E.—4.

Sess. 11.—1891. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: INSTITUTION FOR DEAF-MUTES. [In Continuation of E.-4, 1890.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. EXTEACT FEOM FoUBTEENTH ANNUAL EePOET OF THE MINISTEE OF EDUCATION. The number of pupils at the School for Deaf-mutes, at Sumner, at the end of 1890 was 42, the same as at the beginning of the year. The proposed removal of the school to a new site at Riccarton stands indefinitely postponed. The expenditure for the year was ,£3,633 os. 3d.; new site, .£606 95.; salaries, £1,151 Bs. 9d.; board of pupils, £L,331 ss. 7d. ; rent, £345; travelling, £111 ss. 6d.; sundries, <£87 11s. sd. Contributions amounting to £386 16s. Bd. were received from parents.

No. 2. Eepobt of the Director. Sib,— May, 1891. I have the honour to report on the Institution for Deaf-mutes for the year 1890. Nothing of a special character has to be named in our mode of dealing with the technical difficulties of the children's training in the class-rooms; but, as the number of unfortunate children under our care is still on the increase, there being now no less than forty-nine pupils on the roll, the condition of things with regard to looking after their bodily welfare when out of school is changing fast, and will necessitate greater exertions than ever on the part of the responsible persons to keep them in health and happiness. The attendance of the pupils in the class-rooms was regular, excep at the end of the year, when whooping-cough broke out in rather a severe form. Forty-three was the total number oi children present in 1890. Their parents' homes were as follows: One in Invercargill, one in Stirling, one in Mosgiel, one in Milburn near Mosgiel, six in Dunedin, one in Green Island, one in Port Chalmers, one in Moeraki, one in Methven, two in Papanui, one in Kaiapoi Island, one in Eiccarton, one in Governor's Bay, six in Christclmrch, two in Auckland, one in the Thames, one in Gisborne, one in Kihikihi, one in Napier, one in Patea, two in Wanganui, one in Marton, one in Bulls, and seven in Wellington, showing that eighteen inmates belonged to the North and twentyfive to the South Island. The progress of the pupils was in many cases highly satisfactory, fairly so in others, and hardly so in the case of three or four exceedingly slow children. Two of the pupils, whose education was fairly completed at the close of the year, left the institution with credit to themselves and with the approval of the director. One did not return on account of serious illness in the family ; another stayed behind for a year, not having sufficiently recovered from bronchitis; and a third, a lad of sixteen, who could speak but not hear, was removed because his conduct was not considered conducive to the discipline of the school or the morale of the rest of the pupils. The eager desire of the parents to see their unfortunate children home for the holidays was again gratified. The practice of sending the pupils long journeys is, of course, expensive, but it is unavoidable, and serves more than one highly useful purpose. Apart from the necessity of renewing and strengthening afresh the bond of affectionate relationship between the parents and children, there is the potent reason in its favour that, by letting the pupils visit their homes once a year, the best opportunity is afforded to disseminate amongst the parents and the public generally I—E. 4.