9

E.—4.

The numbers on the roll in the lip-reading classes for adults were —Auckland, 19 ; Wellington, 17 ; Dunedin, 17. The total number of pupils who received instruction at the School for the Deaf and its special classes was 237 : this is exclusive of the adult classes. Cases of speech defects in and around Christchurch are taken at the School for the Deaf. The numbers last year were not large, the reason being that parents dislike sending their children the eight miles journey to Sumner for part-time instruction. It may later be necessary to establish a special class for these cases in Christchurch. The class conducted in Christchurch for teaching the adult deaf lip-reading had a roll number of over 30 and was well attended. In , this work I had the assistance of Mr. T. E. Chambers, first assistant teacher. The work of the school maintained the standard of former years. Those children that left at the end of the year may reasonably be said to have received an education which will fit them to take their places in employment alongside their more fortunate hearing fellows. The question is often asked as to what becomes of pupils of this school after they leave us. Information has been collected as to the employment, and the remuneration received, of about fifty of our ex-pupils. The following are taken at random from the list: W. S., employed in a cheesefactory at £3 10s. per week; J. S., a tailor, earns £4 per week ; W. A. is employed in a foundry at £4 per week ; H. W. is a cabinetmaker in receipt of £2 10s. per week ; C. P., a glassworker, earns £4 per week; N. M., a carpenter, gets the union rate of wages ; R. M., a printer, earns the union rate of wages ; A. S. is a letter-sorter on a mail-train and receives over £200 per annum ; H. H. has established a business for himself as a boot-repairer. A number of the girls are in remunerative employment at dressmaking, millinery, and bookbinding. A considerable number of ex-pupils are engaged in farmingwork, for which the training they received here in outdoor work has to some extent fitted them. I regret to have to report that in my opinion cases of deafness among children are not reported to the Department with sufficient promptitude. Children so deficient in hearing that they cannot be taught in class with other children are cases for this school, or, in some cases, for our special classes. It is the duty of school-teachers to report cases of deficient hearing to the Department, and it seems strange that they should appear ignorant of the existence of such children in their immediate neighbourhood. Last year I heard of two cases, one a girl of sixteen and the other a girl of ten, neither of whom had been reported to the Department. It is of the utmost importance that deaf children should be admitted to this school at about six years of age. The special classes in Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin for the correction of speech defects and for the education of children slightly hard of hearing did valuable work during last year. It should be noted that children with speech defects tend to become retarded in their general progress through the standards. A close co-ordination is required between the special classes and the public schools. One of our special-class teachers visited three schools, spending part of a morning in each. She found in one school four cases of speech defects, five stammerers, and nine children with varying degrees of deficient hearing ; in another school six oases of speech defects ; and in a side school five cases of speech defects and one case of semi-deafness. Similar cases would probably have been found in other schools. It would appear from the above that quite a large field is open to the special classes connected with this school. At the Home Economics Exhibition held in Christchurch a well-filled stall of art needlework and woodwork was furnished by the pupils of this school. The exhibit was favourably commented on by the committee of the Home Economics Association and by visitors to the Exhibition. The large number of articles of art needlework were made by the girls in their spare time under the guidance and instruction of Miss M. Andrews, Assistant Matron. I have, &c., The Director of Education, Wellington. J. M. B. Crawford, Director. EXPENDITURE ON THE SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, 1924-25. £ a. d. £ s. d. Salaries .. .. .. .. .. 5,629 15 5 Advertising, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 15 3 4 Maintenance of pupils and sundry expenses .. .. 1,792 16 7 Travelling-expenses .. .. .. .. 263 11 10 Maintenance of buildings, furnishing, &c. . . .. 216 8 3 Contingencies .. .. .. .. .. 596 — — 7,923 4 11 Less parental contributions and amount received from Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards .. .. 2,454 14 0 Income from investments .. .. .. .. 105 14 11 Sales of farm-produce .. .. .. .. 4 3 9 __ 2,564 12 8 Net expenditure .. .. .. .. . £5,358 12 3 The net expenditure for the year 1923-24 was £5,128.

2—B. 4.