E.—3a,

1896. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: THE COSTLEY TRAINING INSTITUTION (REPORT OF). [In continuation of E-3a, 1895.]

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

The annual meeting in connection with the Costley Training Institution was held on Friday evening 17th January, 1896, at the building, Eichmond Eoad. The annual report and balance-sheet for 1895 was. read, as follows :— " It gives the trustees very great satisfaction to meet those who by their presence here to-night evince an interest m the working of this institution. Our duties for the year have been of a most pleasant nature. Everything in connection with the concern has worked smoothly. We have had very little sickness, and that only of a modified kind. We regret having to record'one death—the first in our history. It is that of Florence Merrington, her complaint being consumption Our thanks are again due to Dr. Knight for his attention as honorary medical attendant, and to Mr. Carter as honorary dental surgeon. The latter, we are pleased to state, was the more in request. We have had twelve formal committee meetings during the year. At these all the general business is conducted. From time to time, as special business arises which requires immediate attention, the trustees meet and consider it. We have on the roll six girls and thirty boys. Of the girls, four are employed as domestic servants and two at factory-work. They are all boarded out with reputable families, as our present accommodation here will not admit of their residence on the premises. Of the boys, eleven are employed in various trades in town, eight are in situations with farmers in the country, one is at sea, and ten attend day-school. From the employers of all we receive monthly reports, and these, with few exceptions, have been uniformly most_ satisfactory. When it is remembered that few or none of these children had had any hometraining until placed here the results are most encouraging. During the year ten inmates have been admitted and nine discharged. The religious training is carefully attended to in the Home in addition to which all who are available attend Sunday-school and church. Taken altogether we consider the year just closed more satisfactory than any of its predecessors, the result to a great extent of the care and assiduity exercised by our manager, Mr. Eamsay, and his wife Mr Gossett our auditor, resigned his position, owing to ill-health. He died soon after; and we wish to place on record our appreciation of his services. Mr. O. B. Waymouth has succeeded him The instruction in blacksmith- and carpenter-work has been continued in the shop at the rear of this building, under the supervision of competent tradesmen, during several evenings of each week Fair progress has been made. We have had numerous applications from parents and others desirous of placing children in the institution, and must regret such applications have had to be declined, as we have no power to accede thereto. The statute under which we are established provides that no one can be admitted unless first committed by a Magistrate to one of the industrial schools, that no boy can be admitted unless fit to be apprenticed, and that no boy can be apprenticed until he is twelve years of age. The committal referred to is not necessarily for some offence of a criminal nature. A child can be committed—and it is sad to think that in a new country like this so many have to be—on the ground that it is neglected or destitute. We have the right and exercise it, of selecting from the children committed to an industrial school those we think suitable as inmates of this Home. No boy or girl whose name is now or ever has been inscribed on our roll has been committed for any offence of a criminal nature. To further protect ourselves, and prevent the contamination of those in our care, every child so selected is subject to a month's probation before a final transfer is applied for. We cannot close this report without reference to the memory of the late Edward Costley, to whose munificence the people of Auckland are indebted not only for the land and buildings now in our occupation, but for the major portion of the income which enables us to carry out the good work done here. Though a donor for a less amount, we revere the memory of the late Eebecca Hodge, whose legacy of £672 has added materially to the prosperity of the institution. Our prayer is that God may bless, prosper, and increase the efforts that have been put forth to benefit so many of those little children in our community who are worse than fatherless "W. C. Daldy, Chairman." '