E.—3

2

The local school maintained by the local authorities of the Thames district was broken up in December, 1893. Sixteen inmates were transferred to other schools, and the remaining three were discharged. Of the persons—ss2 in number—described here as " at service, &c," 393 were at service in December 1893, 125 were residing with their friends under license, 18 were absent without leave, 1 was on probation for admission to the Costley Institute, 3 were m hospitals, 3in lunatic asylums, 1m a blind asylum, and Bin refuges. The wages on deposit in the Post-Office Savings-bank amounted m December, 1893, to £7,383 11s. 6d. for Government schools, and £189 6s. 2d. for private schools. The 209 cases of admission may be classified as to cause as follows Destitution, 75 , immoral surroundings, 61, crime, 38 , vagrancy, 23 , want of control, 10, parents' convenience, 2. With respect to religious profession the division is—Church of England, 90, Eoman Catholic, 82 , Presbyterian, 23, Methodist, 12 , " Church of Christ," 1; not known, 1 Table U affords some information with respect to the character of parents, and from this information it may be inferred that 51 of the cases were not due to any misconduct on the part of the parents , in 25 cases the information justifies no inference , in 40 cases blame attaches to the father alone, in 58 cases to the mother alone, and m 35 cases to both parents.

TABLE U.—Admissions classified according to Parents' Circumstances and Character, 1893.

The number of deaths during the year was eight two occurred at the Nelson school, from measles, the remaining five cases belonged to Burnham. A boy of twelve, living at home on probation, accidentally shot himself, an infant, two months old, was in a dying state when committed, and died of bronchitis in four days, a girl aged sixteen, at service, died of pneumonia, and two girls, of nine and thirteen respectively, died m consumption.

TABLE W.—Cost of Government Schools, 1893.

The net expenditure on Government industrial schools for 1893 exceeded the corresponding amount for 1892 by about £40. The gross cost was £14,726 ss. 2d., the net cost, £6,794 Bs. 4d. The average number of inmates of all grades belonging to these schools was 1,122: the gross cost of the maintenance of each therefore was £13 2s. 6d., and the net cost £6 Is. Id. But the average number of inmates resident in the schools and boarded out was 631, and if the salaries and rent are regarded as a fair equivalent for the work involved

iors lescril as Children of Sick, of Good Not known nfp , *-• SS3S3: ffiSsi sat <££&. D —• Total. 'athers described as— Dead Sick, lunatic, disabled, &c. Of good character (or poor) Not known or not stated Of bad character Deserters 10 5 5 2 14 3 14 6 6 3 12 5 1 1 5 2 1 12 1 6 2 19 17 20 26 8 57 6 39 32 53 22 2 1 Totals 39 29 24. 21 iJO 209

School. Cost of School. Cost ol boarding out. Recoveries. Net Cost. Luckland Cohimarama Jurnham Javersham £ s. a. 589 4 7 655 1 9 3,843 19 8 2,892 8 3 £ s. a. 728 13 8 203 11 4 2,810 0 5 3,003 5 6 £ a. d. 534 0 10 312 4 3 2,849 5 8 4,420 16 6 £ s. a. 783 17 5 546 8 10 3,804 14 5 1,474 17 3 Totals 7,980 14 3 6,745 10 11 8,116 7 3 6,609 17 11 ialary and expenses of Visiting Office: 184 10 5 To1 ;al 6,794 8 4