E.—3

8

criminals, I trust I may be excused if I make a slight reference to this matter. Institutions such as the one under notice were originally called reformatories, but it was felt that the name did not correctly describe their object. It was found, moreover, that inmates discharged from a place styled a reformatory had, in seeking employment, a difficulty in obtaining it. The fact that they had been in such an institution as a reformatory operated to their prejudice for years afterwards. I freely admit the desirableness of finding a remedy, if possible, for the evil of sending juvenile offenders to the gaols, where they are often hardened in crime rather than reformed. But I hope some solution of the difficulty will be found other than placing any of these criminals in the existing industrial schools. It would be better to adhere to the plan of sending juvenile offenders to gaol rather than that the whole of our industrial schools should be tainted with the presence of convicted criminals, and the future career of these inmates seriously interfered with on account of that association. If a special institution cannot be provided for juvenile offenders some plan might perhaps be adopted whereby they could be sent to one or two of our smaller gaols, and kept apart from the adult prisoners. Moreover, the growth of a juvenile criminal class will be much kept in check in future owing to the fact that the neglected children are now carefully looked after and sent to the industrial schools. I trust I may be excused for making these remarks, but having taken an interest in the industrial school from its commencement, I have thought it right to call attention to a matter of great importance to the advancement of an institution which has done, and is likely to do, a great amount of good in the colony. In conclusion I would remark that the whole of the staff have been most painstaking in their endeavours to render the management efficient. They have materially assisted towards the success of the school, which already has done much to save the children of dissolute parents from leading a life of misery and possibly of crime. I have, &c, H. H. Prins, The Hon. the Minister of Education. Medical Officer.

No. 4. TwENTY'THiRD Annual Report of the Managers of the St. Stephen's Orphan Home, for the Year ending 31st March, 1883. It is gratifying to the Board to report the satisfactory progress of the institution during the past year. The Board feel that the object of the founders of the Home is being steadily and quietly carried out. The number of children in the Home has not varied much during the past year. There are now 54 inmates as against 58 at the commencement of the sessional year; the numbers being 87 boys and 17 girls. It will be observed that the number of boys is more than double that of girls. There have been 17 admissions during the year, of which 3 are on the nomination of Government, making 16 children at present in the Home towards whose maintenance Government contribute. Seven children have during the year been placed out at service, 13 have been removed from the Home by their relatives or otherwise, and one child has been adopted under the Act to legalize the adoption of children. Of the children at present in the Home 6 are four years of age or under, 8 are between four and six, 14 are between six and eight, 12 are between eight and ten, 9 are between ten and twelve, 4 are between twelve and fourteen, and one is above fourteen years of age. The income for the year amounted to £1,254 9s. 7d., and the expenditure to £965 6s. 3d.; for particulars of which the subscribers are referred to the Treasurer's statement of accounts. The health of the children has been very good, there having been no case of serious sickness during the year. In accordance with the recommendation of the Honorary Medical Officer the hospital has been divided into two wards, and other alterations have been made to render it more convenient and comfortable. Fortunately its use has not been required since those alterations were effected. The Board have the gratification to report that the hope expressed in