Paul's Industrial School, Dunedin ; for girls.

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The numbers on the books of all "the schools on the 31st December, 1906, compared with the numbers at the corresponding date of the previous year, are as follows:—

TABLE L1.—lnmates, 1905 and 1906.

The number in residence at Government schools was 343, and at private schools 317 so that 660 was the total number actually in residence. The number boarded out'on payment was 684, 7 being from private schools and the rest from Government schools. There were 11 girls maintained in various corrective institutions, 1 girl in hospital, 2 boys at the School for Deaf-mutes, Sumner, and 12 boys at the Costley Training Institution, Auckland. The total number of inmates dependent on public funds for maintenance was therefore 1,370, or 124 more than the number at the end of 1905. The remaining 705, although still subject to the control and supervision of the schools, were not dependent on them for maintenance. In Table L2 is shown the cost of the Government schools, in which is included the expenditure for the maintenance of inmates boarded out and the salaries of the resident staffs and medical officers ; it also shows the cost of supervision of all inmates who are licensed to reside away from the schools ; and, further, the amounts of the recoveries from Charitable Aid Boards, from persons against whom orders for maintenance have been made, and from the sale of farm-produce, &c. The total amount contributed by parents towards'the maintenance of their children was £3,477 Bs. 6d., being at the rate of £2 10s. 9d. per head of the total number of children (1,370) maintained at the public cost.

TABLE L2. —Expenditure on Government Schools, 1906.

led oul In Res: idenci Servii :e, &i Totals. loan 6 © P © I oi 3 o a N © s © u V 01 p o" © P 4 £ rH * I I © 9 3 © P 1 © P id | ci S © © © CJ i—( © al © i © P § © © P | © P © to a © © a CO CO § CO C o CO n CD Ov ci o a Government Sohools — Auckland (Mount Albert) Boys' Training Farm, Weraroa Beceiving Home, Wellington Te Oranga Home, Christchurch Beceiving Home, Christchurch Burnham Caversham Private Schools — St. Mary's, Auckland St. Joseph's, Wellington.. St. Mary's, Nelson St. Vincent de Paul's, Dunedin 63 192 137 4 18 39 48 67 18 231 185 4 178 24 111 6 41 12 97 ; 26 8 9 4 15 4 3 28 126 2 49 9 106 23 47 ! 37 18 96 1 1 132 199 105 8 6 i 1 7 2 4 lie 45 105 45 24 92 139 83 134 111 235 59 245 232 404 6 138 43 14 41 17 140 249 278 73 286 249 284 3 179 1 3 120 i i 4 i 6 87 30 177 37 9 5 22 96 25 155 41 54 28 104 11 '7 9 1 45 27 111 9 141 58 282 52 6 15 141 52 267 56 '2 4 '2 "i 579 112 1 f 648 I ! |49 37 660 726 133 134 725 1,953 263 I 2,075 Totals .. Il41 690

Government Schools. Cost of School, including Buildings and other Works. Boarding out. (Included in first column.) Salaries. (Included in first column.) Recoveries. Net Cost. Auckland (Mount Albert) Boys' Training Farm, Weraroa Beceiving Home, Wellington.. Te Oranga Home Beceiving Home, Christohuroh Burnham .. Caversham £ s. d. 2,277 6 3 14,442 17 10 6,503 19 7 1,800 0 10 4,846 10 0 5,465 16 2 5,314 6 7 £ s. d. 1,225 18 10 92 10 0 3,973 0 2 £ a. d. 387 14 9 1,657 13 1 341 19 3 634 14 5 396 0 5 1,937 4 7 693 14 0 £ s. d. 909 15 8 1,616 17 5 2,849 19 10 90 7 11 1,342 18 4 604 17 6 3,691 10 7 £ s. d. 1,367 10 7 12,826 0 5 3,653 19 9 1,709 12 U 3,503 11 8 4,860 18 8 1,622 16 0 3,122 3 2 49 12 10 3,611 1 8 Totals 40,650 17 3 12,074 6 8 6,049 0 6 11,106 7 3 29,544 10 0 Salaries and expenses of assistai Travelling-expenses of managers Befund of earnings to former ini Commission expenses, inquiry h Contingencies nt inspectors ar 3 and others mates.. leld at Burnhan visiting officers 1,963 12 10 409 15 9 20 6 9 537 13 1 235 5 4 al net cost 32,711 3 9 Toti

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Table L3 shows the payments made by the Government on account of inmates'in private industrial schools, the recoveries, and the net expenditure by Government. The contributions from Charitable Aid Boards are made directly to the managers of these schools, and are not included in the recoveries shown.

TABLE L3.—Government Expenditure on Private (Roman Catholic) Schools, 1906.

The other payments made by Government are shown in the following table:—

TABLE L4.—Summary of Expenditure on Special Cases at other Institutions and Private Homes, 1906.

At the end of 1906 there was in the Post-Office Savings-Bank, on account of the earnings of inmates of Government industrial schools, a sum of £16,344 7s. Bd., and on account of inmates of private industrial schools, £4,012 4s. For inmates of Government schools a sum of £2,673 Bs. 2d. was withdrawn from the bank during the year, and for inmates of private schools £280 4s. 6d. During the year death caused two vacancies on the staff_£of fMedical Officers of the Government schools. Dr. A. G. Purchas, of the Auckland School, and Dr. R. Burns, of Caversham, after having held their positions for many years, passed away at an advanced age. Not only was their professional skill always given wholeheartedly for the benefit of the children under their care, but their genial fatherly solicitude for everything connected with the schools won the affectionate regard of the children, and the grateful thanks of the Department, the Managers, and their staffs. As time goes on it becomes more evident that the system of boarding out children in foster-homes is the most beneficent method of providing for them. Boarding-out was inaugurated in New Zealand in 1883, and the many hundreds of cases where the success of the system has been quite beyond question provide an ample answer to those who, through want of full acquaintance with the effects of it, are prone to condemn it' when one of its failures occurs. During these twentyfour years the average number of children boarded out has been 454, the numbers rising from 209 in 1883 to 690 in 1906. In that time the number of deaths has been 51, of whom 32 were under four years of age, the average annual death-rate being 0-46 per cent. Such a result is very satisfactory, especially when the circumstances of the bulk of industrial-school children prior to their admission, and the fact

Name of School. Gross Cost. Recoveries. Net Cost. It. Mary's, Auckland it. Joseph's, Wellington it. Mary's, Nelson it. Vincent de Paul's, Dunedin Totals £ s. d. 1,392 14 0 234 1 0 1,186 9 0 72 12 0 2,885 16 0 £ s. d. 220 11 3 23 18 8 304 19 10 46 16 2 £ s. d. 1,172 2 9 210 2 4 881 9 2 25 15 10 596 5 11 2,289 10 1

Government School Private (Roman Catholic). •a a « 3 £ ■s <! © n*2 ©W*3 IS SI CO ." CO 3 '© o£ g«.a « 5 a a > oj 0 to Total. Total. Auckland— Costley Training Institution " Door of Hope " Home Wellington— Private Homes Christchurcn— Mount Magdala .. Children's Convalescent Cottage Home Private Homes Dunedin— Otago Benevolent Institution Private Homes £ s. d. 289 3 0 12 4 3 £ a. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. 289 3 0 17 4 3 £ s. d. £ s. d. 289 3 0 17 4 8 5 0 0 25 1 6 25 1 6 25 1 6 50 6 11 8*4 0 50 6 11 8 4 0 7 16 0 58 2 11 8 4 0 108 10 9 108 10 9 108 10 9 3 12 0 5 13 5 3 12 0 5 13 5 3 12 0 5 13 5 Total 301 7 3 25 1 6 55 6 11 116 14 9 9 5 5 507 15 10 7 16 0 515 11 10 Less miscellaneous recoveries 17 12 0 497 19 10 Net total

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that many of them are exceedingly delicate infants, are taken into consideration. The sustained prosperity of the colony is having the effect of making it somewhat difficult to find the right class of homes, especially for infants. During the past five years much greater attention has been paid to the subject of obtaining contributions from parents towards the support of children under industrial-school control. In that time the annual receipts from this source have risen from £1,300 to £3,500, and there is every reason to expect that there will be a proportionate increase in the current year. Last year an average sum of £2 10s. 9d. was recovered from parents for every one of the 1,370 children maintained out of public funds. To bring about such a satisfactory result the closest watchfulness has been necessary. The matter of payments in support of illegitimate children, both by the putative fathers and by the mothers, has received special care. Compositions totalling £180 in two cases have been made during the year by putative fathers, one of these being secured by means of registering the maintenance order against the title of a section of rural land. As showing the importance of co-operation between the Courts, the Police, and the Education Department in this matter, it may be mentioned that in one instance where the Magistrate held the view that undue pressure was brought to bear on parents by the Department, the receipts for a year dwindled to £125 in that centre ; but, upon his being succeeded by a Magistrate who strongly holds the view that every person liable to pay for maintenance of a child should be compelled to do so if of sufficient ability, the receipts have steadily risen until they now stand at £520 for the year, and are still increasing.

No. 2. STATISTICS. Memorandum for the Hon. the Minister of Education. In December, 1906, the number on the books of all the industrial schools was 2,075, or 122 more than at the close of the year 1905. On the books of the Government industrial schools there were 1,559, an increase of 139 over the corresponding number for 1905 ; on the books of the private (Eoman Catholic) industrial schools there were 516, or 17 less than at the end of the previous year. Of the total number (2,075) belonging to all schools, 1,370 children were dependent on public funds for maintenance. The remainder (705) may be classified as follows : Licensed to reside with friends, 171; at service, 419; boarded out without payment, 6 ; adopted, 1; in hospital, 5; in mental hospitals, 6 ; at the Costley Training Institution, Auckland, under license, 7 ; in other institutions, 7; in gaol, 1; absent without leave, or whereabouts unknown, 82 —namely, 39 from service, 35 from the schools, and 8 from friends.

The following table shows the status of all the inmates at the close of the year: —

Inmates, 31st December, 1906.

Gove; iment School) Privai Schoi .Is. All Sch. lols. InmateB. DC i ° S a -§ £ 2 a § > a sp 3 ehSS5!§|5 < & *!« I n 1 B.Ig. B. \ B. G. a < 60 £ ac . a -_! gS .Sail q o co o-g G. B. G. 1 i i fl & B 1 B , g 1 B. B. G. £fl ll a? IS B. G. G. is S «^ 00 fl dq _: fl o3 © ■ ®5 «• I I B O fl s © o h Ph B. 'g. I "5 O EH 6 A (A Q J3 © In the schools .. Boarded out With friends At service Adopted In hospitals, convalescent homes, etc. In mental hospitals In School for Deaf-mutes At Coatley Training Institution Under control of refuges or cognate institutions Under control of orphanage, cottage home, &c. In gaol Absent without leave, or whereabouts unknown Totals 43 2 2 28 22 2 18 126 18 39 49 1 145 9 13 1 1 86 8 7 49 2 8 .. 9 99 86 6 5 34 40 '2 !! 106 i 35 62 .. 23 95 83 3 12 5 55 41 '2 12 55 i 26 25 6 21 108 27 46 47 1 8 16 41 6 4 5 382 406 123 223 1 4 278 284 48 196 660 690 171 419 1 6 308 615 108 288 1 6 351 75 63 131 2 i .. 1 "3 1 .. 1 2 a 6 5 1 .. 1 .. 2 2 1 19 19 19 17 8 1 .. 1 12 12 5 15 5 a '.'. 1 41 i 'i 106178 284 'fl i3 i 1 75 "7 1 82 1 57 25 ! 69 n 249 170| 2' 108 73 1461141 286 249 581 |S3 52 194 173 56 1,240 8S5J J2,075 1,418 656 i 1 26'

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The admissions to the schools during the year are classified according to the two following tables:—

Admissions in 1906, Classified according to Cause of Admission.

Government ichools. •ivate Schools. All Schoi >ls. Admitted as id fl J3 3 CO 3 <! Ofloj .3 8 C 03 ■-* * ca © a" oh B 00 a . O fl «° Sfa si §«= CO B I co a I o 1 B c3 0C a 2 o I CO EH oi" Sa o © Eg SjO-fl 5.2 '3 £ o-w ©O 03 a a ■a __ 3 B a a! a 5 © ► 5 M co 3 co"t_ % St fl o DO A BQ £ o S'g CO ■a a«r.S co^,t3 CO 3 CO a oj a -*■ 01 G. G. B. G. B. B. G. B. G. 3 o B. I G. I B. B. G. (i. G. 0' B. Destitute Vagrant Associating with disreputable persons Uncontrollable .. Accused or guilty of punishable offences By arrangement .. Transferred from gaol Totals .. j 3 1 7 1 8 8 4 4 29 2 i 17 2 ■1 1 1 2 15 4 U 12 19 1 9 10 3 2 3 '3 a 3 1 3 3 5 a 70 15 35 50 4 36 120 19 71 3 1 2 "i 'a 3 6 3 31 1 1 4 1 '7 6 49 4 10 10 59 i ! 1 1 1 2 7 1 1 3 8 '7 . • . - 8 j 37 23 15 34 31 42 9 12 4 2 14 3 8 184 106 290 16 20 j 12 f——-' Admission; in 1906 !LAS: ilFIED Ai 3C0: LDINi 1 Ti Pa: LBN 1 »' inn MS 1 IBB .ND !hai act: IB, Preci ident inditio] of Chi] Idren ai Imitted in 1906. Fathers, described as Mothers, described as .2 » 08 a! sS SB DC® .S3 ■s * •So is © X & o u fl o o a P oh ai O © £8 —. CO ■3*1 © *-"fl «s T3 n CO m co--_ 3 fl CO 3 on, fl © a © fl u < >> ffl Total. 6 a (« co Q fl a i ca > Dead Dead Mentally unfit Good Questionable Bad Unknown 3 3 5 5 i i '4 io 2 3 3 21 7 9 1 1 1 13 2 60 13 10 3 1 10 1 17 13 4 1 7 2 19 4 a 3 1 1 4 3 24 9 9 8 ./ • • 9 i w • • Physically unfit Mentally unfit Good i i 5 n • ' 11 ' ' Questionable Good Dead Mentally unfit Good Questionable Bad Deserter Unknown Dead Mentally unfit < .. Good Questionable Bad Unknown Good Questionable Bad Deserter Mentally unfit Good Bad Deserter Dead Mentally unfit Good Questionable Bad Unknown 6 2 21 8 5 7 2 1 3 i 6 1 3 1 " i 2 9 4 1 3 9 2 2 2 16 4 "i 1 28 1 1 1 6 4 2 Bad 2 i Deserter 2 2 i i Unknown .. 1 2 2 21 6 3 7 2 1 1 1 2 i 5 i 1 1 Totals 120 19 71 10 67 290 The number of admissions 1905. Of these, 38 were sent Dunedin, and 10 from Inverca: to the schools. Of the childrei , during the year (I [rom Auckland, 67 i ■gill. Of the remai 1 admitted (290) 31290) ul from "S ining i 7 per hows iVellin 58 chil cent. an ini gton, Idren, jrease of 11 > 86 from Chri no one town illegitimate. an the number for 31 from sent more than 8 were :

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From information taken from the Magistrates' orders it is found that the religious denominations in which the children who were admitted are to be brought up are : Church of England, 161; Eoman Catholic, 78 ; Presbyterian, 20 ; Methodist, 16 ; Baptist, 6 ; Church of Christ, 4 ; Christadelphian, 1; 3to be brought up as Protestants ; and Jewish, 1. The number of inmates who during 1906 ceased to be under the control of industrial schools was 168. Of these, 90 were discharged by warrant, 61 reached twenty-one years of age, 4 were married, and 13 died. Of this total 108 were of good character, 8 fair, 2 indifferent, and 6 bad ; 8 were weak-minded, 11 were missing, 12 were discharged under fifteen years of age (7 of whom were adopted), and 11 under and 2 over that age died. The number of deaths (13) shows an increase of 3 oti the number for the previous year. The medical certificates show that of the 5 inmates who were boarded out at the time of death, 1 died of gastro-enteritis and asthenia, 1 hyorscepholus and convulsions, 1 of influenza and pneumonia, 1 of measles and broncho-pneumonia, and 1 was accidentally killed. Two resident inmates died, one of tuberculosis, and the other of bronchitis. Two inmates died in the hospital, one of meningitis and congenital syphilis, and the other of tubercular hip-disease and phthisis. Two children in nursing homes died, one of intestinal tuberculosis and phthisis, and the other of meningitis. One young man who was at service met his death by drowning.

Discharges, 1906.

Numbers of 1905 and 1906 compared.

E. O. GIBBES, Education Department, Wellington, 28th June, 1907. Secretary for Education.

No. 3. EEPOETS OF MEDICAL OFFICEES. Auckland Industrial School. Sib,— Auckland, 29th March, 1907. I have the honour to report that the health of the children at the Auckland Industrial School has been very good during the past year. There was one case of injury to the knee which at one time looked serious, but it cleared up well, and the patient returned to her work. During my last inspection several children were shown to me who required artificial teeth. In cases where the upper and lower teeth do not meet on either side, it would be a matter of economy if the Department made provision for the obtaining of a plate in order that mastication could be duly carried out. I have, &c, A. Challinoe Puechas, M.8., CM., M.E.C.S. (Eng.), The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

Governmi iht Ichools. ivate Ichools. All Ichools. Cause of Discharge. Auckland. Boys' JReceiving Training : Home, Farm, WellingWeraroa. ton. OjD s» ieceiving Home, Christchurch. a 03 3 a h p Caversham. St. Mary's, Auckland. •I 0:3 St. Mary's, Nelson. a on .g in B. G. B. | G. B. J G. B. G. B. I G. G. B. | G. G. ■n O n s '3 o B. G. B. 31 ! 90 /arrant of discharge >eath ie ached age of 21 years [arriage Totals j 6 3 11 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 ii 3 5 5 1 4 28 1 14 1 i 3 1 6 2 1 1 1 3 1 3 10 1 5 6 2 1 1 59 10 22 3 ; 13 39 ! 61 4 4 3 9 13 4 11 8 10 43 2 12 3 6 8 16 13 4 91 77 168 3

At h 1905. At End oi Year Inmates. Decrease. 1906. I in the schools 3oarded out With friends Adopted U service in hospitals, convalescent homes, &c. in mental hospitals Sohool for Deaf-mutes U Costley Training Institution .. Jnder oontrol of refuges or cognate institutions Jnder control of orphanage, oottage home, &c. in gaol .. Vbsent without leave, or whereabouts unknown 648 579 189 437 7 4 3 16 13 6 3 48 660 690 171 1 419 6 6 2 19 12 6 1 82 + 12 + 111 - 18 + 1 - 18 - 1 + 2 - 1 + 3 1 2 + 34 Totals .. 1,953 2,075 + 122

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St. Maey's Industrial School, Auckland : Boys' Beanch, Lake Takapuna. Sir,—- Auckland, 22nd May, 1907. I have examined this orphanage, and find everything in good working-order. Health of the children excellent; dormitories clean and well ventilated ; bath-rooms, &c, in perfect order and good sanitary condition. The addition of the new kitchen and dining-rooms has been a great advantage. As Medical Officer to the institution I have had many opportunities of noting the great and marked improvement in the children after they have been in the Home for a month or so. There has been practically no sickness all this year in the institution. I have, &c, W. Geattan Guinness, M.D., D.P.H., The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

St. Maey's Industeial School, Auckland: Giels' Beanch, Ponsonby. Sie,— Auckland, 9th July, 1907. I have recently inspected the above institution, and I find everything in a most satisfactory condition. The dormitories are kept perfectly clean and well ventilated. The beds are very good, with plenty of warm covering. The whole establishment throughout speaks of cleanliness of the highest order. The children are all healthy, well clad, and fed most liberally. The drainage and lavatories are all in a satisfactory state, and the good Sisters spare no pains to keep in order every department of this noble institution under the kind Superioress, Sister Mary Francis. I have, &c, W. J. Dabby, The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Hon. Physician.

Boys' Tkaining Faem, Weeaeoa. Sir, — Boys' Training Farm, Weraroa, Levin, 20th May, 1907. During the past year there were two deaths of boys belonging to the institution—A. C. Jiedon the 22nd July, 1906, at the ageof thirteen years, and J. C. died on the 12th January, 1907, aged sixteen years and seven months. Both these boys were ill before they arrived here, and had been under observation by several other medical men. The general health of the boys in this institution has been good, there having been no epidemic disease during the year. During the early part of the year there was considerable inconvenience from overcrowding in the dormitories, but the building of the cottage homes has relieved this. In the earlier days of last year there was difficulty on account of defective water-supply, but this has to a large extent been remedied. Three of the cottage homes are lighted with kerosene. From a sanitary and also a safety point of view, I would urge that the electric-light installation be extended to these. The ventilation of the social hall and also of the dormitories might be improved. I have from time to time made examination of the living and sleeping rooms, and have always found them scrupulously clean. The Manager has at all times given me every assistance in carrying out my duties, and undoubtedly has the welfare of the institution at heart, and the Matron has been unremitting in her care of the sick. I have, &c, H. D. Mackenzie, M.D., The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

Wellington Beceiving Home. Sie,— Wellington, 27th April, 1907. We have the honour to report that we have visited and inspected the Wellington Receiving Home at regular intervals throughout the past year, and attended professionally the children there, as well as those at the foster-homes in or contiguous to Wellington. Owing to the exceptionally hot and dry summer, summer diarrhoea has been very prevalent amongst young children and infants, and those of the Receiving Home have not escaped. Two deaths resulted from this condition. One, however, was a child admitted from a licensed home who was suffering from rickets and diarrhoea at the time of admission, and died shortly afterwards. Of two other deaths, one was of an infant two months old who was in a condition of severe marasmus on admission, and died a few days later; the other was a case of acute pneumonia. The great prevalence of adenoids amongst the children has necessitated operation for their removal in several cases. All those operated upon have very much improved. We look forward to the completion of the alterations in the Home, as, notwithstanding the high efficiency of the staff, it has been found very difficult to do the best work in our present cramped surroundings. We have, &c, W. A. Chapple, M.D., M.R.C.S., D.P.H., D. J. McGavin, M.D., F.R.C.S. (Eng.), L.R.C.P., The Secretary for Education, Wellington, Medical Officers,

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St. Joseph's Industeial School (Giels'), Wellington. Sib,— Wellington, 20th May, 1907. I beg to submit to you the medical report of St. Joseph's Orphanage, Wellington. In the absence of Dr. Patrick Mackin, I am acting as interim Medical Officer. From a medical point of view the past year at St. Joseph's has been an uneventful one. There has been no outbreak of infectious disease to report, and the general health of the inmates has been on the whole excellent. The monthly examinations of the buildings and sanitary arrangements of the institution have shown that these are most satisfactory. Scrupulous cleanliness characterizes the entke establishment, and the greatest possible care and regard is paid to general hygiene. The inmates I have found to be healthy, well nourished, and contented. I have, &c, The Secretary for Education, Wellington. James Reid, M.A., M.8., Ch.B.

St. Mary's Industeial School, Nelson : Boys' Branch, Stoke. Sir,— Nelson, 9th May, 1907. During the year the health of the boys at the Stoke Orphanage has been good on the whole. No epidemic sickness has arisen, and no deaths have occurred in the institution. On the occasions of my visits I have been pleased with the condition of the dormitories as to cleanliness and ventilation. The institution as a whole appears to be working satisfactorily. None of the boys punished have suffered in health therefrom. The septic tank has been improved by the laying of pipes to carry the effluent to a distance, but is not yet satisfactory owing to a liability of the inlet-pipe to become blocked, thereby causing an overflow of the pipe contents, accompanied by a most offensive odour. Steps should be taken to remedy this defect. I have, &c, F. A. Bett, M.8., The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

St.- Maey's Industeial School, Nelson : Giels' Beanch, Nelson. Sie,— Nelson, 30th May, 1907. I have the honour to report on the above institution for the year ending the 31st March, 1907. Each month my partners or I have inspected the orphanage and the inmates in residence. At the orphanage there has been an average of twenty-two boys, and at the girls' school an average of forty-two. In addition, there have been two or three babies under the care of a special nurse. There has been no serious illness during the year, and, indeed, the institution has been very free from disease, save a few coughs and colds. Delicate children admitted to this Home usually rapidly improve. The management is to be highly complimented on its efforts during the year, and I have every reason to believe that kindness is one of the most striking characteristics of the institution. I am, &c, Phil. Andrew, M.R.C.S. (Eng.), L.R.C.P. (Lond.), Medical Officer. The Secretary for Education, Wellington.

Te Oranga Home. Sir,— Christchurch, 27th April, 1907. I have the honour to report that the health of the inmates of Te Oranga Home has been on the whole good during the past year. There have been three cases of measles. ln paying my monthly visits of inspection I always found the Home clean and neat, also the outbuildings. An addition to the Home is urgently needed, as the girls are overcrowded in the dormitories. Extra accommodation is also needed to allow the girls to be divided into three classes, instead of two as at present, and thus separate the worst types of girls from the others. I have, &c, A. Moorhouse, M.8., Ch.B., The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

Christchurch Receiving Home. Sir,— Christchurch, 27th April, 1907. I have the honour to furnish the annual report on the Government Receiving Home :— There has been one case of scarlet fever. The source of infection could not be traced. The patient made a good recovery. During the past summer many of the boarded-out children suffered from the prevailing epidemic of diarrhoea and sickness. Several of the children, whose constitutions had been under-

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mined by previous neglect and unsuitable feeding, died. One child died of meningitis, and another died in the hospital also from meningitis. The Home has been kept beautifully clean and neat in spite of the limited accommodation of the temporary Home and the unavoidable overcrowding at times. I have, &c, A. Moorhouse, M.8., Ch.B., The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

Burnham Industrial School. Sib,— Christchurch, 20th May, 1907. I have the honour to submit the following report on the Burnham Reformatory for the year 1906: — During the latter part of the year an epidemic of influenza prevailed in Canterbury, and affected a large number of the inmates of the school. One Boy, E. L., had a severe attack of rheumatic fever, and G. W. had appendicitis, requiring operation. Both recovered, but C. M., with heart-disease, was sent home to his mother, and died. There have been occasional outbreaks of ulcerated throat, which I attribute to the effluvium from the septic tank. I consider that the latter should be provided with a coke filter. The Royal Commission appointed last year to inquire into the management of the Burnham School was the most important event in the history of the school. One of its recommendations, to which I wish to call attention, was the necessity of appointing a fully trained nurse to be responsible for the care of the sick, under the direction of the Medical Officer, and entirely under the control of the Matron. The Royal Commission also showed the urgent need of reconstruction and additions to the buildings. The dormitories are overcrowded in a very unwholesome manner. There is no hospital or sick-ward, or other means of isolating sickness ; also no surgery or dispensary. The kitchen and offices are small and dark; there is not sufficient accommodation for the staff; and the whole arrangements, which were made more than thirty years ago for about fifty young children, are utterly inadequate for the hundred or more boys and young men who are now crowded into the same building. The technical instruction of the boys has made great progress under the able direction of Major Sandford, whose removal to Taranaki is a very serious loss to Burnham. The milk-supply has improved, and nine cows are now milked, but I notice that no provision is made for cooling the milk. The new filter for the water-race has worked admirably without intermission ; the water has been tested bacteriologically by the Health Department, and found perfectly pure. This has been a factor of great importance in the health of the school, in contrast with previous years. In conclusion, I beg to repeat the recommendation I have made on several previous occasions —that inmates of an incorrigible type should not be released from control or supervision at the age of twenty-one. I have, &c, W. H. Symes, M.D., The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

St. Vincent de Paul's Girls' School, Dunedin. Sir,— Dunedin, 14th May, 1907. I beg to submit my annual report on the St. Vincent de Paul's Orphanage, South Dunedin. The children continue to receive the most careful attention from the Sisters. The food and clothing of the inmates and the sanitary arrangements of the institution are all that could be desired. With the exception of an outbreak of measles, coincident with a widespread epidemic in the town, no cases of serious illness occurred during the year. No deaths took place, and, thanks to the skilled nursing of the nuns, the little patients all made good recoveries. I have, &c, Eugene J. O'Neill, M.8., F.R.C.S. (Eng.), The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

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