E.— 4.

TABLE H3.—Summary of Expenditure on Special Cases at Other Institutions, 1908.

Moneys earned by young people under the control of industrial schools are by law payable to the managers of the several schools, who deposit them in the PostOfrice Savings-Bank in the individual names of the earners. Withdrawals from the accounts may be made on the authority ot the Minister of Education, who may according to his own absolute discretion direct that payment be made either to the young person concerned or into the Consolidated Fund of the Dominion. In practice only a very small proportion of the aggregate sum so deposited is paid to the Consolidated Fund ; as a rule the earner receives the amount with interest on producing satisfactory evidence of his good character after termination of the State control, and also that the use for which the money is applied is one that seems likely to be for his lasting benefit. On the other hand, if a former inmate shows by his conduct after the control of the school has ceased that he is unworthy of the privilege of receiving the amount standing in his name, it may be forfeited, and paid into the Public Account. This system has been in operation for over twenty-five years, and it is found to work thoroughly well. The uses to which the money is put are, of course, very \aried, but each case is carefully inquired into and decided on its merits, and to a large extent many a former inmate owes his present comfortable position in life to the beginning made by means of these savings ; while to him who is inclined to fall into bad habits the fear of forfeiture of his bank-money— often a substantial sum—acts as a strong deterrent. The total amount in the Post-Office Savings-Bank, to the credit of the earnings accounts of young people now under the control of industrial schools, or who formerly belonged to them (at 31st December, 1908) was . £23,723 9 1 Amount held on account of Government schools . . . . 18,368 13 9 „ ~ private schools . . . . . . 5,354 15 4 Sum withdrawn during the year—Government schools . . .. 2,827 14 10 „ private schools . . 355 2 11 Infant Life Protection. In the session of 1907 the Infant Life Protection Act was remodelled, and its administration transferred from the Police to the Education Department. The purpose of this Act is to provide supervision and protection for infants boarded out by their parents or guardians in circumstances that might lead to their neglect or ill treatment. It enacts that, unless licensed to act as a foster-parent, no person, in consideration of any payment or reward, may receive or take charge of an infant for the purpose of nursing or maintaining it apart from its parents or guardians for a longer period than seven consecutive days. ' Infant" means a child under the age of six years, and officers appointed under the Act may enter foster-homes at any time. Payment of a premium on the adoption of an infant brings the case within the provisions of the Act. The number of infants dealt with during the year was 1,017.

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Government Schools. Total. Auckland— Oostley Training Institution " Door of Hope " Institution Salvation Army Maternity Home Christ church— Mount Magdala .. Dunedin— Salvation Army Maternity Home Totals i Auckland. Te Oranga. Caversham. £ s. d. £ b. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. .. 173 8 0 173 8 0 8 18 0 .. .. 3 18 0 5 2 0 .. .. 5 2 0 si 17 10 .. 84 17 10 8 18 U 8 IS 9 182 8 0 84 17 10 8 18 9 276 4 7