27

E.—l.

TABLE U.—Number of Committed Children at Industrial Schools.

Of the 241 children admitted during the year, 215 (135 boys and 80 girls) were committed under the Act; the other 26 (14 boys and-12 girls) were committed children that had been previously licensed out, but had returned to the school for some cause or other. In numerous instances the parents, or other relatives or friends of the children, make earnest application to have them intrusted to their care before the term of committal has expired. These applications have often to be refused, but not unfrequently they are granted for what are believed to be sufficient reasons. In such cases the children are licensed as required by the Act, and remain under the legal control of the master of the school, who can recall them if necessary. The parents or others to whom the children are thus intrusted, knowing this, are put upon their good behaviour, and are usually exceedingly careful to avoid such a course of conduct as would lead to the forfeiture of the custody of the children. Of the 123 children placed out under license, 53 (40 boys and 13 girls) were sent to service, the other 70 (41 boys and 29 girls) were placed with relatives or friends. Of the 48 children reported as discharged or absconded, 43 (26 boys and 17 girls) left on the expiration of their several terms of committal; 1 boy Avas released from Burnham by Avarrant of the Governor; 1 boy from HoAve Street Home was committed to Mount Eden Gaol; and 3 boys absconded from the same school and had not returned at the close of the year. The total increase in the number of inmates at all the schools during the year was 62 (32 boys and 30 girls). The total number that had been in the schools at all during the year was 751. It has not been possible to obtain reliable information as to the average daily number in the different schools for the year. In Caversham School, Avith 240 at the beginning, and 262 at the close, the average daily number for the year was 246. At the close of 1880 the aggregate number of children placed out under license, whose terms of committal had not expired, was 235. Of these, 86 were at service, and 149 were with relatiA res or friends. They belonged to the following schools : Howe Street, 29 (19 boys and 10 girls); Burnham, 39 (24 boys and 15 girls); and Caversham, 167 (97 boys and 70 girls). These being added to the number in school on 31st December, 1880, the total is 807 young persons (478 boys and 329 girls) under legal control at the close of the year 1880, under the provisions of "The Neglected and Criminal Children Act, 1867." The following table contains information respecting the children not committed under the Act of 1867, who were inmates of orphanages, &c, during the year 1880:—

TABLE V. —Children (not Committed) in Orphanages, etc.

Institutions, Nun on 31st iber in Si Deeembc 3h00l sr, 1879. Admitted during 1880. Total Number at all in 1880. Placed out under License. Discharged or Absconded Died. Nun on 31st aber in Si Deeembc 3h.o ol :r, 1880. Total N limber at all in 1880. lowe Street Home, Auckland St. Mary's, Auckland .names Orphanage It. Mary's, Nelson ... .urnliam Caversham Boys. 66 Girls. 30 30 Total. 96 30 32 2 8 14 64 121 128 32 8 14 208 361 27 15 Boys. 58 Girls. 28 32 2 8 56 108 Total. 86 32 8 14 170 262 128 32 8 14 208 361 100 140 "44 100 144 240 23 73 14 19 1 6 6 114 154 Totals 572 751 306 204 510 241 751 123 48 338 234

Institutions. Num on 31st tber in 8( Decembi stool 3r, 1879. Admitted during 18S0. Total Number at all in 1880. Placed out to Service. Restored to friends or discharged, Died. Nun on 31st iber in Si Decembi _hool >r, 1830. Total Number at all in 1880. Boys. Howe Street Home, Auckland 12 _t. Mary's, Auckland St. Stephen's, Parnell ... 40 rbames Orphanage... ... \ 5 St. Joseph's, Wellington ... j ... _t. Mary's, Nelson ... ... 6 Motueka Orphanage ... 11 Lyttelton Orphanage ... 62 Dunedin Benevolent ... 9 Girls. 10 20 24 4 56 23 11 40 18 Total. 22 20 64 9 56 29 22 102 27 24 2 9 4 16 5 5 25 30 46 22 73 13 72 34 27 127 57 2 "4 5 18 9 3 13 1 3 15 19 i Boys. 19 38 5 Girls. 7 22 22 5 53 26 14 45 19 Total. 26 22 60 10 53 33 24 98 37 46 22 73 13 72 34 27 127 57 14 1 7 10 53 18 Totals ... 145 206 351 120 471 26 81 1 150 213 363 471