EDUCATION: SPECIAL SCHOOLS, AND INFANT-LIFE PROTECTION. [In continuation of E.-4, 1910.]

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1911 Session I, E-04

8.—4

1011. NE W ZEALAND

EDUCATION: SPECIAL SCHOOLS, AND INFANT-LIFE PROTECTION. [In continuation of E.-4, 1910.]

Prrtrntrd to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of Ffm X xr.r.llt.nny.

CONTENTS. Patze P»ff* 1 Extract from the Annual Report (E.-l) of the 4. Industrial Schools — Minister of Education- FinanoUl Tables .. .. .. 12 Afflicted and Dependent Children.. .. i S'atistics respecting Inmates .. . . 18 School for the Deaf, Sumnet .. .. I Reports of Medical Officers r,f School,, .. Iβ Jubilee Institute for the Blind, Auckland .. 8 ■ costley Training InstitutionSpecial School for Boys of Feeble Mind, Statement of Accounts .. .. .. |fl Otekaike .. .. .. .. -4 Children under Sate Guardianship .. 3 (>. Tnfant-life Protection— Infant-life Protection .. .. .. 4 Report of Secretary for Education .. .. 18 Statistics respecting Infants in Licensed Homes .. .. .. 19 2. School for the Deal, Suraner Medical Attendance on Tnfants .. .. 19 Report of the Director .. .. . . S Exemptions .. .. .. .20 Report of the Medical Officer .. .. S Deaths .. .. .. .. .. 21 Adoptions .. .. .. '21 3. Special Sotaool for Boye of Feeble Mind. Ote- Illegitimacy .. .. .. ..22 ka'ke— AppendixReport of Principal .. .. .. B Particular* of Deaths in Foster-homei .. ; J2

I R. 4.

1.^4-

2

No. 1. -EXTRACT FROM THE THIRTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION. SPECIAL SCHOOLS : AFFLICTED AND DEPENDENT CHILDEEN. Dußixr. the year 1910 the total Dumber belonging to the schools for afflicted and dependent children was on the average 2,586, and the expense to the Governmeni was £51,922. Of this sum, £15,314 represents the outlay in connection with the purchase of property, erection of buildings, and other works. The numbers on the roll and the expenditure on account of the various institutions were hr follows :— Number under Net Cost. Control. £ School for the Deaf .. . . .. . . . . 97 4,087 Jubilee Institute for the Blind .. .. . . .. 39 721 Special School for Boys of Feeble Mind .. .. .. 31 7,834 Industrial schools .. . . . . . . . . 2,11<» 39,280 By the Education Amendment Act which became law last year extended provision is made for the education and training of young persons who arc deaf, blind, feeble-minded, or epileptic. They must now come under efficient and suitable instruction at the age of six years, and remain so until they reach twenty-one years, unless previous to that time the Education Department is satisfied that their educational attainments or their proficiency in some art or handicraft or other calling enable them to provide for their future needs without further instruction. If the near relative of a child so affected does not provide tl ducation required, the Minister of Education may direct that the child be sent to a school where he will ha ye the special instruction suited to his needs, the cost of maintenance and training to be borne by the relatives according to their means and as agreed upon between them and the Minister. In the event of the .Minister's direction not being complied with, a Magistrate may order the child's admission to a special school and fix the rate of the maintenance payment. The question whether oi not a child is sufficiently affected to warrant his being regarded as coming under these provisions of the Act is determined by his ability to receive proper benefit from ordinary school instruction. If maintenance payments are not duly observed they may be recovered as a debt, or the defaulter may be dealt with under the provisions of the Destitute Persons Act for disobedience of the Court order. Charitable Aid Boards are made responsible in necessitous cases for payment to a limited extent for the maintenance of children in these schools. By order of a Magistrate a young person who is epileptic or feeble-minded may be kept under the guidance and control of a special school beyond the age of twenty-one years if it is considered that he is not fit to guide his own life, or that it is otherwise in the public interest that he should be under institutional oversight. In connection with proceedings of this kind the Magistrate appoints counsel to represent the inmate at the hearing. The period of extended guidance is not to exceed four years in the first instance, but on its expiry it may be renewed from time to time by similar procedure, and thus, where necessary, lifelong control is retained. In such cases orders for maintenance against the near relatives may be made. Parents, school-teachers (either public or private), constables, or officers of charitable or kindred institutions who are a ware of the place of residence of blind, deaf, epileptic, or feeble-minded children, and the hbusehoider in which such a child lives, must, under a penalty, send notification to the Education Department. There is. unfortunately, very strong evidence that there are a large number of young people in New Zealand (as in other countries) who by reason of mental defect are unable to properly control their lives, and it is hoped that with *he means that the law now allows they will not be permitted to drift towards destitution and criminality, but will fie so cared for that they will be able eventually either to maintan themselves respectably oi to contribute to their maintenance in suitable institutions according to theit various capabilities. Another important provision in this Act is that giving power tor the inspection of orphanages and similar institutions by Inspectors of the Education Department. Up till now it has been practicable to deal with boys only at the school for the feeble-minded, but plans are now in hand for buildings which would provide for the accommodation of a considerable number of girls. Reference was made in the report for the year 1909 to the pressing need for another industrial school for boys. As the result of negotiations, the institution conducted by the Roman Catholic authorities as a private, industrial school under the supervision of the Education Department, and generally known as the Stoke Orphanage, has been purchased for this purpose, and will hereafter be a Government industrial school to which Magistrates can commit boys irrespective of the religious denomination they belong to.

3

E.—4

School fob the Deaf. Number of pupils who rei umed to the school in February, 1910, after the summer vacation .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..89 Number admitted during the school year .. .. .. .. ..12 Number who left during or at the end of the school year . . . . 11 Number remaining on the roll after the close of the school year .. .. 90 The cost of the school for the pears 1909 and 1910 respectively was as follows : — / 1909. 1910. £ s. d. £ s. d. Salaries . . .. . . .. . . 2,916 2 7 2,958 12 6 Maintenance of pupils .. .. .. .. 1.513 (i X 1,551 8 1 Maintenance of buildings and water charges .'. 332 15 6 367 16 5 Sundries .. .. .. .. .. 121 19 0 145 15 1 LessAmcjimt [collected from parents by way of maintenance contributions .. .. ,*<:(« II 0 929 0 2 Sundry other recoveries .. .. .. 6 18 11 7 11 3 Net expenditure on the institution .. .. 4,038 13 10 1,087 0 11* (* Including £540 paid from National Endowment revenue.) There was an increase i>l Lo*9 per cent, in parental contributions, as against an increase of 1-1 per cent, in the number of pupils under instruct ion. Jubilee Institute fob the Blind. During the year the Govemmeni contributed towards the cost of training 35 pupils of this institution, of whom 1 was an adult, the net amount expended being il'2i (including £99 from National Endowment revenue), as against £903 for the previous year on account of 39 pupils. Maintenance payments by parents ami guardians increased from £215 19s. 3d. in 1909 to £291 2s. 6d. during 1910. For the two past financial years the evenue from the National Endowment Reserves Account amounted to £99 9s. 4d. The sum payable by the Government .is subsidy to the Board of Trustees during last year under the provisions of the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act was £1,709. Special School fob Boys of Feeble Mind. This institution is being steadily developed, there being now 17 boys in residence. The matter of admitting young persons who are over twenty one years of age has been fully considered, and it has been determined to give preference to younger applicants. Undoubtedly a large number of the pupils will need, permanent institutional care, and by retaining these under control the adult section of this institution will be formed gradually. It is to be borne in mind that the Otekaike school does not admit those who are imbecile :it is essential tha pupils shall have the capacity to derive benefit from the special education and training provided for in the school course. The cost of the institution for the past two years was as follows : — 1909. 1910. £ s. d. £ s. d. Salaries .. . . .. . . . . 1,102 15 4 1,564 10 8 Maintenance of pupils . . .. .. .. 647 14 11 1,115 7 6 Maintenance of buildings .. .. .. 243 19 7 239 18 0 Farm and stock . . . . .. . . 612 19 9 318 8 9 Additional buildings, water-supply, drainage, fencing, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 1,602 18 3 4,984 0 8 Sundries .. .. .. .. .. 180 610 178 19 6 Less — Amount collected from parents by way of • maintenance contributions .. .. 182 2 2 428 16 3 Sundry other recoveries .. . . . . 105 211 138 12 6 Net expenditure on the institution .. .. 4,103 9 7 7,833 16 4f (f Including £440 paid from National Endowment revenue.) Children under State Guardianship. The number under the control of industrial schools at the end of 1910 was 2,454, an increase of 74 during the year. Of this total, 805 were resident in the institutions, 263 being in the private (Roman Catholic) industrial schools, 794 were boarded out with foster-parents, and 855 were earning their living in situations, placed with friends on probation, &c. The numbers of children on the books at the end of the years 1909 and 1910 respectively whose maintenance was a charge against the public funds were as follows : — . . :. 1909. 1910. Boarded out from Government schools .. .. .. 757 792 Boarded out from private schools .. .. .. .. 3 2 Number resident at schools .. .. .. .. .. 771 805 At other institutions .. .. .. .. .. 35 30 Total .. .. .. ... .. 1,566 1,629

4

X—4

1909. - 1910. £ c. d. £ 1». >d. The amount of parental contributions was . . 5,786 8 5 5,575 8 6 Rate per head for children maintained . 3 13 11 3 8 5 Details respecting the number of children mi the books i>l industrial schools at the end of the year are given in Table 15. The net expenditure on accouni of industrial schools during the year showed an increase of £152 2s. as compared with the preceding year. The following statement fives particulars : 1909. 1910. £ t>. d. £ a. d. Cost of maintenance of schools.. .. .. 19.831 5 2 17.960 8 2 Boarding out (exclusive <>\ '■<■*! of administration, inspection, Ac.) .. .. .. .. 13,31!» o 6 13,962 16 5 Salaries 8,15] :s 8 8,816 2 2 New buildings and works, and purchase of property 5,838 2 0 10.330 6 2 Salaries, travelling-allowances, and expenses of certain departmental officers (Inspectors, visil ing officers. &c) . .. .. .. 1.424 14 9 1.458 19 4 Sundry payments .. .. .. .. 186 15 0 107 711 Gross total .. .. .. .. .. 48,751 1 1 52,636 0 2 Recoveries .. .. .. .. .. 15,193 8 I 15.701 5 2 Net ooel .. .. .. .. .. £33,557 J 3 0 £36.934 15 0* (* Including £3,225 paid from National Endowment revenue.) Further details of the expenditure on industrial schools during the year are contained iji Tables II and 12. Payments by Charitable Aid Boards for mainteo 1909. 1910. ance of children who came into Government schools owing to indigence (included in the i c. d. t ». d. mtalsuni recovered) .. .. .. 8.612 16 3 vt.450 1 1 Number of children at the end of the year belonj>inu to Government schools who were so paid for .. 596 678 Number maintained at the expense of Charitable Aid Boards at private industrial schools .. IS2 98 The amount paid by the Charitable Aid Boards on account of children sent to the private industrial schools as indigent is not stated here, as the Managers of these schools make their claims upon the Boards without reference to the Education Department. At the end of the year the amount in the Post-Office Savings Bank held in trust in the names of inmates and former inmates of industrial schools was £27,052 6s. 4d., the Government schools accounts having £23,710 4s. 9d. to credit, and the private (Roman Catholic) schools £3,342 Is. 7d. The total sums withdrawn from these accounts during tin , year were £3.369 14s. Bd. and £181 18s. 4d. respectively. These moneys represent the earnings of boys and girls in situations away from the schools, or of those in residence under training, whose services are worth more than the cost of their maintenance. According to law, it is at the discretion of the Minister of Education whether payment (with interest) is eventually made to these young people or not. In practice they do receive payment where there is evidence that the applicant's record after the control of the school has ceased has been good, and that he has a proper investment for the money. In exercise of his discretion the Minister may order forfeiture of the money where a former inmate proves his unworthiness to receive it. In such a case the amount is credited to the Public Account. The following figures are taken from 12 and 13 of the Appendix :- £ s. d. Government expenditure on private schools .. .. .. 2,200 0 0 Government expenditure on special cases at other institutions . . 146 0 0 k INFANT-LIFE PROTECTION. At the end of the year the number of foster-homes licensed under the Infants Act was 706, and the number of children maintained in them for the whole or part of the year was 1,183, of whom 469 were under one year old. The total number of deaths was 26, equal to 2-19 per cent. The report of the Secretary for Education gives detailed information as regards the various phase* of the work. The expenditure for the year, amounting to £982 fs. id., is accounted for as follows : — £ c. d. Salaries of Visiting Nurses and local representatives .. .. .. 606 0 0 Travelling-expenses c>l Districi Agents, Visiting Nurses, and local representatives .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 215 19 0 Payments to foster-parents for board of infants . . . . . . 103 6 4 Office expenses (including rent) and sundries . . . . . . 83 11 10 //#«» recoveries . . . . . . . . . . .. 26 12 10

E.—4

5

No. 2.—SCHOOL FOX THE DEAF, SUMNER. REPORT OF THE DIKECTOK. Sik. School for the Deaf, Sunnier. Let May, 1911. I have the honour to lay before you ruy report for the year 1910. The number of pupils who have been under instruction during the year is shown in the following tabulated statement: — Bo.ys. Uirls. Totals. Pupils of the previous year who returned to school . . . . 49 40 89 Admitted at or near the commencement of the year .. .. 7 3 10 Admitted later . . . . . . . . .. .. 1 I '1 Total number on the roll .. . . . . . . .57 44 101 Left before the end of the school year . . . . '1 . . 2 Left at the end of the school year .. . .. ..1. 8 9 Pupils expected to return in 1911 .. .. .. ..54 36 90 Of the 101 pupils, 29 uame from the Auckland District, 2 from Taranaki, 4 from Hawke's Bay, 22 from Wellington. 1 from Nelson. 2 from Marlborough. 2 from Westland. 22 from Canterbury, and 17 from Otago. Owing to the increase in the number of the pupils and to the lack of accommodation at the school. 0 Imvs and 1 girl were boarded out. In addition to those, 2 boys and 2 girls attended as day pupils, their parents having made private arrangements for their board and lodging in Sumner. The desirability of giving deaf children as much opportunity as possible for associating with hearing persons has been again exemplified by the progress of these boarded-out children and of those children whose parents live near enough to the school for them to go home weekly. Three of the twelve cases admitted during the year call for special mention. One was that of a mentally deficient boy of eight years and a half, whose hearing was almost normal and whose inability to speak was due to iiis defective mentality. After six months' trial it was found that, though he had benefited somewhat by physical and kindergarten training, he was unable to bake advantage of the ordinary course of instruction. He was accordingly removed. Another case was thai of a boy of twelve, who had been attending a public school and had got aa far as the Second Standard. His defective hearing had handicapped him considerably, as he was only to a limited extent able to profit by the instruction given. It w;is expected thai bhe extra amouni of individual attention he would be able to receive here, together with braining in lip-reading, would he of considerable advantage to him. more especially as there was some likelihood of his deafness increasing. It was gratifying to find that after being si\ months wit)i us lie hud acquired sufficient knowledge of lip-reading to enable him to return to the public school, and to continue his education there satisfactorily. The third case was that of a little girl of eleven. An attack of scarlet fever in infancy had left her almost stone-deaf. On account of her being able to hear loud noises and to say one or two words in a more or less intelligible manner her relatives had formed a totally wrong idea of the nature of her affliction, and had been led, as in many similar cases, to believe that she would grow out of it. It was only after she had attended a public school for about four years that the question of her suitability for this school was inquired into. She is now making excellent progress. This case, coming as it does on top of two somewhat similar eases met with in 1908. emphasizes the necessity of the functions of this school being better understood by teachers and by the public generally, il a circular were sent to head teachers asking them to report all eases coming under their notice of defective hearing or speech, it is probable that similar cases would be discovered elsewhere. It may not be out of place to again enumerate the classes of pupils that are received at this school: — (1.) Children born deaf or becoming so in infancy or before learning to speak. (2.) Children, or in some cases adults, who have lost their hearing after having learned to speak. (In such cases the sooner instruction in lip-reading is commenced the better.) (3.) Children who by reason of their defective bearing cannot be efficiently educated at an ordinary public school. With the exception of the mentally afflicted boy referred to above, good progress was made by the newcomers, all of whom completed the articulation course prescribed for the first year. Taken as a whole, the results of the work for the year may be regarded as extremely satisfactory. In the case of a few children only, of comparatively low mental power, was the rate of progress less than normal. Better results would be obtained in these cases if they could be educated separately. But this, however, will not be possible until our growing population has increased sufficiently to enable us to reap the advantages that can only be obtained by a proper classification system. Meanwhile the progress of the dull pupil will continue to be the best test of the skill and devotion of the teacher, and the extent to which the latter is able to subdue his natural inclination to pass over the unattractive dull pupil in favour of his more brilliant classmate will mark the rank he has attained in his profession. On account of their approaching marriage, we had the misfortune to lose the valuable services of two members of the teaching staff—viz., MissJA. C. Gemming at the end of May, and Miss H. B. Anthony at the end of the year. The vacany caused by the retirement of the former was filled in June by the appointment of Miss J. St. M. Waterston.

E. 4.

6

At the end of the year eight girls and one boy were removed. The latter had become deaf as a result of an attack of meningitis at about ten years of age, but was. unfortunately, not sent here until four more years had elapsed. He had remained three years and a half at this school, with the result that his speech, which at the time of his admittance was fast disappearing, had been preserved and his education continued. One of the girls leaving was also a lip-reading pupil; but in her case the loss of hearing had occurred after she had completed a public-school education. In both these cases lip-reading had been hampered by defective vision. The girl is now employed in domestic service in Dunedin ; and in a letter recently received she states that she has no difficulty in reading the lips of her mistress and of the children of the family. Another case removed was that of a girl with defective speech and hearing, who had been admitted in the middle of the preceding year. Her speech had been very much improved, and she left with a fair general education. The six other girls removed had been congenital deaf-mutes. One. had been with us a year only, and was removed owing to her parents leaving the Dominion. Another was a mentally weak girl of nineteen, whom it had been necessary to keep twelve years at the school. She had received a fair general education, and could readily make herself understood by speech. She had been trained in housework to the extent that her relatives now find her very useful in the house. Of the four other girls, one had been ten years and three had been eight years at school. Two of them had been exceptionally bright pupils, and all had received a good general education, besides a careful training in general housework, inehiding cooking, laundry, and needlework. The general health of the pupils throughout the year was very satisfactory. There were comparatively few cases of illness, the most serious being two very mild eases of enteric towards the end of tinyear. The work of the school, however, was seriously hampered by illness amongst the teaching staff, three of the members of which were incapacitated for varying periods during the second half of the year. Our thanks are due to the members of the Canterbury Automobile Association for their kindness in taking the children for an outing in their cars, and also to Messrs. Fuller and Sons for again kindly extending to us an inviation to visit their kinematograph matinees whenever convenient. At these entertainments our pupils are fortunately on a level with hearing children, and from them derive much educational benefit as well as pleasure. In September the school was visited by Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, the distinguished inventor of the telephone. Dr. Bell has spent a lifetime in furthering the interests of the deaf. In his young days he was a teacher of articulation, and it was while attempting to produce a machine that would convey some conception of sound-variations to the deaf that he hit upon the idea from which he subsequently developed the telephone. By his generosity in devoting the Volta prize-money, which he received for his wonderful invention, to the founding of the Volta. Bureau, at Washington, he baa earned the gratitude of all co-workers. The Volta Bureau was founded for the collecting and the die seminating of information respecting the deal, and for the promotion of the teaching of speech to them. Dr. Bell was accompanied by his wife, who was herself at one time a deaf-mute. Mrs. Bell is a highly cultured lady, whose interest in and enthusiasm for the instruction of the deaf by means of speech are equal to her husband's. Their visit was of very great interest, and the information derived from them with regard to the education of the deaf in oilier parts of the, world was most valuable. The following newspaper extracts relating to Dr. Bell's visit are taken from the Lyttekon Time* of the 6th and 7th September : LytteUon Times, 6th September, 1911. Dr. A. Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, spent a few very interesting hours at the School for the Deaf at Sumner yesterday. Instruction of deaf children is his hobby and his life-study, and he has been looking forward to a visit to the Sumner institution ever since he came to New Zealand. He states that he is delighted with the school, with its modern methods, with the able work done by Mr. J. E. Stevens and members of his staff, and, above all, with the genuine affection which the children show towards their teachers. It is the best school of the kind he has seen since he left the United States. He saw several institutions for teaching the deaf in Australia, but none so modern in methods and so enlightened in the application of ideas as at Sumner. As far as he has seen, the Sumner school is the only one in these parts where the oral system of instruction has completely superseded the old manual system. The children at Sumner are taught to read from the teacher's lips, not from words spelt out on the fingers. This principle has been adopted in all the institutions in the United States, and has given satisfactory results. It is now recognized that every deaf child is necessarily dumb not because of defects in its vocal organs, but because it is deaf. It cannot use language because it has never heard language spoken. At Sumner the children are taught the " word-by-word " articulation. The United States have discarded that in favour of phrases. If a wish is expressed that a book should be placed on the table, for instance, at Sumner each word will be given separately : " Place —a —book- —on —the—table." In the United States the sentence would be given in three phrases : " Place —a book— on the table." Phrasing, as it is called, is regarded as a notable improvement on the single-word method, and as a very important part of the system of instruction, the articulation being much more natural. The schools of the United States are purely educational institutions. They do not provide vocations for the pupils, who are sent away as soon as their course is completed. In some of the large centres there are day schools for deaf children who live at home. This enables the promoters of the movement to reach a much larger proportion of deaf children than would be instructed if there were only one large central institution. The small day schools, which are conducted on the kindergarten principle, reach little children. Some of the day schools of Wisconsin are attended by tiny tots only three years old. These schools are usually held in a room in the ordinary school buildings, where the deaf children have ample opportunities for associating with other children. It is believed to be a mistake to bring defective children into exclusive association with each other, especially during their education. Some of the older pupils at Sumner are boarded out instead of being compelled to live

7

Wr. 3

at the school, an arrangement which Dr. Bell describes as admirable, and which he thinks should be introduced into the United States. Intermingling with hearing and speaking people increases alertness, and is found to be a great help to the children when they have to go out into the world. Dr. Bell found a great deal to admire at the Sumner school, and he says that he wishes it " God speed " in its good work. Lyttelton Times, 7th September. 1911. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, 1 quite concur with what our distinguished visitor, Dr. A. Graham Bell, has to cay as to the value of phrasing in the teaching of articulation to the deaf, but it is a method which should only be applied after the elements of speech have been established. In attempting to make use of it too soon I am convinced that harm is done. The method that has been followed at Sumner since the opening of the school by the late Mr. G. van Asch in 1880 is practically that made use of in the most successful schools for the deaf in Germany and Holland. In the earliest stages of instruction the elements of speech are taught sinplo at first and afterwards in combination, ash 00-p, hoop. Later on, the word-by-word method "is applied, and easy sentences containing only .simple words are taujzht. These are pronounced word by word as noticed by Dr. Bell. Later on, polysyllables are brought into use, and the children are taught to speak and read in phrases. This stage of education is usually reached about the third year of instruction, or in some cases earlier. A simple phrase such as "on the table " presents no more difficulty to a pupil when taken as a whole than does a common word such as " vegetable." Had Dr. Bell been able to spend longer time at the school I should have .had pleasure in showing him the work of the higher classes in this respect.—l am. &c, J. E. STEVENS, Owing to the continued increase in our numbers, mure accommodation in the way of schoolrooms and servants" quarters is urgently necessary. -Some time ago, as a temporary expedient, it was found necessary to subdivide two of the larger class-rooms, but this arrangement lias not worked very well. The partitions interfere with the lighting and ventilation of the rooms, and should be removed as soon as other rooms can be provided. The course to be recommended is the building of a new wing on the western side of the building, and the addition of an upper story to the kitchen block. The new wing should include sick-rooms. Besides these a play-shed and gymnasium at the Boys' Homo arc much needed. The present number of pupils is, in my opinion, greater than it is desirable to have educated in one institution. It was the opinion of the late Director. Mr. G. van Asch, with which I fully agree, that no more than seventy or seventy-five deaf pupils should be educated in one school, and that better results could be obtained with forty or fifty. The question of subdivision is now ripe for consideration. As I have previously stated in my reports, subdivision should be in accordance with a scheme of classification based on the mental and auditory capacities of the pupils. The system 1 should recommend would be somewhat on the lines of that adopted in Denmark. The children should be admitted first to a preparatory school, where they should remain from one to three years. according to their abilities. In Denmark there are aboul 350 children of school age, and the pupils there are classified from the preparatory school into four separate schools according to their auditory and mental powers. With our small deaf population it would be advisable to commence the subdivision by the establishment of the preparatory school. The other developments could follow with our increase of population. Children might lie admitted to the preparatory school somewhat earlier than under present conditions is desirable, [ts establishment would tend to diminish existing defects. In a school containing a considerable proportion of children with little or no acquaintance with language there is too great a tendency on the part of the older pupils to resort to signs when communicating with them. At the same time, the necessity of commencing the training in articulation while the vocal organs are still plastic, and when the child is not too far removed from that period of its existence at which in the hearing child the hereditary speech instincts become active, should not lie overlooked. By the separation of the younger children in a preparatory school the natural development of speech could lie mure closely followed find the tendency above referred to removed. I enclose for your information a letter received from a parent expressing appreciation of the training that his daughter received at the school. I have. &c, The Inspector-General of Schools. J. E. Stevens, Director. Dkar Sir,— - Wellington, 30th April. 1911. Just a lew lines, which 1 think is due to you. to let you know how 11. has been getting on since she left school at the end of last year. You will be pleased to know that after enjoying a good long holiday her mother goi her engaged as an apprentice dressmaker in a warehouse here. She goi engaged simply on her own merits, as they had applied in the local paper for two apprentices at the time. At first the head dressmaker was very doubtful aboul engaging her; bul when she was shown a sample of her work (thanks to the lessons she got at school) and understood that she could speak and understand speech, she took quite a different view of the case, and said .she would give her a trial ; and she has since expressed herself in terms of the highest praise of H.s ability, and says she is a beautiful sewer, and that they have no difficulty in understanding her speech or making her understand what they want done. She also remarked that H. was such a neat tidy girl that one could take kindly to her. 1 think she is talking more and getting more confidence in herself since she went to business. It is a great pleasure to lie able to talk to our children in the ordinary way when they are ;it home, and to see that they understand what we are saying to them ; and I cannot speak too highly in praise of, or express adequately here how thankful we are for. the purely oral system taughi a.l Sumner by you and your staff, to our children.

R.— 4

8

Before coming to New Zealand we resided near the Institution for the Deaf at Langside, Glasgow, where, as you are aware, the fingering or sign and manual system is taught, and had many opportunities of observing the pupils there ; and I am convinced that they are terribly handicapped through life compared with the children taught by the oral system here. One great disadvantage, among others, is, I think, that they lack to a very great extent that self-respectTand self-confidence which the ability to speak to others and understand others' speech alone gives. You can imagine, as we often do, what a great difference it would have made to us and our children if they had been taught by the fingering and sign system only. Tarn sure you will agree with me that it would have handicapped them terribly, and to a great extent isolated them from us in the home life. I believe that if the education authorities at Home had an opportunity of seeing the oral system in operation here, and the beneficial results obtained, they would at once adopt it exclusively. In closing, T desire to thank and express our gratitude to you and your staff in the various departments for the manner in which our children have and are being educated ; and I feel sure that if A. and K. come home as well equipped as H. a 1 the end of their school career they will he well able to make headway and earn their living in the Dominion. Hoping this will find you all well. I remain, dear sir. Yours very sincerely. R. S. REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER. Sir.- Christchurch, 15th June. J 911. I have the honour to report as follows on the health of the School for the Deaf for the year 1910. There have been the usual number of slight ailments, and the only cases of consequence werp two very mild cases of enteric fever in November. A hospital or isolation building is much needed, as at present no means exist for isolating cases of illness. 1 have, (fee. W. H. Symes. M.D.. Medical Officer. The Inspector -General of Schools. Wellington, No. 3.—SPECIAL SCHOOL FOR BOYS. OTEKAIKE, OAMART7. REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL. Sir. Otekaike, 14th May. 1911. I herewith present my third annual report on the work of this institution for the year ending Slst March, 1911. Ldmissions, Discharges, amd Dkaths. In the school on Ist April. 1910 .. .. .. .. .. .31 Admitted . . . . . . . . .. .. . . .18 Discharged or left . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Died .. .. . . .. .. . . .. .. .. 0 In school on 31st March, 1911 . . . . .. . . .. 47 Ages of boys in institution on 31st March. 1911 : From sto 10 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 .. 10 to 16 ' . . . . . . . . .80 . 16 to 21 .... . .. .. .. .. ..8 ( hrer 21 years .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 Total . . .. .. . . . . .. .. 47 Ages of boys admitted during the year : Of those boys admitted during the year. 16 were between 7 and 16 years of age ; 2 were between 16 and 21 years of age : total, 18. Admissions. —The admissions classed according to mentality show—High-grade cases, 6 ; middle grade, 5 ; low-grade, 7. Of the admissions. 2 are epileptics. Discharges. —During the year two cases were discharged—one being removed to his home, the other transferred to Burnham Industrial School. Deaths. —It is extremely gratifying to be able to report for the third successive year that no death htis occurred, neither has there been any serious accident. General Hevlth. The general-health record of the year has been exceptionally good, and is a gratifying response to the precautions taken. In September of last year we had a virulent epidemic of influenza, which attacked both children and staff, and for several weeks the extra work thrown on those of the staff who kept well was very heavy. Several of the children and staff developed pneumonia, but, thanks to careful nursing and medical attention, no deaths occurred. 1 am thankful, for several reasons, that we have had no case of what is commonly called infectious disease, more particularly as we have no place where we could isolate a case if it occurred. A small inexpensive hospital for infectious oases

9

X—4

must be provided in the near future. An infirmary or general-hospital block, on bhe lines 1 indicated in ♦he plan I submitted-to you some months back, will also be necessary in the near future, where the many ordinary ailments so common to our children may be satisfactorily dealt with. That we shall not be immune from that most persistent associate of feeble-mindedness—tubercu-losis—is apparent from what has occurred during this year. We have had two cases of active tubercular trouble this year. Both cases were sent home for treatment, as our present facilities for isolation and open-air treatment do not permit of such cases remaining here. Inexpensive bungalows, adapted T to the needs of these unfortunates, will form a portion of our requirements in the near future. It will be interesting to compare the weights of the 31 children who were in residence on 31st March, 1910, with their respective weights on 31st March, 1911, as shown in the following table :

Scholastic and Industrial Training. We are severely handicapped in our attempts at school teaching and indoor manual occupations by the fact that we have no separate school buildings or industrial workshops. At present we utilize four separate rooms in different parts of the institution. This lack of centralization is apparent. Effective supervision is very difficult under these conditions, and. ;is the buildings are a considerable distance apart, much time is lost in transferring children from place to place for the various forms of instruction. Yet, despite these drawbacks, good work has been done by the teaching staff. The smaller children, in the kindergarten class, do not improve by leaps and bounds, but rather by slow and plodding steps. The principle underlying all the training in the school is essentially the awakening of the dormant faculties of the children through the senses. In this section of the school many subdivisions into small classes of perhaps three, four, or five children are necessary, according to the varying mental capacity and intelligence of the boys. Music drawing, colour-work, paper-folding, claymodelling, articulation, nature-study and walks, simple manual occupations, sense-training exercises, physical exercises and imitation drill, sewing, &c, form the chief occupations offthis department if the school. The middle division of the school contains the low-grade cases who are incapable of attaining any degree of proficiency in reading, writing, and arithmetic. Following out the theory of the development through the awakening and training of the sense-organs, the greater part of their day isjspent in suitable manual occupations, weaving, plaiting, mat-making, and basketry. The upper division of the school consists of high-grade children who are capable of deriving benefit from the ordinary scholastic curriculum. Very good work has been accomplished by this division. In this connection the case of one boy is worthy of special mention, seeing that when he came to the school, somewhat over twelve months back, he did not know his letters. It was a very proud moment for the little fellow the other day when he penned the first letter to his mother. The industrial training in farm, garden, stable, stores, living and dining rooms, the preparation of food, and the washing and ironing of the clothes, afford scope for the activities of a certain section of the children. Under the capable direction of the garden staff much valuable work in the shape of format ion of new roads. kitchen-gardens, and ornamental grounds has been accomplished. This kind of employment is very well adapted to the elder boys, and they are becoming quite useful in it. taking an intelligent interest in their work. lujthe manual branch we are now making our own door-mats and baskets. The progress made in this work is necessarily very slow, but we shall not only be able to supply our own wants, but also. as our numbers increase, supply the needs of kindred institutions. Recreation. Our phonograph afiords constant amusement for the children. Music lends its stimulus to all the senses, and it is astonishing to hear boys, when going about their work, singing a few lines of a song or humming, more or less correctly, fragments of a tune which have been acquired without any effort

2—E. 4.

Age. Date of Admission. Weight on n ■ Admission. Galn - II Age. Date of Admission. Weight on . Admission. '" 22 17 13 24 20 23 21 13 13 15 14 16 12 18 8 19 18/1/09 1/5/09 1/5/09 19/1/09 23/7/09 5/2/10 13/1/10 5/2/10 7/7/09 i:s I in 22/4 09 3/2 09 24 9 09 8/7/09 1/5/09 24/11/08 St. n>. lb. 7 !i 20 9 7 Left. 5 8 10 7 e 4£ 9 I 6J " '! H 8 I IO| 5 8 14 j 5 3 23| 6 11 11 4 6 30f 5 J 32| 3 11 14} 3 12 9" 2 8 164 7 6 m 17 20 18 15 19 15 14 12 L8 8 II 10 15 <i I'd /. 1/5/09 13/1/10 5/2/10 10/6/08 13/1/10 10/11/08 4/2/09 13/1 10 •SI 10/08 18/1/10 1/5 09 5/2/10 17/12/09 13/1/10 5/2/10 St. lb. lb. 7 6 26 6 1 11J 5 11J 10 4 I 2«J 9 9 13| 3 9 Homo. I 1 Home. I 6j 14J I ii 19 3 5 9J 1 I L9f 3 IO| 10J 4 9| 19 J 2 7f 9{ i> 5 Left.

E.—4

10

by means of the phonograph—especially when one remembers thai bhe same boys would neveT have been able to retain two consecutive words or notes had the same been attempted by means of ordinary school lessons. Our magic lantern also is a source of delight to the children on dark evenings. This form of amusement is always attractive to normal children, bul by means of a lantern entertain meat many of our dullest and most apathetic children are reached, and are seen to be making use of powers of attention and concentration which under ordinary conditions one would deny they possessed. Cricket and football are the favourite outdoor pastimes for the recreation hours of rammer and winter respectively. Additions to Buildings. The kitchen administrative block, with children's dining-room, staff sitting-rooms, stoics, needleroom, &c., is now nearing completion. The completion of this block will add very markedly to the comfort as well as the ease of administering the institution, besides setting free for the use of the children several rooms in the main building now occupied by the stall. Our steam laundry is a great success, while the old laundry in the main building has been converted into a staff sitting-room. Tn the next two or three months our steam cookdng-plant will be in full working-order. Grateful Letters from Parents. 1 have received many grateful letters from the parents of the children, from which T take the following extracts :— " 20th December, 1910.—1 received your most kind letter with profound thankfulness. No doubt it has made my life a little happier to think there is one who takes such an interest in my child and one who is so good to him. 1 may say. Mr. Benstead, that Ido not worry over him, as T feel you do as a father would do for his own child. It has been a meat consolation to me that Mr. as well us myself saw to whom he was going, and felt quite confident that he would be well looked after." " Ist February, 1911.—1 think it says very much for the conduct of you andyourstaff that is quite anxious to return to school. If he showed any reluctance to return, I might think he had nol been well treated, but it takes off a great load from Mother and me to see his readiness to go back to school." " 6th February, 1911. —There was certainly a great improvement in him —he had grown and put on flesh, and the schooling was doing him good. Tarn glad to say our son was quite pleased to know that he is going back to the school again." " 20th December, 1910. —He looks so well and healthy, and we can see such improvement in him. He looks more intelligent and contented, and articulates so much better. We consider the improvement for the past year something wonderful." " sth January, 1911.—1 beg to say that during the few weeks we have had him with us we find him very much improved in manner, and parts of speech are more pronounced, and his sentences are longer. I am also pleased to report that his health is good and his facial expression more pleasing and appreciative." Classification. All our little boys arc now located in a separate villa, where, under the guardianship of a, capable nurse, they are very happy. These children, from six to ten years of age, are mere babies, and are infinitely happier by themselves. Before the end of the year we hope to have at least three other villas erected forjboys, so that w< , can continue our scheme of classification. The initial cost is somewhat heavy, butjthe results achieved more than compensate for the expenditure. While these facilities are necessary for what may be termed the " home life " of the children, it is just as essential that equal Eaoilities for the careful classification of the children in their school-work should be provided. We require sufficient schoolrooms where the children can be classified according to their mental capacity —a school with small schoolrooms for small classes containing a sense-training room, kindergarten rooms, an object-room, a drawing and modelling room where instruction is given to groups of children in rotation, a music-room or central hull, a Sloyd room,and ordinary class-rooms where the high-grade children, who arc capable of more complex mental effort, car be taught the three R's. &c. The sense-training room is necessary for the low-grade oases. The kindergartens will attempt the same kind of work as that done in the schools for normal children, with modifications, but always keeping in mind the principles of Froebel. All the children will go through the kindergarten classes, beyond which classification must take place. The low-grade|boys and girls will go directly to the industrial classes. Both boys and girls are taught by means of object-lessons, so that they may formulate ideas gained in speech. The middle-grade boys would he taught drawing, modelling, and cardboard work, which form an introduction to the Sloyd room. The middle-grade girls will proceed to sewing by hand, knitting, basketry, rug-work. &C. All the high-grade children will go on to ordinary scholastic instruction in the usual school subjects, hut. as in all cases their limitation for this class of work is soon reached, their most prolonged development must come through manual or industrial work. Seaside Camp. This year we tried the experiment of taking to camp, at Hampden, the children who were unable to return home for their holidays. The boys and staff lived in true campers' style for seventeen days. The lads thoroughly enjoyed the change, and came hack fitter both physically and mentally. We lire specially indebted to the Mayor of Hampden (W. Nicholson, Esq.) and several local ladies and visitors for their many acts of kindness, which contributed in no small degree to the success of the undertaking. Next summer we hope to repeal the experiment on a ?nore extended scale.

11

X.—4

Farm and Garden. Owing to the prolonged drought throughout the whole of the district, our farm and garden crops suffered considerably. By means of irrigation, however, we were able to keep our giasa paddocks green when the whole of the surrounding country was dry and parched. With the assistance of the Department of Agriculture we are establishing a pure-bred Ayrshire milking-herd, and throughout the very dry weather we were fortunate in maintaining our milk-supply. Our potato crop was tiol at all up to the average, partly owing to the excessively dry season and also to the ravages, later on in the season, of the potato moth and grub, which caused so much damage to all the potato crops of this district. Despite the dry weather, our mangolds arc very fair. We have had a plentiful supplj of vegetables and fruit, which form a valuable part of the children's diet. Several acres of new kitchen-garden have been formed by the combined efforts of the farm and garden staff and the boys. This involved a vast amount of work, owing to the fact that the timber on the land had first to be felled and the ground stumped before the land could be worked. Apart from the drought, a very successful year's work has been performed. Future Scope of the Work. The contemplated extension of the .scope of our work by providing for the care, control, and training of the feeble-minded girls of the Dominion is a step which will meet with the approval of all sections of the community. Apart from the eugenist's point of view—and all who have the future welfare of the race at bear! are agreed as to the undesirability of the multiplication of the unfit the providing of accommodation for girls at Otekaike will prove a distinct advantage, inasmuch as in every institution there is always ample work which can be more profitably undertaken by the girls. By including girls in our scheme we shall lie aMe to devoi c more time to the manual training of the boys. From all points of view it is desirable that this contemplated extension should he entered upon with all speed. In conclusion, I would draw your attention to the following facts which have come to my notice during my visits of inspection of cases for admission : (1.) The number of cases of feeble-minded persons (children and adults) which come to light incidentally, and which go to show that then' are a good number of cases of whom we have no official record. I (2.) The number of cases of feeble-minded adults over the age of twenty-one years who cannot be accommodated at Otekaike. and who are still outside institutional control. Several that I have seen are quite oapable of work under direction and supervision. They are a menace to society, and should he segregated as soon as discovered. The question of the segregation of all mental degenerates who are over the age of twenty-one yean at the present time, and who are at large but are not suitable cases for admission to the mental hospitals, could be dealt with by means of a farm colony, as is the case at Templeton Kami Colony, near Waverley. Massachusetts, where at the present time 182 of the older cases are leading useful lives. In speaking of the Templeton Farm Colony, it is stated in the report of the W'averley Institution, "They [the inmates] are like those in charge, interested in their work, and delighted when they see the μ-iiiimng wagon-loads carrying to their fellows at Waverley the products of their efforts. They feel the interest of ownership, and are happy when they can show the largest and best potatoes or carrots or onions in the State." New Zealand is a young country, and is to be congratulated in having set to work on the question of dealing with the feeble-minded at so early a stage and with a full appreciation of the problem. In speaking of the work undertaken by the New Zealand Government, a, monthly journal published in New Jersey State, in February, 1911, states, " We are in receipt of a very interesting report from the Principal of the Institution for the Feeble-minded at Otekaike. New Zealand. This report is most encouraging, as it reveals the fact that they are taking hold of the matter seriously." In concluding ihe article, the editor of the New Jersey journal gives us a word of timely warning, thus : " All this is most encouraging, only we hope the people of New Zealand will not make the mistake of turning even high-grade feeble-minded persons out into the world to marry and reproduce their kind. Europe and America are beginning a struggle with a problem which New Zealand can avoid by starting right." Having passed a Bill last year which provides for the compulsory notification of all feeble-minded persons of school age, and also for the compulsory education of all afflicted children up to the age of bwenty-one years (results which our co-workers at Home are earnestly hoping lor as a tangible result of the prolonged deliberations of the Royal Commission which presented its report as far bark as 1906), with power for further detention in all cases needing continuous supervision, can we not go one step further and say that all the feeble-minded persons over twenty-one years of age at the present time who are yet outside the care and control of an institution specially adapted for the purpose —and who from my own observation and personal examination are unable to control their own lives, and whose presence in tin , outside world a possible menace to. and a probable source of Further pollution of, the race —must lie segregated { I venture to Suggest that no belter solution of this problem is to be Eound than the establishment of a farm colony similar to the one referred to at Templeton, near W'averley. Massachusetts. There can be no question of the violation of the rights or liberty of the subject, as it is unquestionably the State's duty to take charge of the lives of all those persons who are unable to control their own. irrespective of age. Keferring to the work of the institution generally, 1 may say that, though but yet in our ml. we may regard the work of the past year as satisfactory, and as part of the solid foundations upon which to build up the great undertaking which we have before us. I have, &c., Q-eorge Benstead, Principal. The Inspector-Ueneral of Schools. Wellington.

E.-4

12

No. 4.—INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS.

Salaries, travelling-allowances, and expenses of certain departmental officers visiting L.458 19 I officers, <&c.) Grant to Postal Department in connection with payments for children boarded out .. .. .. 100 0 0 Sundries .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7 7 11 Total net cost .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 186,934 15 0 Exclusive of ooet of administration, Inspection, Ac. + Including &,\ 325 paid from National r.ndowment revenue.

TABLE 12.—Government Expenditure on Private (Roman Catholic) Schools, 1910.

TABLE 13.—Summary of Expenditure on Special Cases at Other Institutions, 1910.

TABLE 11.—KXPENDITUBK ON GOVBBNMBNT SCHOOLS, 1910. rv.ofr,f Bnhnni Vw Buildings I Recoveries innu!k\nn Boarding out. Salaries. iiml other - from Parents Government Schools. h !iS-, , ,,i (Included in (Included iu Works. ami others, ami Net Cost first column.) first column.) (Included in Sales from otnei Works, tirst column.) Farms, Ac. 6 s. d. £ b. a. £ b. d. £ s. d. £ b. d. £ s. d. Auckland.. .. .. a.130 17 9 1,570 7 5 594 19 6 .. 1,128 8 8 -2,008 14 1 Boys'TrainingFarm, Weraroa 9,075 M 8 87 7 10 2,159 0 7 104 18 4.2,785 10 4 0,290 2 11 Receiving Home, Wellington 7,U6G 5 9 5,879 15 f> , 790 15 7 .. 4,717 13 9 2,948 12 0 Boys'Industrial School, Stoke 7,094 0 0 .. .. 7,094 0 0 .. 7,694 0 0 Te Oranga Home .. .. :i,'240 10 11 .. 969 8 5 1,819 9 11 21ti 9 1 :J,024 110 ReceivingHome.Cnristchiirch 5,397 0 2 3.752 14 11 035 5 10 .. 2,505 0 2 2,892 0 0 Buruliam.. .. .. 9.710 9 3 5 10 0 2.775 1 9 91117 11 858 8 8 8,852 1 0 Uaversham .. ..5,148 15 10 :),167 0 10 901 15 0 .. 3,489 19 11 1,658 15 11 Totals .. [51,069 12 11 *13,962 16 5 8,816 2 2 1(1.330 6 2 15.701 5 2

Name of School. GrosB Cost. Recoveries. Net Cost. St. Mary's, Auckland St. Joseph's, Wellington St. Mary's, Nelson St. Vincent de Paul's. Dunedin H 8. d. £ 8. d. £ i. d. 1.794 11 9 147 8 4 1.347 3 5 187 15 (I 65 4 10 lii'i 10 2 'J25 12 (I 8 0 640 4 0 129 10 0 39 11 7 89 18 5 Totals 3,037 8 9 837 12 9 2,199 16 0

Government Schools. Auckland. Wellngtou Jtteueivin^ Home. Te Ornaira Cliristtliuich Honie Jiecciviim Oavenhsm, Total. Auckland— Orphan Honie, Papatoetoe St. .Mary's Home, Otahuhu " Door of Hope " Institution Wellington— St. Mary's Home, Karori (Jliristchureh — Mount Magdala Salvation Army Maternity Home Dunedin — Kavilaur Home £ 8. d. IS 4 O l>1 I .-> 14 II li a s. d. l:; ii ii £ s. d. * s. d. £ ». d. £ 8. d. 18 4 0 21 I 5 14 II (i IH (I 0 r • ii.'S in I . . . . l>3 10 4 0J16 II .. 0 15 II 14 14 8 14 14 3 J . L .Vet Cost 53 1<> 11 o3 1<> 11 13 0 0 13 U 0 «3 10 4 i 0 15 0 14 14 3 145 Iβ « B3 10 4 0 15 0 14 14 3 145 l<)

E.—4.

TABLE 14.—Inmates, 1909 and 1910.

TABLE 15.— Inmates, 31st December, 1910.

13

Boarded out. In Residence. \ t Service, &c. Totals. I . . I , 0,3:0:0 o j i r o Q,5 r : r r «;a, o a c , _ —— 1 I 1 i I (iovernmeut Schools— Auokland (Mount Albert) 'JO . . (i 84 27 8 Boye , Training Farm, We- 6 .. 1 4 165 15 raroa Receiving Home, Welling- 290 27 .. 828 7 5 ton Boys' Industrial School 85 Stoke Tβ Oranga Home, Christ- .. 5i: 9 churcli Receiving Home. Christ- lil'J 'J .. 208 11 1 church Burnham .. .. 1 1 .. 2 126 8 Caversham .. .. 170 .. 5 171 28 Private Schools — St. Mary's, Auckland 128 i St. Joseph's, Wellington 32 2 St. Mary's, Nelson 151 St. Vincent de Paul's, 8 .. I 2 45 5 Dunedin 85 r iS 5 .. 68 175 7 .. .. ' 180 164 .. 22 142 334 .. 8 12 82 .. 2 SO 385 30 .. 85 .. 74 .. 74 .. 159 .. 66 80 .. 2 28 i 86 7 .. .. i 12 101 .. 1 100 311 9 .. .. 129 L20 -2 .. 122 247 6 .. 4 24 105 17 .. 122 309 8 .. 182 836 Uβ 159 98 420 258 Ml 7 1 2 .. 127 42 10 .. 52 165 14 .. 34 28 1 I .. ■ 29 60 3 .. 99 52 91 .. 68 23 . 242 ■ .. 167 r>0 18 2 .. -20 66 : 6 .. 103 805 839 111 95 ,S55 '2,380 249 175 i I I I 17'J 63 75 72 , M ' UtJ VU ill Totals .. .. 770 37 18 704 771 137 2,454 137

(jov 'eminent ion: Is. I , rival :e Schools. All Schools. Inniatee. Us h Iff I list |§ Ill \ r i* I s ! 1 B. G. B. G. B. - ~ . at a I it U I S 1 If i!. (i. b, (i. <;. a I § if is ps| j i. 3 i 3 ; I 1 B.jG. B. B. G. In the schools .. Boarded out .. 44 With friends .. 11 At service .. 6| Training-ship . . In hospitals, con- .. valescent homes, &c. In mental hospi- .. tals At School for the 1 Deaf At Special School 1 for Feebleminded Boys .. Under control of .. refuges or cognate institutions Under control of 1 orphanage, cottage home, &c. : In gaol.. .... Absent without I leave, or whereabouts unknown 85 10 7 26 180 i 1 187 23 24 101 19 2 .. S 136 18 17 I 85 65 27 8 40 16 .. 12 129 24 7OJ57 34 25 27 122 86 2 102 69 12 21 33 24 24 5 8 4 .. 12 ::i 28 88 81 3814 24 23 ..II S:: , :: •*::::!:: :::: 2 .. 4 .. 1 N 50 493 312 805 2 J (11 333 794 9 159 101 260 11 280 198 173 :: .. 3 4 1 8 503 705 201 371 8 8 302 89 59 102 . i '.'. l H 2 8 7 1 i ! .. 2 .. 2 2 1 .. J \ 4 I I 6 .. 2 .. .. 1 .. 3 2 .... 24 21 l'O 1 1 .. 1 16 .. - 5 '2 l_ 159 98 .. .. 6 .... 39 .... 3 171149 253 158 159 92 87 63 ' 25 50 6 .. 6 64 -1 66 72 1,483 971 2,454 6 57 g Totals .. 661 117 836 234 181 1,888 566

E.—4

14

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

TABLE 16. —Admissions in 1910, classified according to Cause of Admission.

TABLE 17.—Admissions in 1910, classified according to Parents' Circumstances and Character.

Government Schools. Private Schools. All Schools. ij i. 11 L i i i it U { II i J J. I! •:.. Li Admitted. a *-* 9| I Sf I I v>1 ?.= <ji ill ; 7". {; — I!. (i. B. B. (i. (i. B. (i. B. J;. c. 11. (i. (i. B. (i <i. 5 5 i Destitute .. 1 5 8 -2(> 14 17 ! 18 .. 11 | 11 7 :( 6 6 .. I 76 61 [137 Vagrant.. .. ■■ 1 6 1 7 18 In disreputable .. I .. 8 8 ■> I 1 A 1 i .. .. 18 Iβ 28 associations Not under propur J 8 7 .... 1 1 1 8 .. 1 2 .. ..15 6 2] control (complaint ol police) Uncontrollable .. i 8 I 8 2 1.. 1 .... in 12 'J 21 (complaint of parent) Accused or guiliy of 8 8 -2i .. .. 2 .. .. 21 .... 1 .. ■• 8 .. .. 57 5 (W punishable offences By arrangement .. .. 1 1 1 Transferred from .. .. 1 .. .. '2 .. .. '.) 10 2 19 gaol Totals .. 6 19 54 35 I -ii 7 19 l<1 31 18 12 14 'J 8 18 .. 4 190 t(K) 290 25 57 88 25 28 ~~1»

Precedent Condition of Children admitted in 1U10. Kathern described M Dead Physically unfit Mentally unfit Good * * 8| 3 g g . s Sa S Mothers described n-e >£ i*o •? = 1 I : ff !l ! 1 : {I ! I I ! I III ii I III ; : I a > o <~ - Dead .. .. 8 .. .. 3 .. 2 Mentally unfit .. i Good .. ..11 1 8 1 2 (> 2 Questionable .. 1 1 - .. •• - Bad .. 1 1 Deserter .. .. .. •. 1 Unknown .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Good .. .. 4 1 4 Dead .. .. 1 I .. 1 2 2 .. 1 Mentally unfit .. 1 Good . . 10 1 .. 3 H 30 .. 7 Questionable .. 4 .. .. 1 1 S Bad .. .. 1 1 5 3 3 Unknown .. .. '& Dead .. 2 .. .. 1 Mentally until .. 1 Good .. .. S ., .. 1 .. 8 Questionable .. 1 .. .. 2 1 5 .. 1 Bad .. .. 8 .. 5 .. 8 Dead .. I .. 1 Mentally unfit .. 1 Good .. .. I .. 5 .. .. 1 Questionable .. Ii Bad .. .. 4 .. i 1 .. 1 Deserter .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Dead .. .. -1 Good .. .. 1 I Questionable .. i .. 1 Bad .. .. -2 Dead .. .. I 2 Mentally unfit .. 7 Good .. .. II 1 Questionable .. IS Bad m 1 6 .. 1 Deserter .. .. '2 Unknown .. .. 7 1 .. 1 1 -2 I 7 Total. 8 ■2 2G 6 1 1 s I 8 1 .:• 9 13 8 8 1 12 10 16 •i I 10 (i 10 1 J ■J I 2 6 7 12 IS 6 •i 12 Questionable .. 1 Bad Deserter Unknown 1 i, • • Totals .. I 137 8 28 21 21 &2 1 12 290 12 290

15

E.—4

The admissions for the year (290) show a decrease of 4 on tin , number for the previous year. From the four chief centres of population 186 of these children were admitted, and 13 each from Wanganni and Timaru. In no case were more than 8 children sent from any of the other smaller towns. The records show that, of the total number received, '-'!• per cent, were known to be illegitimate. When children are before the Courts the Magistrates, after bearing evidence direct in what religious denomination they are to be brought up. The orders made in 1910 show the denomination to be as follows: Church of England, !(U: Roman Catholic, 77 ; Presbyterian, 36 ; Methodist. 10 ; Lutheran. 3. The number of inmates over whom the control of the schools terminated during the year was 216. Of this number, 155 were then of good character, 4 fair, 5 bad. :i were of weak mind, 20 were discharged tinder the age of fifteen years (7 of whom were legally adopted). In 27 eases information as to character cannot be given, the whereabouts of the inmates who were absent without leave being'unknown at. the lime of termination of the period of control. There were only 2 deaths : I child, aged 1 year and it months, died in the Auckland Hospital of acute hydrocephalus and heart-failure ; and 1 girl at service, aged lft years and 8 months, committed suicide by phosphorus poisoning. There were no deaths among children belonging to private industrial schools.

TABLE 18— Discharges, 1910.

TABLE 19.-Inmates: Numbers of 1909 and 1910 compared.

REPOBTS OF MEDICAL OFFICERS TO THE INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF SCHOOLS. Auckland Industrial School. g IR Auckland, 4th April, 19] I. 1 have much pleasure in reporting that the health of the children in this school has been excellent. Beyond one or two minor ailments, there has been no serious sickness. Unfortunately, there are at present three epileptics in the institution, and that necessarily entails more work upon the staff I have. &<•.. A. Challixok Purohas, .M.1... CM., M.R.C.S. (Eng.j, Medical Officer,

» Government Schools. 1'rivate Schools. All Schools. Is. Boys' a ■ -Jf fl a « ■ ,.„„-„„. Train- Receiving Sf . Heceiving a R1 „ z~-~ T.SSStool Auckland „•»« fl gggS 1 %T P «^lll toa. ♦? _ j> x--B. G. B. B. &. G. B. G. B. IV G. B. G. G. B. G. G. | | = Warrant of ctie- -4 3 7V 6 8 '2 9 3 -21 1 I I 6 2 14 I .. 138 27 160 charge Death 1 1 - - Reached nge of .. .. 8 .. 8 7 2 6 18 1 5 ..181 .. .. -21 2fi u; ai wars Marriage 1 ■• 2 1 .. I 17 H 4 4 80 6 111 II 11 85 8 18 1 7 5 15 | 4 .. loSC.l 216 I '" ' 12 " 22 16 8

M 1 Km d of Year Initiates. 1009. 1910. Inorease oi Deoreaet . In the schools Boarded our With friends At service Training-ship In hospitals, convalescent homes, &c. In mental bospimls At School fat the Deaf At Jubilee Institute for the Blind At Special School for Feeble-minded Boje .. Under control of refuges or cognate institutions Under eontrol of orphanage, cottage home, &c. In gaol Absent without leave, or whereabouts unknown 771 770 257 464 8 '.) 7 4 1 17 (i (17 805 794 260 \T. J , H H 8 I 24 I C (ill + 9i ' 24 8 9 - l + 1 i 2 7 — r» ) i Totals .. • ■2,380 2,454 4 74 4 74

r.—i

Si. Mary's Ivm-stihal School. Auckland: Girls' Branch, Ponsonby. Sin. Auckland, 22nd May. 1911. I have made my usual annual inspection of the above institution. Everything I find in good order ; the children arc well fed and properly clothed, their bedding being extremely clean and seasonably provided for. Lavatories are well flushed mid kept in order. In a word, the orphanage is up to date and thoroughly managed under Mother Francis, the Superioress. I have, iVc. \V. .1. Darby, Foil Physician* St. Mary's Industrial School (Boys' Branch), Tak.umna. Sir.- Auckland, Ist July, 1911. This is to certify 1 have medically visited the Takapuna Orphanage and find all the appointments in good order. The health of the children is excellent, sanitary arrangements, &c, up to date and clean, and the general condition of the home is very satisfactory. I have, &c, \V. Grattan Guin.vess. M.D., D.P.H. Boys' Training Farm, Weraroa. Sir,— Levin, 3rd April, 1911. L have the honour to report that during the year there have been, with one exception, no serious cases of illness in the institution ; still, there has been a very large amount of minor sickness. more than one would expect with the number of boys here. This has been of the nature of boils, abscesses, and festering sores. The exception mentioned above was a case of scarlet fever; but. owing to prompt action by the officers of flic institution and myself, the outbreak was confined to the one case. The septic tank has caused trouble during the year. Owing to the increase in the number of inmates, it is not capable of dealing with the amount of sewage discharged from the institution. I consider this matter should be attended to without delay. The Manager. Matron, and attendants have at all times given me every assistance in carrying out my duties, and I have always found the institution well kept and the food good. I have, Ac.. H. D. Mackenzie, M.D., Medical Officer. St. Joseph's Industrial School (Girls') Upper Hutt. Sik. Upper Hutt, 20th March, KM 1. I beg to report that 1 have inspected St. Joseph's Orphanage School at Upper Hutt. The general health of the inmates is excellent, with the exception of two new children, both of whom are suffering from ringworm. In both cases the children had this complaint before they entered the school. I have, &c, Frederick VV. Kkmp. M.D., Medical Officer. Wellington Receiving Home. Sih. Wellington, LOth March. 1911. I have th< honour to reporl thai during the past year I have visited the Receiving Home at regular intervals and also at such times as my services have been required. The Home has during the past year been exceptionally free from sickness, and such as has occurred has been of a mild nature. The health of the boarded-out children has also been very good on the whole —a fact which I think may be largely attributed to the careful selection and education of fostermothers. I have. &c. Donald McGavin, M.D., F.R.C.S.. Medical Officer. Hoys' [ndustßlAL School, Stokk. Sir. Nelson, Ist March. 1911. 1 have the honour to report that I have inspected the Stoke Orphanage twelve times during the last year at intervals of about one month. About LO6 boys were housed in or near the building. The general health has been exceptionally good. The sanitary arrangements also are good. The food is plain, but sufficient. I have no fault to find from a medical point of view with any of the arrangements. I have, Ac. Phil. Andrew, M.8.C.5., L.R.C.P., Medical Officer.

16

17

8.—4

St. Mary's Industrial School. Nelsox. Sir,— Nelson, 6th June, 1911. During the year ending 31st March, 1911, the health of the children at St. Mary's Orphanage, Nelson, has been very good on the whole. At the beginning of the year there was a mild epidemic of whooping-cough, and later a few children developed chicken-pox. During the period there was one death —that of a baby (a private inmate), from gastro-enteritis. The children are well cared for and happy, and the institution is in a satisfactory condition. I have, &c, P. G. Bett, M.8., M.R.C.S., —-— Medical Officer. Ti: Oranga Home, Christchurch. Sir,— Christchurch, 23rd March, 1911. I beg to submit my report on Te Oranga Home, Christchurch. The health of the inmates has been generally good, except for an outbreak of sore throats last winter, which caused some trouble. One case of scarlet fever had to be despatched to Bottle Lake Hospital, and one girl was brought back from domestic service suffering severely from phosphorus poisoning, and subsequently died at the public hospital. Cleanliness and order are always good. 1 have, &c, Jessie C. Maddison. M.8., Ch.B., L.R.C.P.1., Medical Officer. Christchurch Receiving Home. Sir,— Christchurch, Bth March, 1911. I beg to present my annual report on the Christchurch Receiving Home. In respect to the condition of the Home on the inspections, it has always been entirely satisfactory. During last winter there was, as usual, a good deal of ill health amongst the members of the staff—a matter to which I have referred in previous reports. The health of the children attached to the institution has generally been good, except during last spring, when there was more illness than usual in Christchurch, and when, accordingly, a slight rise in the amount of sickness amongst them occurred. I have, &c, J. C. Maddison. M.8.. Ch.B., L.R.C.P.1.. Medical Officer. Bitrnham Industrial School. Sir,— Christchurch, 12th June, 1911. 1 have the honour to report on the health of the Burnham Industrial School for the year 1910. There has been less sickness than usual during the year. An epidemic of influenza prevailed in September, when thirty boys were confined to bed, but no bad results followed. The discipline, harmony, and air of happiness about the school are most admirable, and are a great contrast to the conditions of some years ago. I consider that the advent of Mr. Bathgate has greatly conduced to this, by enabling Mr. Archey to devote more time to the boys themselves. From the outside, the great want at Burnham is more trees. Only 2,000 were planted last season, of which 75 per cent, were killed by the drought. The bitter east winds and the scorching north-westers sweeping over the plains call imperatively for more trees, both for the sake of the pasture and of the health and comfort of the residents. I have, &c, W. H. Symes, M.D., Medical Officer. Caversham Industrial School. Sir,— Dunedin, 10th March, 1911. In presenting the annual report of the above school, I have to remark that there have been no deaths in the school, and the general health has been good. One child., who was becoming more degenerate mentally each year, was sent to Seacliff Mental Hospital. A few cases were sent to the hospital for removal of adenoids, and one girl for removal of a large splinter of wood in the leg. : The cases causing most trouble this year were two girls with dirty habits, one of whom no medical treatment or discipline would improve. This girl would be more suitable for a~home for the feebleminded. I have, &c, Emily H. Siedeberg, M.8., L.R.C.P.1., Medical Officer. St. Vincent de Paul's (Girls') Industrial School, Dunedin. Sir,— Dunedin, 25th March, 1911. I have the honour to submit my annual report on the St. Vincent de Paul Orphanage, South Dunedin. No deaths or cases of infectious disease occurred during the year, and the general health of the children continues in a very satisfactory condition. The children are well housed, clothed, and fed. and their personal hygiene reflects great credit upon the Rev. Mother and Sisters in charge. I have, &c, Eugene J. O'Neill, M.8., F.R.C.S. (E.). Medical Officer.

3—E. 4.

E.-4

18

No. S.—COSTLEY TRAINING INSTITUTION. Sir,— Auckland, 23rd January, 1911. Attached is a copy of the yearly accounts to 31st December, 1910, which will be audited in due course by the Government Auditor. I have, &c, C. Hudson, The Minister of Education, Wellington. Hon. Secretary. Costley Training Institution. Balance-sheet for the Year ending 31st December, 1910. LiabilHien. Assets. I s. (I. £ s. (I. Costley bequu.it .. £12,150 0 (I Loans on mortem;!- .. .. .. 13,960 0 0 Hodge bequest .. 742 3 9 Interest accrued .. .. .. 140 13 t> - 12.892 3 9 Bank of New Zealand .. .. 5 19 9 Boys' Trust Accouni . . .. .. 12 0 6 Revenue Account .. . . .. 932 4 2 Jackson and Russell .. .. ... 270 410 £14,106 13 3 £14,106 13 3 Revenue Account for the Year ending 31st December, 1910. I B. d. £ s. (I. To Expenses (office rent, £25) .. .. 37 311 By Balance as per last, account .. .. 446 11 f> Maintenance of boys, &c. .. .. 64 17 0 Interest . . .. .. .. 558 8 8 Balance as per balanoe-sheet above .. 932 4 2 Rent .. .. .. .. 29 S 0 £1,034 5 1 j £1,034 5 1 Auckland. 23rd January, 1911. C. Hudson, Hon. Secretary and Treasurer. Examined and found correct. —Robert .1. Collins, Controller and Auditor-General.

No. 6.—INFANT-LIFE PROTECTION. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION. Education Department, Wellington, 31st May, 1911. The Hon. the Minister of Education. I submit the following report on the work of the Department in respect of infant-life protection for the year 1910. During the year the Act has been amended by repeal of the section which laid down the legal procedure to be followed for recovery of moneys paid to foster-parents by the Crown on the default of the parents to meet their obligations for the maintenance of the infants, and all proceedings of this kind are now to be taken under the Destitute Persons Act. It has previously been reported that the provisions of the Act in this respect were unworkable, and that the intention to guarantee foster-parents against the loss in which their confidence sometimes involves them could not be carried into effect. Experience of the new enactment is not yet sufficient for the expression of any opinion with regard to its efficacy in this particular direction. It is satisfactory to be able to report, however, that on the whole the agreements between parents and foster-parents are well kept, and that few cases of such hardship as it was intended to remedy I>\ the provision referred to have come under the Department's notice. Numbers. The number of infants that have been dealt with directly by the Department in connection with licensed foster-homes during the year is 1,183 ; the number for last year was 1,181. Of this class there were 680 on the books at the end of the year, being 46 less than there were at the beginning of the year. There were in addition 422 in exempted institutions under the Department's inspection, making a total of 1,102 infants being dealt with under the Act on 31st December, 1910—28 more than at the corresponding period of the previous year. The distribution of the infants between foster-homes and institutions changed considerably, for while the former lost 46 the latter gained 118. The number placed in foster-homes was 68 less than during the previous year, and the number removed from the homes was larger by 24. Of the institutions there are now three more than there were last year, and as they take children for a more or less nominal payment they must be expected to exercise an attraction against which the fosterhome cannot compete.

19

E.—4

The following table exhibits the transactions of the year in respect of infants in licensed fosterhomes : —

Particulars of Admissions to and Removals from Licensed Foster-homes during 1910.

Foster-homes. The 680 infants in foster-homes ai the end of the year wore distributed as follows:— In 101 homes each having one .. .. .. .. .. .. 10l In 81 „ two .. .. .. .. .. ..162 In 22 „ three .. .. .. . . .. J66 In 9 „ four . . .. .. .. .. 36 In 3 ~ five . . .. .. . . ~ 15 516 680 Twenty-seven of the homes were those in which children under six were boarded out by Charitable Aid Boards. The total number of licensed homes was 705, so that at the end of the year there were 189 licensed homes in which for the time no infants were boarded. Nothing has occurred during the year to shake the Department's confidence in the- boarding-out system., oi to reflect upon the body of excellent women in whose charge the children have been placed ; and it is difficult to account for the large number (182) of transfers of children from one foster-home to another, except upon the supposition that they are due to personal or financial considerations that ought not to arise where the case of infants is the object in view. Medical Attendance on Infants in Foster-homes. One effect of the difficulty of recovering moneys expended under the Act has appeared in respect of medical attendance on the infants. Theoretically the parents are responsible for medical attendance, but the services oi medical men have often to be obtained without reference to the parents, or even in opposition to them if they do not wish to incur the expense, and the medical fes must then be paid either by the foster-parents, who cannot afford them, or by the Department, which lias notbeen provided with the means of recovering the expenditure. After many attempts at adjusting this difficulty it was decided that all other considerations must give way to the necessity for proper medical attendance being available when required, and arrangements have accordingly been made with a sufficient number of medical practitioners to attend, on behalf of the Department, all cases that shall be regularly introduced to them. The instructions given to the District Agents in this matter are as follows : " When an infant requires medical aid the foster-parent must, if possible, communicate with the parents or guardians immediately. If they make any delay in providing medical attendance the foster-parent must at once let the District Agent, or her representative, or the local visitor know of the illness and get instructions. If, however, the foster-parent considers the case one of such urgency that delay would be

i j= eq n -t i- to 1 l≤ "S 1 1 1 "E ! l.si 3 a" . *. * . s.s. 3. S g a ";* nj w«s « e ■ •* b ■ us e iXts o S-β £!* &£ £# g£ g£ *t}§' . J 1 J 1 1 I 1 I J J II I Entered on the jBoofo. On the books at the beginning 82 91 195 121 78 75 55 29 726 of the year Placed in licensed homes during 218 64 65 39 19 20 17 .. 442 the year Adopted with premium (exclu- 12 2 1 .. .. .. .. .. 15 sive of those already on the books) : . Total .. .. 312 157 261 ]60 97 95 72 29 1,183 Withdrawn, jrom and remainiti<j on the Books. Removed from foster-homes by 37 56 97 58 27 19 20 6 320 parents or guardians Deaths .. .. .. 14 5 5 2 .. 26 Adoptions from licensed homes 5 3 13 5 2 4 1 33 without premiums In homes to which exemption was 2 4 3 3121117 granted Brought under operation of the 3 5 7 43411 28 Industrial Schools Act Written off the books for various 2 7 15 10 3 4 3 35 79 causes On the books at 31st December, 56 83 150 136 94 63 60 38 680 19 io ; j Total .. .. 119 163 290 216 130 96 88 81 1,183

13.-4

20

serious, she is to call in the authorized Government doctor, or take the child to his surgery, on her own responsibility. The foster-pareni should be warned that if a Plunket nurse, or a nurse belonging to any other similar, organization, is attending the child, that does not relieve her of the responsibility of acting in strict accordance with these directions : and the orders of the doctor must be carefully followed." Tin , provisions of the Destitute Persons Ad will be made use of to recover from the parents what is spent in tliis way. Rates of Payments to Foster-parents by Parents or Guardians. An account of the rates paid is given in the following statement: — lat the rate of 2s. 6d. per week. 448 at the rate of 10s. per week. 1 „ 3s. .. 4 .. 10s. 6d. 2 4s. .. 1 .. 10s. 10d. 1 ~ 4s. (id. .. 5 .. 11s. 13 .. ss. .. 25 .. 12s. 2 .. ss. (id. .. 41 .. 12s. fid. 10 .. 6s. .. 1 .. 13s. 3 .. 6s. Bd. .. 2 .. Us. 62 „ 7s. .. 11 .. 15s. 84 .. 7s. 6d. .. 2 .. 16s. 54 .. Bs. .. I .. 20s. 9 .. Bs. 6d. .. 1 .. 21s. 15 .. 9s. Generally the relations of the infants provide clothing in addition. The following comparison of the rates paid during the last thrjee years shows that the usual payment is about 10s. a week:— 1908. 1909. 1910. Under 7s. .. .. .. .. .. .. 40 45 36 7s. and under 10s. .. .. .. .. .. 164 193 224 10s. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 297 351 448 Over 10s. .. .. .. . . .. 73 77 07 Exemptions. From the provision that " it shall not be lawful 'or any person in consideration of any payment in reward to receive or retain in his care or charge any infant for the purpose or nursing or maintaining it apart from its pirents or guardians for a longer period than seven consecutive days unless such person is licensed as a foster-parent," the Minister may grant certain exemptions, and under this authority exemption has been granted to the institutions set forth in the following list, which shows also the numbers dealt with and the deaths. The conditions of the exemption provide for inspection, andjor removal of the infants only with due formality.

11910) Admissions. u»iu) Months uu lLle lionns at missions. ueacus. :ilstDecember,191(i Oil the Books at -fist December,19lo. aaj ■ ■ » < - . -'4U1I 4/VUCUi KJXjl Name ol Institution. I I I hsi 1 J ;€ 1 I ?l if i 1 1= i,i p The Orphan Home, Pauatoetoe St. Mary's Maternity Home, Otahuhu The Door of Hope, Auckland Salvarion Array Maternity Home, Auckland St. Mary's Orphanage, Auokland Children's Home, Reniueia, Auckland Children's Home, Ponsnnby. Auokland St. Vincent de Paul's Foundling Home, Auckland C ok Countv Women's Guild Crocbe, Gisborne Wansanui Orphanage, WaDganui Children's Home, Palniereton North St. Joseph's Orphanage, Upper Hutt, Wellington Salvation Army Children's Home, Wellington The Levin Memorial Home, Wellington Home of Compassion, Wellington .. St. Mary's Orphanage, Nelson Sacred Heart Orphanage. Mount Magdala .. Children's Convalescent Cottage, New Brighton Solvation Army Maternity Home, Christ church Nazareth House, Sydenham, Christchurch .. St. Saviour's Home, Shirlev, Christchurch .. St. Mary's Orphanage, Dune din St. Viuoent de Paul's Orphanage, Dunedin .. Karitane Home, Dunedin Presbyterian Ornhanaj-e, Dunedin Salvation Army Maternity Home, Dunedin .. Victoria Memorial Home, Invercargill Salvation Army Children's Home, Middlemaroh Totals for 1910 Totals for 1909 5 .. 24 ..26 .. j 3 .. 23 .. ! 6 4 40 ..■ 20 2 .. .. 11 1 3 .. 118 7 ::i 16 .. 42 1 3 .. I 75 3 2 16 2 .. 493 .. 445 .. .. i 3 10 .. .... 22 .. 9 15 6 4 4 .. 11 5 8 8 2 2 .. 29 1 9 .. 12 .. 16 'J 2!) II 5 1 4 2 1 12 a 3 .. 6 1 11 .. 7 55 17 81 22 4 77 12 11 2 1 32 1 i 9 5 .. « 6 2 .. 30 .. 2 26 .. 3 2 .. 1 1 .. 89 .. 8 65 10 16 11 S 9 6 3 8 ... .. 1 1 5 5 .. 8 3 8 14 2 2 .. 9 6 1 190 62 63 47 I 10 422 j 48 86 193 . 45 ; 66 57 5 304 64 ~2S

E.—4

Deaths in Foster-homes. Out of the 1,183 infants under six years of age that were at one time or another on the books'of the foster-homes during 1910, 26 died—that is, 2-19 per cent. Of these, 20 died in the foster-homes, and 6in hospitals or nursing-homes to which they had been removed for treatment. Nineteen of the 26 were under the age of twelve months, and 19 were illegitimates. The following is a comparison of the number of deaths in foster-homes during the last three years : — 1908 .. .. .. 26 deaths out of 1.017 infants = 2-56 per cent. 1909 .. .. ..25 „ 1.181 „ =2-11 .. 1910 .. .. ..26 „ 1,188 .. 219 The percentages are given merely lor illustration, for in dealing with such small numbers a percentage may. of course, have a very misleading appearance. These rates are only slightly above the normal death-rate of the Dominion for children of the same age, and the result therefore reflects great credit. on the District Agents, their assistants, the Local Visitors, and the foster-parents. Particulars of the 26 deaths are given in the appendix. Deaths in Exempted Institutions. These, with other particulars, are shown in the foregoing table relating to exempted institutions. The following is a statement of the deaths during the last two years. 1909 .. .. .. 66 deaths out of 741) infants = 8-81 per cent. 1910 .. .. ..63 „ 915 „ = 6-08 Particulars of the deaths in these homes during 1910 are given in the appendix. Adoptions. During the year, 187 orders of adoption wero made, and four orders cancelling adoption orders. Thirty-three of the adoption orders provided for premiums, and 154 were withoul monetary consideration. The following shows the ages of the adopted children :— With Without Premium. Premium. Under 6 months .. .. . . . . . . 17 34 Between 6 and 12 months .. .. .. .. .. 8 20 1 ~ 2 years .. .. .. . . ..3 32 2 „ 3*. .„ .. .. .. .. ..I 19 3 .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. -1 7 I .. •') .. .. .. .. .. .... (i .. 5 ..<;.. .. .. .. .. ..1 10 I) .. 7 .. .. .. .. .. . . I I .. 7 .. S .. .. .. .. .. .... I s ..'.».. .. .. .. .. .... 6 ..'.».. Id .. .. .. .. .. .... 6 in .. 11 .. .. .. .. .. .... I 11 .. Vi .. .. .. .. .. .... -l ■■ VI .. L 3 .. .. 13 „ 14 .. .. 2 .. II .. 15 .. .. .. .. .. .... 1 33 ir.l The adopting persons were, Husband and wife jointly .. .. .. .. .. .. 177 Wife alone .. .. . . . . .. .. .. .. I Married man .. . . . . .. .. .. .. .. 2 Widow .. .. .. ..»-.. .. .. .. r> Widower ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 The amount ol the premiums ranged Efoin ElO to £125. During the year two cases ol adoption baying more or less lamentable results to the. children concerned have come under the Department s notice. In one of these a boy of illegitimate parentage. an inmate of one of the recognized private Homes, was adopted by order of Court in 1906, and taken to one of the outlying islands, where h< Buffered much ill-treatment before his condition was observed. Etc has now been placed in one of rlie industrial schools. The other case was that of a girl, also of illegitimate parentage, and also an inmate of one of the recognized private Homes. This girl was adopted By a Maori, under order of Court in 1905. and although receiving such care and attention as Maoris usually extend to their children, and not needing the intervention of the law relating to the protection of children, is nevertheless in a position in which a white child ought not to be placed.

21

E.-4

22

Illegitimacy. For its obvious relation to tho intentions of the Infants Act the following tuble is given: —

During the year 121 registrations were effected under the Legitimation Act. E. 0. GIBBES, Secretary lor Education.

APPENDIX.

Particulars of Deaths in Poster-homes during 1910.

Provincial Districts. Number of ChildtUegitimate ren aged 12 Months Births registered or less brought during 1910. under the I Act during 1910. Auckland Taranakij Hawke's Bay Wellington Marlborougli Nelson Westland Canterbury. Otago 281 33 ..39 2 50 11 304 44 13 44 0 12 220 75 199 40 Totals 1,162 211 1,162 211 Totals for 1909 1,223 276

Locality. Time in Foster-home. Date. Hex. n.ftf 1 l*i»tli. — Cause of Deatb. Remarks. " eat "- Foster- I Under home. Control. Napier Ghristchurob Auckland Wellington Chris tchurcb Peilding .. Caversham Wanganui Wanganui Auckland Dunedin .. Dunedin .. Dunedin .. Gisborne .. Cbristchurch Auckland Christohurcb Onebunga Gisborne Dunedin .. Dunedin .. Chris tcburch Dunedin .. New Plymouth Christchurcb Dunedin .. 1910. Y. M. Y. M. L>. V. M. D. .. Jan. 9 V 0 2 Illegitimate 0 0 24 0 0 24 Dysentery .. .. No inquest. 15 ; M 0 9 Legitimate 0 6 9 0 ('< 9 : Whooping ■ cough and i Inquest. diarrhcea 18 M 0 1£ Illegitimate i 0 0 9 0 0 9 Diarrhoea, vomiting, and exhaustion 22 M 12 Legitimate 0 6 16 j 0 C 16 | Pneumonia .. .. | No inquest. 29 P 0 IS Illegitimate ! 0 1 5 ! 0 1 5 Gastto-enteritiB .. Inquest. .. Feb. 3 F j 0 5 „ 0 4 21 j 0 4 21 : Bronchitis, pneumonia, i No inquest. and dilated heart 11 ; M ii «| Legitimate 0 8 14 0 3 14 Dentition, meningitis, and whooping-cough 28 H 0 5j Illegitimate 0 3 0 0 4 14 Marasmus .. .. Inquest. .. Maroh I'M 10 1 . 050 050 Diarrhoea and convulsions 2 ! M 14 . I 0 1 0* f ° 2 ° Gastr °- en teritis .. | 5 F 0 5J . 10 0 8t } ° * ° Marasmus • ■ „ 15 P 0 5 „ 0 3 15 0 3 15 Whooping-cough and No inquest. convulsions „ 18 M 0 2 „ 0 1 14 0 1 14 Diarrhcea and exhaustion „ 23 F 0 6 „ 0 10 0 3 0 Diarrhcea and vomiting , 80 J M I 5 6 „ 2 8 0 2 8 0 Marasmus .. .. Inquest. .. May 11 j M 0 5 Legitimate ' 0 f. -„ - 0 3 0 Gastro-enteritis .. No inquest. .. July 5 V 0 8 Illegitimate 0 2 17 0 - 26 Congestion of lungs .. Inquest. .. ! . 26 M 0 6J Legitimate ? 2 21 and nasal i No inquest. .. Sept. 2 F 0 5 Illegitimate' 0 4 19 0 4 19 Heart-weakness 10 P 0 llj „ 0 ISO! U 8 12 Inflammation of bowels and pneumonia 15 M 5 4 „ 2 11 8 2 11 3 Suffocation (the rfsult Inquest. of vomit-matter in windpipe) 80 j F 1 2 Legitimate 10 8 4 1 1 24 Meningitis .. .. Oct. 0 F 0 Illegitimate { q q gg'l} ° ° ' i4 Gastro-enteritis .. No inquest .. Nov. 20 F 13 Legitimate 0 10 16 0 10 16 Whooping-cough and .. ,. or, capillary bronchitis .... 25 F 0 84 j Illegitimate ■■ Jj o 2* ° ° 30 Pneumonia.. .. Dee. 0 M 0 1J „ 0 1 11 0 1 11 Congeniiid syphilis .. L_ \ L ! . ; . llospilili. ' Nursing-home.

23

E.—4

Particulars of Deaths in Exempted Institutions during 1910.

ApprontmaU <■"•' <>< paper, —Preparation not given; printing (2|HOO copies), £22 10s.

Isy Authority : John Mackay, Government Printer. Wellington.—l9ll.

•priet f><i

SSlSf "«■ £g$ Birth - iStion. Oa« S( . of Death. Inquct or n ot. " Door of Hope,' , Auckland. 1910. Y. M. Y. M. D. May 29 .. M. 0 4J Illegitimate.. 0 4J 0 Meningitis .. .. .. .. No inquest. June 13 .. M. 0 3 „ ..001 Convulsions .. .. .. .. ., Feb. 12 .. F. .. „ .. .. Dead-born .. .. .. •. » July 19 .. F. 0 2£ „ ..006 Dropsy (imbecile child) Dee. 24 .. F. Oβ „ .. O 4} 0 Marasmus Heni Materoa Criehe, Gisborne. I'd). 10 . . F. 0 7A Legitimate .. 0 3£ 0 r Tubercular peritonitis and diarrhoea .. No inquest. Feb. Ill .. I P. 18 days Illegitimate.. 0 0 8 Premature birth and constitutional debility .. „ Mar. 21 .. M. 0 3 Legitimate.. 0 0 2 Improper feeding.. .. .. .. „ Mar. 31 .. M. I 1 Illegitimate.. 0 6 S Gastro-intestinal catarrh .. .. .. „ Home of Companion, Island Bay, Wellington. .Ian. 8 .. I M. 0 4 Illegitimate.. 0 1 0 ; General tuberculosis and diarrhoea .. .. No inquest. 11 .. F. 0 2 „ ..017 Gastro-intestinal catarrh .. „ 11 .. M. 0 2J „ 0 2 0: Tubercular meningitis .. .. .. „ n 17 .. P. ! 0 4 „ 0 1 21 Marasmus and bronchitis .. .. .. „ 29 .. F. 0 1J „ .. 0 0 21 ; Gastro-enteritis Fob. 3 .. F. 0 2J „ ..020; Infantile summer diarrhoea, cardiac failure .. n 19 .. M. 0 1J „ .. 0 1 0 I Tubercular meningitis, general tuberculosis .. Mar. 8 .. M. 0 5 Legitimate .. 0 10' Tuberculosis marasmus „ 8 .. , F. 0 2J Illegitimate,. 0 0 14 Diarrhoea and marasmus April 13 .. ! F. 3 weeks Legitimate .. [ 0 0 2 Marasmus .. .. .. .. „ 23 .. i F. 0 2| „ .. 0 0 28 „ „ 25 .. : M. 7 weeks Illegitimate.. JO 0 21 Acute nephritis .. .. .. .. ! May 17 . . E\ ■"> 0 Legitimate .. j 2 0 0 Infantile paralysis, asthenia, and heart-failure „ 22 .. P. 0 4 Illegitimate.. I 0 2 0 Marasmus, heart-failure .. June 24 .. M. 0 5 .. ..00 21 Broncho-pneumonia and exhaustion .. „ July 29 .. M. 0 2 „ ..010 Marasmus and diarrhoea Aug. I! V. 1 4 „ .. 0 0 14 j Acute tuberculosis and congenital syphilis .. 11 .. F. 0 4 „ 0 3 0 I Mastoid disease and tuberculosis „ 14 .. M. 0 2 „ ..10 1 0 ! Tubercular meningitis and tuberculosis .. „ „ 16 .. F. 0 5 „ .. I 0 4 0 I Acute pneumonia and syncope .. .. „ 20 .. F. 0 10 Legitimate ..10 0 21 ! Tubercular meningitis and tuberculosis .. „ .Sept. lf> .. F. 0 9 1 Illegitimate.. 0 1 7 \ Tubercular mastoid meningitis .. .. „ Oct. 7 .. M. 0 2 j „ ..010 Syphilis, cardiac Dec. 6 .. I M. j 0 6 Legitimate .. 0 3 0 Meningitis .. .. .. .. „ „ 15 .. M. 0 2 Illegitimate.. 0 17 Marasmus 20 ..IM.] 40 legitimate .. 007; Congenital heart-disease .. .. .. „ 27 .. ! M. ■ 0 5 „ .. 0 2J 0 I Broncho-pneumonia „ 27 .. M. 0 10 „ .. 0 0 14 Meningitis „ 30 .. M. 0 7 Illegitimate.. 0 2£ 0 j 30 .. F. 4 0 „ ..170! Pneumonia Salvation Army Maternity Home, Heriot Row, Ihinedin. July 8 ..III 9 days j Illegitimate.. 0 0 9 Debility from birth .. .. .. No inquest. „ 17 .. : F. 0 3 Legitimate .. 0 2 14 Marasmus and exhaustion.. .. .. „ „ 24 .. M. 0 1\ Illegitimate.. 0 1J 0 Convulsions .. .. .. .. „ Aug. 10 .. F. 10 days ' „ 0 0 10 Debility from premature birth .. .. „ Nov. Iβ .. M. 0 1} „ .. 0 1J0 Debility from birth, exhaustion .. .. „ St. Vincent de Paul's Orphanage, South Ihinedin, Feb. 24 .. i P. I 0 1£ | Illegitimate 0 0 15 Acute meningitis .. .. .. No inquest. KaritoM Home, Dunedin. Keb. Ill .. F. 0 :t Legitimate .. 0 0 3 | Diarrhoea, vomiting, and intestinal toxsemia .. ; No inquest. Mar. I .. F. 0 9J ! „ .. 0 0 4 | Epidemic diarrhoea, vomiting, convulsions . . „ 3 .. F. 0 ej „ ..007 Epidemic diarrhoea, vomiting, collapse ... „ 5 .. F. (I 51 Illegitimate.. 0 0 2! Marasmus, due to malassimilation of food .. Inquest. || (i .. M. 0 "\ , Legitimate .. 0 0 '■• Kpidemic diarrhoea, vomiting, convulsions .. i No inquest. '„ 12 .. F. 0 3£ Illegitimate.. 0 0 32 I Epidemic diarrhoea, vomiting, collapse. .. „ s . . P. 0 0 ! Legitimate .. 0 0 1 ! „ 24 .. F. 0 4 i „ .. 0 0 37 „ „ „ April 17 .. M. 0 4J J „ .. 0 0 39 Chronic indigestion, nephritis .. .. | „ 18 M. 0 6| .. ..(tO 33 Tuberculosis, wasting .. .. .. I 25 .. F. 0 3~ ., 0 0 15 Enteritis and inanition .. .. .. „ 2ti .. M. ii 2] Illegitimate.. 0 0 21 Chronic inanition from birth, gastro-enteritis, ,. toxemia Sept. 12 .. i F. ii :i Legitimate.. 0 0 26 Prematurity, inanition from birth .. .. „ „ 18 .. ' P. 0 81 .. .. 0 0 32 Prematurity, asthenia .. .. .. „ Oct. IT) .. M. 0 8* „ ..008 Cleft palate, malnutrition .. .. „ 20 .. F. II 9] .. ..007 Cerebral abscess, coma .. .. .. Victoria Memorial Home, invercargiU. April 19 .. 11 (I i Illegitimate. . II 31 (I Malnutrition from birth .. .. .. No inquest. Aug. .'{ .. M. 0 7! .. ..II 7'. II Bronchial pneumonia .. .. .. „