E.—3

6

be to the subscribers and friends of the Home, to learn that their efforts for the welfare of the children committed to their charge are, under the Divine blessing, bearing good fruit. Instances are frequently brought under their notice of such cases. One of these was recently referred to by a gentleman residing in the North, who had both a boy and girl from the Home some years ago, and who, when applying for another boy to go to him, stated that the girl had respectably married, and the boy had a farm of about 80 acres, with stock thereon worth £60. A late inmate of the Home writes to the Secretary as follows : " I am very thankful to you and all the Committee for the care and teaching they gave to us. Mrs. Cameron and Mrs. Scarlett were certainly very kind to us, and they did all they could for us. I can never forget them as long as I live. That Home gave me such a good start in the world that now I can work for myself. When my father wants to write he has always to get me to spell for him. We have no church or Sunday-school here like we had there, but of a Sunday I do not forget to read my Prayer-book and Bible every Sunday. I have very few books to read. All my prizes I have got yet, and take good care of them. I have read them all through. My best compliments to yourself, Mr. and Mrs. Walker, and all the friends of the Home." It is the knowledge of such cases as these, and the consciousness that their efforts and anxieties for the good of these orphan children are not all in vain, that sustain the Board in their labours, and impel a continuance of them. Let the like feeling animate and support their fellow-labourers in the good work, relying on the assurance of the Apostle Paul, " Let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not."

Statement of Accounts for the Tear ending 31st March, 1882. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Balance Ist April, 1881 ... ... 281 4 5 By Salaries, wages, &o. ... ... ... 320 13 0 Subscriptions and donations ... ... 364 1 5 Food, lighting, and washing ... ... 341 5 9 Contributions towards maintenance — Clothing, &o. ... ... ... 89 9 6 From Government ... ... ... 180 0 0 Coal and firewood ... ... ... 34 17 4 From relatives of children ... ... 131 7 6 House furnishing, &c. ... ... ... 42 15 7 St. Stephen's Native School Trustees ... 66 7 8 Medicine, hair-cutting, &c. ... ... 10 16 8 Trustees of the late W. Morrin, Esq. ... 73 19 10 Books, stationery, printing, &0.... ... 22 5 0 Interest on deposit ... ... ... 513 10 Fire insurance ... ... ~. 811 3 Government subsidy of £1 per £1 of sub- Postages and sundries... ... ... 4 1 11 scriptions for half-year ending 31st De- Repairs, improvements, &c. ... ... 21 0 6 cember, 1881 ... ... ... 241 15 5 Paddock ploughing, &o. ... ... 31 17 0 Cow ... ... ... ... 11 10 0 Balance— Bank ... ... ... ... 151 1 1 Fixed deposits ... ... ... 250 0 0 In hands of Matron ... ... 18 6 In hands of Treasurer ... ... 2 17 0 £1,344 10 1 £1,344 10 1 Audited and found correct. —John Batger and James M. Brigham, Auditors. Auckland, 26th April, 1882.

No. 3. Report on Cayersham Industrial School, by Dr. Hector. Sir, — Colonial Museum of New Zealand, Wellington, sth May, 1882. I have the honor to report that, in compliance with your instructions, on the 12th ultimo I visited the Industrial School at Caversham for the purpose of inspecting the sanitary condition of the establishment, especially in relation to the cause of the recent epidemic of typhoid fever among the children. I was accompanied by Dr. Burns, the Medical Officer, who, as well as the Superintendent, Mr. Titchener, afforded me every facility in making the inspection you desired. The primary cause of the fever is attributed, and it seems correctly so, to a woman named Crawford, having, in the mouth of October last, visited her child while she was in the convalescent stage of typhoid. This child, a female, sickened in due course, and by the 12th December twelve cases were reported, and all in the young girls' side of the establishment. The disease then steadily spread through the buildings, and by the end of January there bad been nearly fifty cases out of the 240 pupils in the school, and including both boys and girls, but chiefly the latter. From the description of the symptoms, the form the disease assumed appears to have been that of true typhoid, and not the usual remittent fever, which is its commoner form among children. This circumstance, and the gradual manner in which the disease spread among the children, indicates that it was propagated by the direct action of germs, and did not arise either from a general condition of the atmosphere, due to noxious exhalations, or from infection by personal contact. A scrutiny of the drainage-system of the establishment suggested an explanation of how this might have arisen. There are several detached buildings erected on a steep slope facing the southeast. The soil is clay that powerfully absorbs and retains damp ; and the site is as unsuitable as well can be for the purpose of keeping youog children in health. Most of the buildings are in a very dilapidated state, having been portions of the old Dunedin Hospital (originally only a temporary structure), that had done the full share of work before they were transferred to their present position. They have also been badly placed, the foundation having been excavated in the clay soil of the hill-side. Much has no doubt been done of late to remedy this by cutting open drains round the back of the buildings and laying bare the rotten wall-plates; and in this, as in every other respect, the officer in charge deserves the greatest credit for his exertions in trying to make the most of the small capabilities that exist for improvement. Only one building is in a sound condition, that occupied by the infants. It is built of brick, and is well arranged, with the exception of one singular peculiarity in its ventilation. This is effected by circular traps in the floors, through which the mouldy air from the excavated