3

E.-4,

The amount paid by the Charitable Aid Boards oh account of children sent to the four 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. Moneys are on deposit at interest in the Post Office Savings-bank that were earned people who are, or while under control were, in situations, or who, though it is advisable to have them in residence, are able to do work of more value than the cost of their keep. The disposal of these moneys is by law at the discretion of the Minister of Education, who may direct that payment be made either to the earner or to the Public Account. In practice payment is made to an applicant who, after the control of the school has ceased, shows evidence of good character, and that the proposed investment of the money is likely to be to his lasting advantage. On the other hand, the Minister may order forfeiture of the money when a former inmate proves that he is unworthy of consideration. At the end of the year the total amount deposited in the Post Office Savingsbank on account of the earnings of young people who are now or were formerly under the control of industrial schools was £33,459 7s. Id., the Government schools accounts having £29,554 9s. Bd. to credit, and the private (Eoman Catholic) schools £3,904 17s. sd. The withdrawals from these accounts during the year were £4,247 19s. 7d. and £301 18s. 3d. respectively. Infant-life Protection. The infant-life protection system deals with children under six years of age who are placed privately by their parents or guardians in foster-homes for payment. To a large extent they are the illegitimate children of young girls. They are not, as industrial-school children are, under State guardianship, but the homes of the foster-parents are licensed to receive children, the number that may be retained in the home being limited strictly by the license according to the capacity of the home. The number of homes thus licensed was 950 at the end of the year, and the number of children in them under oversight during the year was 1,330, an increase of 102 over last year. Of this total the number of infants under one year was 534. Thirteen children died, being 0-98 per cent, of those in the homes. The deathrate of children under the infant-life protection system has steadily decreased from 2-56 in 1908 to 0-98 for the two past years. Of the thirteen children who died, eight were in foster-homes, and five in hospitals or nursing-homes to which they had been removed for treatment, so that the deaths in foster-homes represented 0-60 per cent, of the total number dealt with. The expenditure for the year ended the 31st March, 1914, was £1,352, as follows : — £ Salaries of visiting nurses and local representatives .. .. .. 986 Travelling-expenses of district agents, visiting nurses, and local representatives .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 221 Payment to foster-parents for board of infants .. .. .. 147 Medical attendance .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 Office expenses (including rent) and sundries .. .. .. .. 74 1,443 Less recoveries .. .. .. .. .. .. 91 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,352 For the preceding year the amount was £1,261. School for the Deaf, Sumner. Number of pupils who returned to the school in February, 1913, after the summer vacation .. .. .. .. .. .. 89 Receiving instruction at Government experimental farm .. .. .. 1 Number admitted during the school year .. .. .. ..14 Left during or at the end of the school year .. .. .. .. 1 Number remaining on the roll after the close of the school year .. .. 103