5

E.—4

The numbers dealt with by the Juvenile Probation Officers in the main centres during the year totalled 1,121, and wore dealt with as shown in the following table:—

Assisted Service, Higher Service, . and Employment ok State Children over School Age. An important part of the work carrie:d out by Managers of institutions, Boarding-out Officers, and Juvenile Probation Officers is the placing of State children in suitable avenues of employment. On the care and discrimination exercised by these officers in this work depends the future of the children, and also the question whether, when they reach the adult stage, these young charges will become assets or liabilities to the State. The Department is fully alive to the importance of this particular phase of the work, and, as a matter of fact, reviews the action taken in each individual case. As a general rule these young people are encouraged to take up rural occupations, as experience has shown that for the majority of lads who are taken from the crowded city areas life in the country offers the best chance of permanent reformation. There are a considerable number, of course, who are eminently suitable for trades and similar occupations, and for these the Department finds suitable openings. In the case of the latter considerable difficulty is experienced in boarding them in suitable homes ; probably this difficulty could be got over to a certain extent by utilizing part of the: accommodation at each receiving-home and probation home for the purpose of housing these young people in the early stages of apprenticeship at least. At the end of 1921 there were twenty-seven children at service receiving assistance (assisted service in most cases refers to apprenticeship). There were 30 children receiving higher education— 20 secondary and 10 technical. In addition there were 120 children over the age of fourteen years still attending the: public schools and being maintained by the Department. ' Nature of Employment at 31st December, 1921, of Boys having left School. At the end of the year there were 496 farm workers —18 skilled in dair.y-work and oheescmaking and 478 others competent to carry out general farm-work. There: were 36 boys apprenticed as folleiws : 5 bootmakers, 4 coach builders, 3 carpenters, 3 bakers, 3 printers and bookbinders, 3 painters, 2 engineers, 2 cabinetmakers, 2 saddlers, 2 french-polishers, 1 joiner, f electrical engineer, 1 basketmaker, 1 boatbuilder, 1 confectioner, 1 barber, and 1 jockey. Boys otherwise employed (not apprenticed) totalled 111, as follows : 24 labourers, 17 factory hands, 10 clerks, 9 shop-assistants, 6 bootmakers, 4 blacksmiths, 4 orchardists, 3 seamen, 3 Post Office employees, 3 motor mechanics, 3 butchers, 3 painters, 2 joiners, 2 cabinetmakers, 2 carpenters, 2 minors, 2 bakers, 2 gardeners, 1 basketmaker, 1 foundry-worker, 1 tinsmith, 1 tile-worker, 1 ironmonger, 1 elriver, 1 cycle-worker, 1 fireman, 1 railway employee, and 1 domestic help. Total number of boys employed was therefore 643 (496 form workers, 36 apprentices and 111 others). Nature of Employment at 31st December, 1921, of Girls having left. School. There were 315 domestics ; 14 apprentices (9 dressmakers, 3 bookbinders, 1 tailoress, anel 1 milliner) ; 21 factory employees and 14 in other employment as follows : 3 shop-assistants, 2 laundresses, 2 tailoresses, 2 clerks, 2 waitresses, 1 nurse, 1 dressmaker, and 1 telephone exchange employee. This gives a total of 350 girls employed (315 domestics, 14 apprentices, 21 factory employees, and 1.4 others). Admissions during 1921. During the year 528 children were committed to the care of the Department (519 to Government schools and 9to private industrial schools), as compared with 535 for the previous year. The following tabic shows the new admissions according to age : — Beiys. Girls. Total. Under six months . . .. . , .. 22 23 45 Over six months and under one year . . . . . . 12 11 23 One year to five years . . . . . . 56 46 102 Five years to ten years .. . . . . 75 45 120 Ten years to fourteen years . . .. . . 92 47 139 Over fourteen years .. .. .. 68 31 99 Totals .. .. .. ..325 203 528

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