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in situations, and 660 residing under license with relatives and friends. The remainder were in various private institutions. The young persons over school age in employment number 810 males and 495 females (a number of whom are residing with friends), included in the total of 4,818. Of the males, 623 are farm workers (234 skilled in dairy work and cheesemaking, and 389 competent to milk and carry out general farmwork), 51 are apprentices (of which number some are receiving assistance), and 136 others are employed in various trades. A number of these are also receiving assistance. Of the girls, 378 are domestic workers, 64 factory employees, and 53 engaged in various employments, such as shop-assistants, nurses, dressmakers, &c. Child-placing System. Assisted Service, Higher Education, and Employment of State Children over School Age. At the end of the year 101 State wards over fourteen years of age were in attendance at primary schools and maintained by the Department, 56 were attending secondary schools, and 47 technical schools. Of the State wards in employment, 114, mainly apprentices, were being partly maintained by the Department. Infant-life Protection (Infants Act, 1908). At the end of the year 1,204 infants and young children were supervised in 985 licensed fosterhomes. Of these, 829 homes had one child each, 110 had two children each, 34 had three children each, 8 had four children each, 3 had five children each, and 1 home had six children. Adoptions. By an arrangement with the Department of Justice, applications for adoptions are investigated by Child Welfare Officers before being dealt with by a Magistrate. Daring the year 372 children were adopted, and in twenty-nine of these cases premiums were received by the Department's agents, and paid out usually at the rate of 15s. a week for each child concerned. Of the total number of children adopted, 71 were under the age of six months, 34 between the age of six and twelve months, 150 between the age of one and five years, 70 between the age of five and ten years, and 47 between the age of ten and fifteen years.

Table 1.—Status of Children and Young Persons under the Guardianship of the Superintendent, at 31st March, 1930.

Committals to the Care of the Superintendent during the Year ended 31st March, 1930. The following table shows the new committals according to age : — Boys. Girls. Totals. Under six months .. .. .. 38 36 74 Over six months and under one year . . 22 16 38 One year to five years .. .. .. 90 57 147 Five years to ten years . .• .. .. 91 55 146 Ten years to fourteen years . . ~ 92 60 152 Over fourteen years .. .. .. .. 102 74 176 Totals .. .. ..435 298 733

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Status. Boys. Girls. Total. In residence Boarded out At service With friends In hospitals or convalescent homes . . In mental hospitals In refuges or cognate institutions .. In orphanages Absent without leave In Borstal institutions Y.M.C.A. Hostel, Auckland Institute for the Blind At colleges Girls' Hostel, Wellington In residence, Roman Catholic schools In schools for mentally backward 157 1,269 687 356 14 6 24 12 23 4 16 131 972 345 304 15 3 84 13 6 288 2,241 1,032 660 29 9 108 25 29 4 5 1 3 14 48 77 16 1 8 14 87 267 39 190 Totals .. 2,802 2,016 4,818