OTAGO INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 229, 25 July 1873, Page 6

OTAGO INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.

One of the best institutions maintained by the Province is undoubtedly the Industrial School. There are collected 101 boys and greater proportion being of a'very tender age, many hardly able to walk —who have been abandoned, or through misfortune or crime have lost the protection of their natural guardians. From the records of each case, most carefully compiled, case after case appears to be that of a little child brought before the Magistrate's Court by the police from the foul precincts of the brothel. These little ones, when sent to the Industrial School, are often in a state hardly to be described, many retaining for a long time indications, in disordered constitutions, of the injurious effects of their earliest surroundings. There are eighty-nine children at present out at service under the direction of Mr Britton. The school is under most fortunate management, Mr and Mrs Britton be-

ing peculiarly well adapted for the care of such a school. On all the young faces *an air of happy content is visible, and entire confidence in those who have charge of them. We called, quite unexpectedly, on a Saturday—which, it appeared, was a general washing day, all the crowd of little folks being put through the tubs. It was very amusing to see those who had passed through the bath-room running about with their clean rosy faces and rough heads, yet to be combed and brushed. Of the large number of children who have left this institution jto go into employment, Mr "Britten only knows of one girl that " turned out bad," returning to the old haunts and vices of her youth. On the other hand, a great number are much sought after as thoroughly good and honest servants. Although leaving the school, for some years they are not out of the control of the management, Mr Britton having more care and trouble in looking after his children outside than he has with those in, all those who are hired out being so settled only through his direct consent. The money these children earn is brought to him, and then, in their own names, lodged in the Q-overnment Savings Bank to ac-

cumulate into a store to be given to them when they marry or start in life. We were shown the bank books of several of these young servants from twelve to fifteen years of age, in which they had to their credit sums as high, as £2O, entirely their own and the work of their own hands. , This system is peculiarly beneficial, if only for this reason, that directly the children are beginning to get intellectually developed they are removed from the bad influences that arise from the herding together of a large elderly school, the elements of which were reared in vice, and are mellowed by the more, wholesome personal influences of the homes of their employers. If they had to remain working and growing up together, whether boys or girls, we are of opinion that the favorable results would not be sufficient in number to recoup the Province the capital expended. . No one can help being struck with the excessive cleanliness of every room and building. The kitchen, even on a Saturday, when Sunday's plum-pud-dings had to be all got ready, appeared more like the well kept room of a house to let. The copper, in which the morning's porridge is all boiled for an hour three times a week, dazzling the eye with its brilliancy, the floors so clean and spotless that it seemed wrong to walk on them, all showed the minute care and attention, not only in obtaining present good management, but in imperceptibly training up the children by the best of all examples—practice—in habits of cleanliness and industry. The dormitories were especially neat and clean—each little bed, with its clean sheets and warm coverl,et far superior to what many children get in the homes of thriving parents.

The gardens and grounds around the building—some ten acres—have been very greatly improved during the past year; A. belt of fine gum trees surrounds the grounds, which present an appearance of great neatness and utility, the vegetables raised being more than sufficient for all the domestic requirements. This work, as well as all the endless detail about such a large institution in supplying firing and water, is all done by the boys with the aid of one man. Indeed, it most probably* is owing to this good out-door management that the cost of maintenance for the past year has been so much below the sum of money appropriated for the purpose—£l,lß3 being voted, while only £751 was actually expended. This reflects the highest credit on the superintendence of .Mr Britton. The whole expense of management for the last year only amounted to £1,439 16s. 5d., some £3O of that being spent in fencing improvement; and we believe that a further sum would have to be deducted, that has been paid in weekly by parents and guardians for maintenance adjudged in the Magistrate's Courts. This makes the charge only some £l2 per head. If we consider for a moment the expense to the country of our criminals—not only those in the gaol, but the far greater expense of those out of it—that vast band who live on the general industry, and through the vices of so many sap and undermine their lives and strength, this, in time to come, again a crushing burden upon the State-Mull hospitals and crowded lunatic asylums—the wisdom, even >in a political, economy view, of such an institution can hardly be over estimated. Probably over 300 children have been educated and rescued from becoming hardened criminals—a curse to themselves and to their country. Otago has reason just now to boast of her dock, her railways, her merchants' warehouses, and her wealth, but we think her, crowning glory is her Industrial School. We do not speak of the Benevolent Asylum, because that is kept up. 6n the same principle as the up-country hospitals, and is not a direct charge upon the Provincial estate.