E.—3b

1899. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS (PARTICULARS AS REGARDS CHILDREN IN THE).

Return to an Order of the House of Representatives dated the Bth August, 1899. Ordered, "That there be laid before this House a return showing the number of children in the industrial schools on the 31st March, 1899, the return to specify separately—(l) The total number in the sohools; (2) the number committed as destitute under section 10, subseotion (1) of ' The Industrial Schools Act, 1882 '; (3) the number committed for other reasons than destitution, showing whether criminal or not, and showing also the number sentenced to imprisonment but sent to an industrial school instead of serving the term of imprisonment." ■ (Mr. J. Allen).

The sections of "The Industrial Schools Act, 1882," as amended by " The Industrial Schools Act Amendment Act, 1895," relating to the admission of children, are as follows ?— 16. Any constable finding a child answering to one or other of the descriptions following, may immediately, without any warrant, take such child before the nearest available Eesident Magistrate, to be dealt with according to this Act, — (1.) Any child having no means of subsistence, or whose parent is in indigent circumstances, and unable to support such child ; (2.) Any child found begging or receiving alms, or being in any street or public place for the purpose of begging or receiving alms; (3.) Any child found wandering about or frequenting any street, thoroughfare, hotel, or place of public resort, or sleeping in the open air, or not having any home or settled place of abode, or any visible means of subsistence ; {_.) Any child residing in any brothel or associating or dwelling with any person known or reputed to be a prostitute or habitual drunkard, or with any person convicted of vagrancy under any Act or Ordinance now or hereafter to be in force. 17. Any parent having a child whom he is unable to control, and wishing him to be sent to a school, may, without any warrant, take such child before the nearest available Magistrate, and if he prove to the satisfaction of such Eesident Magistrate that he is unable to control such child, and give security to the satisfaction of such Eesident Magistrate for the payment of the maintenance of such child, the Eesident Magistrate may make an order such as mentioned in the next section hereof. 19. The Judge before whom, or the Eesident Magistrate by whom, the child shall be convicted of an offence punishable by imprisonment, or before whom a child shall be accused of any offence punishable by imprisonment or by some less punishment, which child so accused ought, nevertheless, in the opinion of such Judge or Eesident Magistrate, regard being had to his age or circumstances, to be sent to a school, may, in addition to the sentence which may be passed as a punishment for the offence of which such child is convicted, order such child to be sent, at the expiration of such sentence, to any school, or, in lieu of passing such sentence, or in the case of a child so accused as aforefaid, whether such child be convicted or not, may order such child to bo sent to any such school.