COUNCIL PAPERS. REPORTS OF INSPECTORS OF SCHOOLS WELLINGTON. Wellington, December 7th, 1852. TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR-IN-CHIEF.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 776, 8 January 1853, Page 3

COUNCIL PAPERS. REPORTS OF INSPECTORS OF SCHOOLS WELLINGTON. Wellington, December 7th, 1852. TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR-IN-CHIEF.

Sir, — We, the undersigned, have the honor to report to your Excellency, that, according to your desire, we have visited and carefully inspected St. Joseph's Providence, erected by order of your Excellency for the education and industrial training of girls of the native and half-caste race, and granted to his Lordship the Right Rev. Dr. Viard, Catholic Bishop, and his successors. The site, consisting of one acre, is* most desirably chosen, and although in the centre of the town, it may be said to enjoy the comfort and advantages of a pleasant and picturesque country. The house, which is built (on a brick foundation) of red pine timber, well painted on the outside, and lined throughout inside With wrought white pine boards, faces the East, and consists of a centre part about forty feet long and twenty feet wide, with one wing on the North side, twenty feet in width, and projecting fifteen feet from the main building, which makes the total present length of the building about sixty feet. But when the design is completed by the addition of a wing on the South side, the total length will be increased to about eighty feet. And this addition, which is greatly to be desired, can, we perceive from the plan, be made without interfering in any way with the pupils at present in the Institution, the number

of which, on its completion, can be doubled or increased from sixteen to thirty-two. The rooms on the ground floor are about ten feet in height, and the sleeping rooms about eight and a half feet high. The ground" floor consists of an entrance hall, school room, a recreation room, a refectory, kitchen and store room. The upper floor contains the chapel in the wing and the dormitory extending the whole length of the building and divided into eighteen well lighted and ventilated bed rooms, now accommodating sixteen pupils and two schoolmistresses. It was pointed out to us that by the addition of the other wing, the dormitory could be made capable of holding the further number of sixteen girls and one schoolmistress; and as the chapel, schoolroom, recreation room, refectory and kitchen are capable of accommodating forty pupils the working value of the Institution would be thus doubled at a comparatively small cost. It is proposed to divide the ground floor of this wing into infirmary and laundry, both of paramount importance to the Institution. The out houses consist of a bath room, a washing and drying room, sheds for firewood, a place to hang up clothes, together with a good well and pumps, all in perfect order. There is also a kitchen and flower garden in front of the house with a grass plot and well gravelled space for playing. These are all well laid out and arranged, and present a pleasing appearance in front of the building. The whole of this p?rt of the acre is enclosed by a strong and substantial boarded fence which, joining at right angles with the building, forms a perfect square of about two-fifths of an acre. The remaining portion of the acre will be very soon enclosed by a live fence and laid out as a kitchen garden and orchard. We have to express our gratification with the interior arrangement of §t. Joseph's Providence, and the perfect order and excellent management with which everything is apparently conducted, and which we understand has afforded much satisfaction to numerous visitors. The time of the girls is divided between exercises of piety, study, manual work of a nature to make them useful servants, and necessary recreation. It is only two months since ' the Institution has been opened, and already the girls, by their modest and good behaviour, form a striking contrast with their old companions, and convey the idea of being children of a much superior class. We must here also beg to record our opinion of the great merit which is due to the lady who presides over the establishment. We believe the operation of St. Joseph's Providence cannot fail to make a deep ajid lasting impression on the native mind, and must be productive of the happiest results. We cannot conclude without allowing ourselves to express that the erection of this most useful Institution reflects great credit on your Excellency, and on the Catholic , prelate who has so efficiently adopted and carried out your plans. Adjoining this establishment are a boys' school and a girls' school under the management of the Catholic mission, but as they are in no way assisted by public funds, it forms no part of our duty to report upon them further than that they appear to be very efficiently managed, and with the church, convent, and Bishop's residence, are an ornament to the town, and form one of the most perfect establishments in the colony. We have the honor to be, Your Excellency's most obedient servants, Chas. Clifford, J.P., John Johnston, J.P., Inspectors of Catholic Schools for the district of Wellington.