E.—4

18

poor housekeeper, and totally unfit to manage a home or care for children. They shift from house to house, paying no rent, and leave the houses in a filthy condition. The children are half-starved and badly clad, and are allowed to run more like animals than human beings. Local aid in the form of money, rations, clothing for the children, and bedclothes is frequently given. Of the family, four are either in industrial schools or special schools, and may be regarded as cases for permanent control ; two are being cared for by friends ; one is quite normal and earning his living ; while the remaining boy (a baby) is with his parents. The cost to the State so far as the four children are concerned will not be less than £3,500, while the amount doled out by way of charitable aid will not be less than £750, making a total of, say, £4,250. This amount does not include the value of the time spent on the case by the police, Health inspectors, Truant Officers, Probation Officers, &c. Case No. 3 : Mother feeble-minded and a helpless invalid. At the time the information was received she was in the public hospital in a precarious condition, and has since died. Father a good-for-nothing drunken waster who neglects his home and his children —a frequent guest at the local gaol. Children not properly fed. or clothed or kept clean. Tim home was in a filthy condition. In 1916, the whole family of six children were committed to the care of the State. Particulars are as follows :A, born 1904 (tubercular) ; B, born 1.907 (mentally deficient; now in mental hospital); C, born 1909 (described as dull —sub- normal) ; D, born 1911 (to be admitted to Special School, Otekaike); E, born 1913 (mentally deficient —admitted to Otekaike); F, born 1914 (backward and badly nourished); G, born 1916 (backward). Of this family at least six will be, permanent burdens on the State, at a, probable cost of £8,500. Case No. 4 : Three sisters, A, B, and C, all feeble-minded, resided with their father. A gave birth to three illegitimate children : 1, born 1905, and 2, Thorn 1907 (committed to re-ceiving-home, 1910) ; 3, born 1910 (committed to receiving-home, 1911). B gave birth to four illegitimate children : I, born 1902, 2, born 1907, and 3, born 1910 (committed to receiving-home, 1910) ; 4, born 1915 (committed to receiving-home, 1915). C gave birth to three illegitimate children : 1, born 1911 (committed to receiving-home, 191.5); 2, born 1913 (committed to receiving-home, 1915); 3, born 1916 (committed to receiving-home, 1916). It will thus be seen that all these ten children have been committed to the care of the State, eight of whom will probably be lifelong charges. The liability of the State will therefore amount to at least £14,040, but there is no guarantee that there will not be further liabilities. At least two of these women are now married and have, other children, who may at any time, be, taken over by the State, while the, other is in and out of such refuges as the Salvation Army Home. Summary of these Four Cases. —No. 1. showing a liability of £14,046 ; No. 2, showing a liability of £4,250; No. 3, showing a, liability of £8,500; No. 4, showing a liability of £14,040: total, £40,836. This expenditure and liability could have, been, obviated by the segregation of eight persons, all of whom are, quite capable of earning their living under supervision. The cases quoted above are not by any means isolated cases. They are, in fact, more or less typical of a common experience. The industrial-schools records, if systematically searched, would produce numerous other cases of a similar kind. The following figures relate to the members of inmates and cost of upkeep of the schools for the feeble-minded :— Schools for the Feeble-minded. Numbers as at 31st December, 1919. ()tekaik „ Ki(;lmlon(l . Total , In residence .. .. .. .. . . . . . . 68 44 112 On vacation .. .. .. .. .. .. 1.5 18 33 In hospital . . . . . . .. .. .. . . 1 .. 1 At board .. .. .. .. .. .. .... 2 2 With friends .. .. .. .. .. .. .... 2 2 84 66 150 Particulars of Expenditure for the Last Financial Year. Otekaike. Richmond. Total £ £ £ Salaries and war bonus .. .. .. .. .. 4,019 1,237 5,256 General maintenance .. .. .. .. ..2,237 871 3,108 Travelling-expenses .. . . . . . . . . 199 37 236 Maintenance of buildings, furnishings, &c. .. .. .. 449 15 464 New buildings, furniture, &c. .. .. .. .. 34 30 64 6,938 2,190 9,128 Less — £ Parental contributions towards maintenance .. .. .. 1,406 Amounts collected from Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards .. 1,502 Sundry other recoveries .. .. .. .. .. .. 115 3,023 Net expenditure .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £6,105 The expenditure for 1918-19 was—Otekaike, £5,323 ; Richmond, £1,092 : total, £6,415. I have, &c, John Beck, Officer in Charge, Special Schools Branch. The Director of Education, Wellington.