XXV

E.—l

agement of various kinds, and the money contributed by the Government towards their maintenance is paid out of the Charitable Aid vote, which is in charge of the Colonial Secretary. The cost of all the public and of some of the private institutions is reduced by the contributions paid in a number of cases by the parents and guardians of inmates. A statement of the amount of public moneys expended on the several industrial schools and orphanages for the last financial year is given in Table No. 7, page 7, of the Appendix. The total amount expended, less recoveries, was as follows : Government Industrial Schools, £9,332 12s. 6d.; all the other institutions, £6,167 os. 5d.: total, £15,499 12s. lid. The sites and buildings at Howe Street, Auckland, and at Caversham, are now very ill-adapted to their purpose. It is in contemplation to erect suitable buildings at Mount Eden in lieu of the former, and to remove the latter institution to the site selected for it at Seacliff, Blueskin. The premises at Burnham are now in a fairly satisfactory condition; the only important want being a playroom for the use of the boys during inclement weather. The number of committed children resident in the industrial schools at the beginning of 18S2 was 688 (405 boys and 283 girls). At the end of the year the number was 827 (488 boys and 339 girls), showing an increase for the year of 139 (83 boys and 56 girls). The number of non-corn mitt ed children at the close of ISB2 was 213 (90 boys and 128 girls), being an increase for the year of only 6 girls. The following is a summary of admissions and withdrawals at all the schools for the year :—■

TABLE S.—Admissions and Withdrawals for Year 1882.

Table S shows that during the year 35 (26 boys and 9 girls) committed children were sent out to service; 4-9 (37 boys and 12 girls) were restored to their relatives or friends under license; and 26 (14 boys and 12 girls) were discharged. It is not found advisable in all cases to comply with the solicitations of the parents, or other relatives or friends, for the restoration of their children by license or discharge; but not unfrequently the request is granted for what are considered sufficient reasons. In the majority of such cases the children are sent out under license, and can be recalled by the Minister should necessity arise. Those to whom the children are thus intrusted, knowing this, are, in most cases, exceedingly careful to avoid such a course of conduct as would lead to the forfeiture oJE the custody of the children. At the close of 1882 the aggregate number of committed children placed out, but still under legal control, was 226 (130 boys and 96 girls). Of these, 74 (51 boys and 23 girls) were at service, and 152 (79 boys and 73 girls) were with relatives or friends. They belonged to the following schools : Auckland Industrial School, 201 (148 boys and 53 girls) ; St. Mary's, Ponsonby, 38 girls; Thames, 9 (7 boys and 2 girls) ; St. Mary's, Nelson, 79 (33 boys and 46 girls) ; Burnham, 320 (210 boys and 1J o,girls) ; and Caversham, 441 (255 boys and 186 girls). These being added to the number in the schools and the number m ssing (6) on the 31st December, 1882, the total is 1,059 young persons (624 boys and 4.i5 girls) under the control of the school authorities at that date. The following table gives the ages of the children maintained by Government at all the schools on the 31st December, 1882 :— iv—E. 1.

iommitte id. Non i-Commit ;ted. Total. Boys. Girls. 1 Total. Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. Girls. Total. l I [n the schools at 31st December, 18S1 S"ew admissions ... Returned from service or friends ... transferred from other schools or other status transferred to other schools or other status ... Sent to service ... Sent to friends ... Discharged by warrant Dime expired Absent without leare Dead ... n the schools at 31st December, 1882 405 177 13 20 13 26 37 14 21 9 7 488 . I 283 106 5 3 9 12 I 12 19 I 688 283 18 23 16 35 49 26 40 9 10 827 90 28 i "7 7 13 117 37 9 20 207 65 7 16 33 495 205 13 20 20 33 50 14. 22 9 7 578 400 143 5 3 3 18 32 J2 20 895 348 18 23 23 51 82 26 42 9 11 1,040 1 1 2 3 339 90 1 123 1 213 4 462 Increase 83 56 139 6 6 83 G2 145