E.—4

At the end of last year 9 passed the School Certificate Examination and 8 obtained a partial pass, 7of these qualifying for University Entrance. This brings the total who have passed University Entrance to 32. Seventy-one children are attending post-primary schools —16 in Form 111, 17 in Form IV, 26 in Form V, and 12 in Form VI. Only 38 children are left at primary schools—l 4 in Form 11, 7in Form I, J1 in Standard 4, 4in Standard 3, and 2in Standard 2. Generally, all obtained good reports from their schools and have made very satisfactory progress. Of the 191 children, 82 have left school and arc either working or taking special courses of study—B are taking full-time University courses, 2 are serving in the Royal New Zealand Navy, 7 are training-college students (3 of whom are now probationary assistants), 14 boys are farming, 3 girls are working in banks, 7 girls and 1 boy in general office work, 1 boy is in an accountant's office, 3 girls and 2 boys are in insurance offices, 2 girls and 3 boys are in the Public Service, 10 boys are working in various branches of engineering, 1 boy and 1 girl arc working as shop assistants, 2 girls are dressmaking, 6 girls are doing various kinds of domestic work, 7 girls are nursing (3 as trainees and 4 as nursing aids), 1 boy is signwriting, and lis awaiting placement in the Government Service. Quite a number of those who are working attend night classes in various subjects and 8 attend University as part-time students. A number of the parents have expressed the wish to come to New Zealand and have requested that the children should be allowed to remain in the Dominion pending their arrival. Arrangements will probably be made for a few of the girls and boys to remain temporarily in New Zealand to complete courses of training. The children made full use of the monthly free cable service kindly provided by Cable and Wireless, Ltd., of Auckland, and they have, with the co-operation of their foster-parents, maintained their correspondence with their parents or relatives in the United Kingdom. Miss K. Page, the local representative of the Children's Overseas Reception Board in London, visited many of the foster-homes during the year. It is a pleasure to me to record another fine year of achievements and happy progress by these young people, who have been with us since September-October, 1940. The foster-parents who have these young people will, I know, not like parting with them now, but, at the same time, they fully appreciate the desire of the parents to be re-united with their children as soon as this may be possible to arrange after the war. J. R. MoClune, Superintendent. The Director of Education, Wellington, New Zealand.

Table 1. —Number op Children under Control and Supervision The total number of children under the supervision of the Child Welfare Branch as at 31st March, 1945, was 8,307, classified under the following headings, the corresponding number for the previous year being also given : —

Children in Mental Hospitals. —During the year ended 31st March, 1945, 31 State wards were admitted to mental hospitals. At that date there were a total of 147 wards in these institutions, as against 144 at the 31st March, 1944. In accordance with an arrangement with the Mental Hospitals Department, these children are not discharged from our legal control, as in the event of their return to the community the Department is enabled to resume control and assist where required.

8

1943-44. 1944-45. 1943-44. 1944-45. Slate Wards —■ ! Other than State Wards — In foster-homes and with friends .. 2,477 2,502 Young persons supervised by Child Wei- 1,375 1,063 In situations (includes 9 absent without 1,048 1,022 fare Officers in their own homes, with leave at the 31st March, 1944, and 6 at relatives, or friends, pursuant to orders the 31st March, 1945) of Courts In Government institutions, receiving- 261 285 Infants supervised in foster-homes regis- 698 799 homes &c. tered under the Infants Act In private institutions .. .. 121 108 Pupils at Schools for Deaf, Sumner and 175 215 In Roman Catholic institutions recognized 98 90 Titirangi under Child Welfare Act Pupils at schools for mentally backward 38 47 In special schools for mentally backward 142 139 (Otekaike and Richmond), (see also children (see also pupils under " Other under " State Wards ") than State wards") Children supervised as preventive cases 1,954 1,905 In refuges or cognate institutions .. 63 59 Children in New Zealand Institute for 24 20 In hospital, convalescent homes, &c. • .. 47 36 Blind for whom Department makes In residential colleges, &c. .. .. 10 17 payment 4,267 4,258 . 4,264 4,049 Total .. .. .. 8,531 8,307 British children in New Zealand .. .. 203 191