E.— 4.

2

It should be remembered, however, that the activities of the Branch are not limited to the supervision of the children shown above. In recent years the responsibilities of the Branch have been considerably increased by the delegation to it of other duties, amongst which are preventive work in the community, investigation, and supervision where necessary of all illegitimate births, investigations regarding children brought under the notice of Children's Courts, or young persons charged with offences, inquiry regarding all applications for the adoption of children under fifteen years of age, preliminary investigation regarding applications for widows' pensions, the inspection and registration of all children's homes and orphanages, &c. The number of children committed to the care of the Superintendent during the year ended 31st March, 1930, was 672, classified according to reason for committal as follows : Indigent, 310 ; delinquent, 28 ; detrimental environments, 61 ; not under proper control, 190; accused or guilty of punishable offence, 78; neglected, 5 ; and, in addition, 23 were admitted by private arrangement (section 12, Child Welfare Act) ; while 37 were temporarily admitted ; and 1 under section 47 of the Infants Act: making the total number of admissions for the year 733. Classified according to age at the time of admission the numbers are as follows : Under six months, 74 ; over six months and under one year, 38 ; from one to five years, 147 ; from five to ten years, 146 ; from ten to fourteen years, 152 ; over fourteen years, 176 : total, 733. Of the children in foster-homes 180 are over the age of fourteen years, of whom 101 are still attending primary schools, and 79 are receiving higher education. In addition, there are 24 residing in hostels, and receiving secondary education.

No. 2.—STATEMENT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE CHILD-WELFARE BRANCH FOR THE YEAE ENDED 31st MARCH, 1930. Investigation and Supervision of Cases appearing before Children's Courts. The number of cases dealt with by the Children's Courts last year was 2,366, and of these 644 were placed under the supervision of Child Welfare Officers. The number actually admitted to institutions, such as receiving-homes, special schools, training-farms, &c, was 672; but all these, with the exception of 148 who require further training, were suitably provided for in the community before the close of the year. The other children appearing before the Courts were dealt with in a summary manner, not calling for supervision, by a Child Welfare Officer. The following statement indicates the numbers (other than those placed under supervision or committed) appearing before all such Courts and the methods of disposal : Admonished and discharged, 574 ; withdrawn, 5 ; returned to institutions, 31 ; dismissed, 71 ; adjourned, 37 ; committed to Supreme Court for sentence, 1 ; committed to Borstal, 26 ; convicted and discharged, 6 ; convicted and birched, 1 ; convicted and fined, 37 ; convicted and probation, 9 ; convicted and ordered to come up for sentence, 3 ; convicted and prison, 1. By-law cases —Withdrawn, 1 ; convicted and fined, 104 ; convicted and discharged, 1 ; admonished and discharged, 151 ; adjourned, 1. Total, 1,060. Of the above, 272 were charged with theft; 121, wilful damage ; 1, false pretences ; 1, loitering ; 2 trespassing ; 1, cruelty to animals ; 2, attempted suicide ; 5, indecency ; 4, rape ; 2, robbery with violence ; 1, manslaughter ; 5, smoking ; 82, mischief ; 1, indigency ; 6, forgery ; 29, stone-throwing ; 24, possessing firearms ; 25, disorderly conduct; 3, obscene language ; 13, assault; 34, breaking and entering ; 3, not under proper control; 31, conversion ; 18, receiving ;8, discharging firearms ; 1, vagrancy ;1, indecent assault; 2, arson ; 1, fraud ; 16, detrimental environments ; 3, drunkenness ;9, breach of Defence Act; 48, breach of Motor-vehicle Act; 1, breach of Railway Act; 6, breach of Acclimatization Act; 10, breach of Fire Brigades Act; 2, breach of Health Act; 2, breach of the Post and Telegraph Act; 4, breach of the Gaming Act; 2, breach of Impounding Act; and 258, breach of by-laws. Children under the Guardianship of the Superintendent of the Child-welfare Branch. At the end of the year there were 4,818 children under control (excluding those mentioned under separate headings below), and, of these, 288 were in residence at Government receiving-homes and probation homes (many of these, of course, only temporarily), training-farm and training institutions, 267 in special schools for mentally backward children, 87 in the four private Roman Catholic schools recognized under the Child Welfare Act; 2,241 children were boarded out in foster-homes, 1,032 were