E.—l

32

Children under State Guardianship. (E.-4, Tables II to 19, pagos 12-15.) The number under the control of industrial schools at the end of 1910 was 2,454, an increase of 74 during the year. Of this total, 805 were resident in the institutions, 263 being in the private (Eoman Catholic) industrial schools, 794 were boarded out with foster-parents, and 855 were earning their living in situations, placed with friends on probation, &c. The numbers of children on the books at the end of the years 1909 and 1910 respectively whose maintenance was a charge against the public funds were as follows : — l!) 09. 1910. Boarded out from Government schools .. .. .. 757 792 Boarded out from private schools . . . . .. . . 3 2 Number resident at schools .. . . . . .. . . 771 805 At other institutions .. .. .. .. .. 35 30 Total .. .. .. . . .. 1,566 1.629 1909. 1910. £ s. d. £ s. d. The amount of parental contributions was .. 5,786 8 5 5,575 8 6 Rate per head for children maintained .. 3 13 11 3 8 5 Details respecting the number of children on the books of industrial schools at the end of the year are given in Table 15. The net expenditure on account of industrial schools during the year showed an increase of £152 2s. as compared with the preceding year. The following statement gives particulars:— 1909. 1910. £ s. d. £ s. d. Cost of maintenance of schools.. .. .. 19,831 5 2 17,960 8 2 Boarding out (exclusive of cost of administration. inspection, &c.) .. .. .. .. 13,319 0 6 13,962 16 5 Salaries .. .. .. .. .. 8,151 3 8 8,816 2 2 New buildings and works, and purchase of property 5,838 2 0 10,330 6 2 Salaries, travelling-allowances, and expenses of certain departmental officers (Inspectors, visiting officers, &c.) . . .. . . .. 1,424 14 9 1,458 19 4 Sundry payments .. .. .. .. 186 15 0 107 711 Gross total .. .. .. .. . . 48,751 1 1 52,636 0 2 Recoveries .. .. .. .. .. 15,193 8 1 15,701 5 2 Net cost .. .. .. .. .. £33,557 13 0 £36,934 15 0* (* Including £3,225 paid from National Endowment revenue.) Further details of the expenditure on industrial schools during the year are contained in Tables 11 and 12. Payments by Charitable Aid Boards for mainten- 1909. 1010. ance of children who came into Government schools owing to indigence (included in the £ s . d. £ s. d. total sum recovered) .. .. .. 8.612 16 3 9,450 1 1 Number of children at the end of the year belonging to Government schools who were so paid for .. 59fi 678 Number maintained at the expense of Charitable Aid Boards at private industrial schools .. 132 98 The amount paid by the Charitable Aid Boards on account of children sent to the private industrial schools as indigent is not stated here, as the Managers of these schools make their claims upon the Boards without reference to the Education Department. At the end of the year the amount in the Post-Office Savings-Bank held in trust in the names of inmates and former inmates of industrial schools was £27,052 6s. 4d., the Government schools accounts having £23,710 4s. 9d. to credit, and the private (Roman Catholic) schools £3,342 Is. 7d. The total sums withdrawn from these accounts during the year were £3,369 14s. Bd. and £181 18s. 4d. respectively.