EDUCATION: INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS. [In continuation of E.-3, 1905.]

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1906 Session II, E-03

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Session 11. 1906. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS. [In continuation of E.-3, 1905.]

Prtiented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency

No. I. EXTRACT FROM THE TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION. In December, 1905, the number on the books of all the industrial schools was 1,953, or 35 more than at the close of the year 1904. On the books of the Government Industrial Schools there were 1,420, an increase of 33 over the corresponding number for"; 1904, on the books of the private (Roman Catholic) industrial schools there were 533, or 2 more than at'jthe end of the previous year. The number in residence at Government schools was 317, and at private industrial schools 331, so that 648 was the total number of " inmates " actually in residence. The number boarded out on payment was 573, 5 being from private schools and the rest from Government schools. There were 9 girls maintained in various corrective institutions, 1 boy and 1 girl in convalescent homes, 3 boys at the School for Deafmutes, Sumner, and 11 boys at the Costley Training Institution, Auckland. The'jtotal number of inmates dependent on public funds for maintenance was therefore 1,246, or 74 more than the number at the end of 1904. The remaining 707, although still subject to control and supervision of the schools, were not dependent on them for maintenance. They may be classified as follows : Licensed to reside with friends, 189 ; at service, 437 ; boarded out without payment, 6 ; in hospital, 5 ; in mental hospitals, 4 ; under the control of the Costley Training Institution, Auckland, 5 ; in other institutions, 10 ; in gaol, 3 ; absent without leave, 48—namely, 23 from service, 23 from the schools, and 2 from friends. There were seven Government industrial schools in existence in 1905, and the numbers of inmates on their books at the end of the year were as follows : Auckland (Mount Albert), 134 ; Boys' Training Farm, Weraroa (new school), 111 ; Receiving Home, Wellington, 235 ; Receiving Home, Christchurch, 245, Burnham,f232, Te Oranga Home, 59; Caversham, 404: total, 1,420. belonging to private industrial schools were distributed as|]foHows : St. Mary's, Auckland, 141 ; St. Joseph's, Wellington, 58 ; St. Mary's, Nelson, 282 ; St. "Vincent de Paul's, Dunedin, 52 : total, 533.

TABLE J1.—Inmates, 1904 and 1905.

Boarc ■*' O CD OS OS CD CD U CD o Q a led ou CD CO cd CD u O CD P i. In Residence. S I & 1 3 a t $ <6 6 bi o P P £ P ■ o c5 P ( At Service, &c. 3 j £ 8 S | g S d £ 5 d CD 3 CD CD q S a q i 8 S co CD CD in co o co OS ® *h S d CD CD q a CD £ i5 O a, CO -a 2 Si S °> SJ £ CD 6 CD 3 CD 0> n a a n Totals. lovernment Schools — Auckland (Mount Albert) Boys'Training Farm, Weraroa Receiving Home, Wellington Te Oranga Home, Christchurch Receiving Home, Christchurch Burnham Caversham 'rivate Schools — St. Mary's, Auckland St. Joseph's, Wellington.. St. Mary's, Nelson St. Vincent de Paul's, Dunedin 64 1 63 28 .. .. | ..111 4 24 111 43 4 47 135 111 l 134 111 166 26 192 ; 1 5 6 28 9 37 195 40 235 40 I 1 41 23 5 18 63 4 59 131 6 137 8 ! 4 12 97 1 96 236 9 245 1 178 2 1 3 99 .. 179 123 | 2 97 97 26 131 226 1 132 231 199 527 1 232 404 27 123 3 5 2 1 .. I 78 9 .. i 28 2 1 | 167 10 4 31 6 87 30 177 37 57 41 110 11 3 13 6 54 135 28 69 104 280 11 47 6 2 5 ii 141 58 282 52 Totals 579 ! 603 148 103 648 767 14 55 726 1,918 174 139 1,953 548 35 4

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The number of inmates who during 1905 ceased to be under the control of industrial schools was 244. Of these 174 were discharged by warrant, 58 reached twenty-one years of age, 2 were married, and 10 died. Of this total 173 were of good character, 11 fair, and 7 bad ; 5 were weak-minded, 20 were missing, 18 were discharged under fifteen years of age (4 of whom were adopted), and 9 under and 1 over that age died. The number of deaths (10) shows an increase of 2 on the number for the previous year. The medical certificates show that of the six inmates who were boarded out at the time of death, 1 died of syphilis, 1 of bronchitis, 1 of congenital debility, 1 of hereditary syphilis, 1 of stomatitis and enteritis, and 1 of convulsions. One resident inmate died, the cause of death being marasmus. Two inmates died in the hospital, one of pneumonia and the other of asthenia pneumonia and intestinal influenza. One young man who was absent without leave was accidentally killed. The number of admissions during the year (279) shows an increase of 88 on the number for 1904. Of these 41 were sent from Auckland, 58 from Wellington, 54 from Christchurch, and 42 from Dunedin. Of the remaining 84 children, no one town sent more than 7to the schools. Of the children admitted (279) 30-12 per cent, were illegitimate. From information taken from the Magistrates' orders it is found that the religious denominations in which the children who were admitted are to be brought up are : Church of England, 129 ; Roman Catholic, 86 ; Presbyterian, 28 ; Methodist, 26 ; Church of Christ, 4 ; Baptist, 3 ; Congregational, 1 ; Jewish, 1 ; and 1 to be brought up as a Protestant.

TABLE J2.—Admissions, classified according to Parents' Circumstances and Character, 1905.

During the year the urgent need for removing the resident boys of the Caversham Industrial School from the very old and even insanitary buildings that they were occupying near Dunedin caused the Government to decide to enter into occupation of the Boys' Training Farm, Weraroa, in the Wellington District, although it was recognised that for a time the accommodation would be very limited. The boys arrived from Caversham at their new home on the 2nd November, and already there is evidence that they will quickly settle down to the new conditions, which undoubtedly will be in almost every way a distinct advance upon those prevailing at Caversham. The scheme for the buildings provides for a large central administrative block, with dormitories for about sixty boys attached, four or five "cottages. each capable of accommodating twelve or fourteen boys, the manager's residence, office, laundry, workshops, engine-house, dairy, stables, and other farm buildings. In planning the buildings and works the predominant idea has been that the principal functions of such an industrial school are to give the boys a good moral training, together with a sound public-school education ; to teach various branches of farm-work and agriculture, dairying, fruit-growing, and gardening; to give them a good general knowledge of such trades as carpentry and blacksmithing ; and to provide other suitable occupations

•receden Condition of Childrei admit >ed in 191 )5. CD *t — coos 4ss- O0 can CD CD - a,a a •go o a» s P' I id i.. ; «g ! pi GO Is ! «> M<D * .S3 ' o I If 1 O © £§■ CO---O 3 <3^ | Fathers, described as Mothers, described as a CD a a wi a a3 H < Total. o OS CD a Dead Dead Good Questionable Bad Deserter .. Dead Bad Dead Physically unfit Mentally unfit Good Questionable Bad Deserter .. Dead Mentally unfit Good Questionable Bad Unknown Dead Good Questionable Bad Good Questionable Deserter Dead Mentally unfit Good Questionable Bad Unknown 2 7 l 3 1 9 4 22 1 9 1 2 1 13 1 13 58 14 15 2 9 1 17 11 8 1 1 6 9 2 4 5 3 3 2 19 10 6 6 i 6 3 i i 2 1 1 Physically unfit l Good 7 1 7 13 5 4 2 4 4 7 3 3 6 7 1 7 8 2 27 3 i 1 1 1 Questionable i 10 8 i 2 7 6 1 l Bad" 4 i 4 1 3 4 3 3 2 15 9 3 5 5 1 2 Deserter i i Unknown i l 2 1 3 i Totals 119 1 32 49 13 02 279

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Name of School. It. Mary's, Auckland it. Joseph's, Wellington It. Mary's, Nelson it. Vincent de Paul's, Dunedin Totals Name of School. ! ~ T~~ ' " 7 — Gross Cost. - Recoveries. Net Cost. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. 965 0 6 154 19 8 810 0 10 .-. - 249 0 0 31 12 9 217 7 3 1,025 10 7 319 10 3 706 0 4 74 14 8 20 9 10 54 4 10 .. j 2,314 5 9 526 12 6 1,787 13 3 Net Cost.

for those incapable of heavy work ; in short, to prepare the boys for the stations in life and the occupations that they are individually best fitted for. The return for the expenditure is seen when many colonists, who would otherwise have been found in the ranks of the unfit, show themselves to be sturdy farmers and artisans who have learned their business under good conditions. This institution is open for the reception of boys who do not need reformatory treatment, but are not suitable for boarding out, by reason either of their age or temperament. The removal of the Caversham boys to Weraroa effects another important achievement in the development of the industrial-school system of the colony : there is now no industrial school at which girls reside where boys over ten years of age are resident inmates. The purpose of the Caversham Industrial School is now similar to that of the Auckland Industrial School —it is for girls of any age, so long as they do not need reformatory treatment; and for boys not too old or too wild to be boarded out, or who can be placed at once at service. Among the problems to be dealt with in the work of making our industrial-school system an increasingly powerful means of advancing the general well-being of the community, the most important, and certainly the most difficult, is that of dealing with that section of the reformatory inmates—both young men and young women —whose dangerously sensual and criminal tendencies hamper the general work of reforming the other inmates. Happily, neither in Burnham nor in Te Oranga Home are the numbers of such cases large, although it is idle to deny that there are a few in each institution who should be entirely separated from the others—that is to say, that another grade in the classification scheme should be instituted. To do this other buildings must be erected, either as separate institutions or as annexes to the existing schools, but they must be thoroughly isolated. There are in the gaols of the colony, no doubt, a proportion of the younger prisoners who have similar characteristics. Probably the cases of this class from the reformatories and those from the gaols should be brought together in institutions specially equipped to deal with them. There are some of these young people who, either from mental deficiency or moral obliquity, seem impervious to all efforts made in their behalf; and as the industrial-schools law is at present there is no power to detain inmates after they reach twenty-one years of age. The matter is of grave concern, and the question of providing for these unfortunates is one that intimately affects the public weal. At the end of 1905 there was in the Post Office Savings-Bank on account of the earnings of inmates of Government industrial schools a sum of £15,457 lis. 4d., and on account of inmates of private industrial schools £3,673 ss. Id. For inmates of Government schools a sum of £1,819 lis. 9d. was withdrawn during the year, and for inmates of private schools £272 16s. lOd. In Table J3 is shown the cost of the Government schools, in which is included|the expenditure for the maintenance of inmates boarded out and the salaries of the resident staffs and medical officers ; it also shows the cost of supervision of all inmates who are licensed to reside away from the schools; and, further, the amounts of the recoveries from Charitable Aid Boards, from persons against whom orders for maintenance have been made, and from the sale of farm-produce, &c. The total amount contributed by parents towards the maintenance of their children was £2,935 16s. 2d., being at the rate of £2 7s. ljd. per head of the total number of children (1,246) maintained at the public cost.

TABLE J3. —Expenditure on Government Schools, 1905.

Table .14 shows the payments made by the Government on account of inmates in private industrial schools, the recoveries, and the net expenditure by Government. The contributions from Charitable Aid Boards are made directly' to the managers of these schools, and are not included in the recoveries shown.

TABLE J4.—Government Expenditure on Private (Roman Catholic) Schools, 1905.

Government School. School Cost of School. Boarding out. Salaries. (Included in first (Included in first column.) column.) * Recoveries. Net Cost. £ s. d. Auckland (Mount Albert) .. 2,174 4 7 Boys' Training Farm, Weraroa 7,825 8 8 Receiving Home, Wellington.. 3,910 2 1 TeOrangaHome .. .. 1,483 14 9 Receiving Home. Christchurch 3,691 2 9 Burnham .. .. .. 5,522 10 11 Caversham .. .. .. 8,122 11 9 £ s. d. 2,174 4 7 7,825 8 8 3,910 2 1 1,483 14 9 3,691 2 9 5,522 10 11 8,122 11 9 £ s. d. £ s. d. 1,051 2 0 373 9 6 412 14 0 2,742 14 9 322 15 4 594 3 5 2,460 10 10 381 19 0 2,016 7 10 2,882 14 5 1,435 19 7 £ s. d. 1,083 18 7 695 4 8 2,295 1 10 61 7 6 1,944 4 2 592 12 1 4,231 13 2 £ s. d. 1,090 6 0 7,130 4 0 1,615 0 3 1,422 7 3 1,746 18 7 4,929 18 10 3,890 18 7 Totals .. .. 32,729 15 6 32,729 15 6 9,137 2 0 5,537 8 8 10,904 2 0 21,825 13 6 Salaries and expenses of assistant inspectors am Travelling-expenses of managers and others Refund of inmates' earnings Contingencies visiting officers 2,193 16 11 271 4 7 50 9 10 173 8 10 Total net cost 24,514 13 8

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The other payments made by Government are shown in the following table : —

TABLE J5. Summary of Expenditure on Special Cases at other Institutions and Private Homes, 1905.

No. 2. ADDITIONAL STATISTICS. Inmates, 31st December, 1905.

Government Schools. a 11.3 II 'III I H « | £ MS 5 I Private (Roman Catholic) Schools. cfi ha h o gg Total. S CD CO Total. Auckland— £ s. d. Costley Training Institution 284 18 0 St. Mary's Home, Otahuhu 4 10 8i " Door of Hope " Home .. 2 0 0' Private Homes .. .. 3 12 10i Wanganui— Mission Home .. Napier— Bethany Home Wellington- — Levin Memorial Home ...i Private Homes .. .. Cbristchurch— Mount Magdala. Gordon Street Refuge Children's Convalescent! Cottage Home Private Homes .. .. ! i ! £ s. d.£ s. d.,£ s. d.£ s. d.l £ s. d.l£ s. d. £ s. d. .. ! 3 17 0,288 15 0 ! .. 4 10 8 .. i .. 2 0 0 i .. ..,,.. .. 3 12 101 .. \U 15 5 24 15 5 9 14 0; .. .. 9 14 0 £ s. d. 288 15 0 4 10 8 2 0 0 3 12 10 24 15 5 9 14 0 i . i I I 13 0 0; .. .. 13 0 Oi .. 3 9 6i.. .. .. 896.. 57 12 0 .. .. , 57 12 o'lO 8 010 8 0 3 0 0 5 0 Oj .. 8 0 0| ..180 .. 1 8 0 1 I .. i63 4 21 .. 63 4 2 13 0 0 3 9 6 68 0 0 8 0 0 1 8 0 03 4 2 Total .. 295 1 6 16 9 6 ! 70 6 0 69 12 21 3 17 0J455 6 2 35 3 5 35 3 5 490 9 7

. Grover: ;Sci: hooli •rival ;e Schoc )lS. A! 1 Bchoi sis. timen Inmates. 1 ! 03 a ; 3 o 3 I tip 3 • l •~ ■ SjD 3 ■ o <s , g . o i 'Sgl Elf & * « is m ; B. B. G. \ - ! CD . a cd ga o ° EH CSD .So ~ c a o H d| a o U o a a & a S 3 P3 CflfQ V.3 |3 . 3 ax 30 8$ to § Si* tn ba ■=! CD m a co 3 cd-. a 2 aS 3 cd CD DQ 3 £ CO O h Ph B.jG. B. G. CD CO" >s "£ o .a n <3 o EH d o ,3 3 o G. B. G. B. B. G. BG. G. G. In the schools Boarded out With friends At service In hospitals, convalescent homes, &c. In mental hospitals In School for Deafmutes, Sumner At Costley Training Institution Under control of refuges or cognate institutions Under control of orphanage, cottage home, &c. In gaol Absent without leave Totals ( 24 25 2 ;2o Ill 4 118 10 9 I 2 2 74 7j 4 ! 41 6 73 8 32 2 6 64 6 43 1 97 3 38 64 1 96 40 79 25 S3 12 59 1 34 53 30 126 51 1 11 17 37 4 6 5 379 328 129 238 5 269 251 60 199 2 648 579 189 437 7 287 528 111 304 6 361 51 78 133 1 38 2 3 9 3 15 4 12 16 28 36 1 • • ,.. i i 1 1 1 2 3 2 4 3 2 2 2 1 16 16 16 15 1 • • 5 2 13 13 7 6 3 26 3 43 3 48 2 33 15 4 i -6 ! •• 3 *7 "i •• "5 60 74 111 143 21 92 59 123 122 224 ! 4C ! 180 34 55 86 58 199' 52 1,147 806 1,953 1,303, ;650 232 83 24, <i$' l,9i

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Numbers of 1904 and 1905 compared.

.dm: :tted dubing Government Ichools. Private Schools. All Schools. Admitted as a * Ik Q P < .3 2 "5 r-l 3 IS © a . o a M° Si '»% 03 H i 6 I o I IH si Ojo a 03 rl O H • ! a~ o o a «3 1 i?| a ■p .2 ' 3 Is w coO 3n a d ca fi CD P> =3 O M u 3 <! aTcrj >,fl % 02 ."a la 0 « co a ■§ w © O 3 CD 03 B. G. B. B. G. B. G. B. G. B. G. B. G. G. B. G. G. OD >. O C3 EH Destitute .. 1 1 2 j 24 24 , .. 10 Under section 7 of .. .. 1 i .. .... "The Children's Protection Act, 1893." Vagrant.. ..3116224 Associating with dis- 2 5 .. : 3 2 1 4 reputable parsons Uncontrollable .. 2 .. .. 1 .... Accused or guilty of 2 2 5 punishable offences 1 1 2 1 24 24 ; .. 10 6 1 I 14 12 .. 1 . 10 1 12 62 1 57 119 1 8 2 2 2 1 5 2 1 6 3 1 2 2 2 1 .. 5 4 4 9 . 3 ! _■'.: 3 i 4 | 1 30 6 ! .. I j ' '2 1 4 i . ■ I . | ..!.., 4 10 1 4 .. .. 2 1 1 10 .. j .. i '' ' 11 ! 3 30 8 3 3 3 23 18 12 50 9 31 1 9 32 49 13 59 By arrangement Transferred from 1 gaol ' 10 9 4 34 28 9 18 Totals .. \ ■ —,. - - , • r (19 62 3E 9 4 34 .. j 28 9 18 15 1 I 1 | 1 I I 40 27 | 15 42 7 7 12 2 2 170 1 1 109 8 3 279 J3 II 17 Disci IHAE jes, 1905. Government Schc hools. Pr ■ivate Schools. All Ichools. i « .Receiving . Receiving Cause of Discliflrpp Am-klanrl ! Home, & 2 Home, iJisonarge. [AUCKlana.j Welllng . B | Cbristton - ©ffi church. B ! B. G. B. I G. G. B. I G. ! i i ig | st ' Burnham. i Si™" i Mary's, ! shara - Auckland. & m St. 8 a Mary's, iSh Nelson. ; co aft G. B. j G. S 0) rl B. I G. i B. ! G. i B. G. B. J G. G. c/i Eh o K .3 o G. B. Warrant of discharge Death Reached age of 21 years Marriage Totals J 2 6 .. 2 1 1 1 i 1 I 17 7 3 ! 32 46 23 6 \ 5 i .. .. .. i i : .. 8 10 5 3 i .. : 2 I [ | 8 , 11 42 51 27 7 ! 7 ~~19 78 14 7 1 5 1 21 1 2 9 | 5 3 '.. 115 59 4 6 33 25 2 152 92 174 10 58 2 2 8 10~ 2 14 24 12 : 5 , —• 16 244 17

Inmates. At End of Year Decrease. 1904. 1905. In the schools Boarded out With friends At service In hospitals, convalescent homes, &c. In mental hospitals Sohool for Deaf-mutes, Sumner At Costley Training Institution Under control of refuges or cognate institutions Under control of orphanage, cottage home, &c. In gaol Absent without leave 603 548 178 494 5 4 3 12 16 8 3 44 648 579 189 437 7 4 3 16 13 6 3 48 + 45 + 31 + 11 - 57 + 2 + 4 - 3 - 2 + 4 Totals .. 1,918 1,953 + 35

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No. 3. REPORTS OF THE MEDICAL OFFICERS.

AUCKLAND. Government School, Mount Albert. Sir,— • Auckland, 10th May, 1906. In reference to the Auckland Industrial School I have to report that in the year ending the 31st March, 1906, there have been no cases of serious disease, and all the cases of minor importance have done well. Two cases of injury to limbs from accidental falls have made good recoveries. The house and grounds are in good order, and everything goes on in the usual satisfactory manner. Many of the children give promise of becoming a credit to the country and to the system under which they have happily been brought up. Probably a word from your office would induce the local Road Board to provide a proper entrance from the public road to the front gate of the institution. I am, &c, A. G. Purchas, M.R.C.S. Eng. The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

St. Mary's (Roman Catholic) Girls' School, Ponsonby. Sir — Quite recently I made a thorough examination of the above institution. I went through every department most minutely. The sanitary lavatories and water-supply are very good, the dormitories well ventilated, and bedding most comfortable. The food is good and well varied ; and cleanliness a speciality throughout the institution. The health of the children has been exceptionally good. I have, &c, The Secretary for Education, Wellington. W. J. Darby, Hon. Medical Officer.

St. Mary's (Roman Catholic) Boys' School, Lake Takapuna. Sir,— Auckland, 22nd April, 1906. This home is well kept, the bedrooms clean and well ventilated ; the out-offices are in good condition and well kept. The children are healthy and well cared for. There has been no case of infectious disease during the last four months. I have, &c, W. Grattan Guinness, M.D., D.P.H., The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

WELLINGTON. Government Receiving Home. Sir,, — Wellington, 10t,h May, 1906. We have the honour to report that we have visited and inspected the Wellington Receiving Home at regular intervals throughout the year, and attended professionally the children there, as well as those at the foster-homes in the district. The sanitary arrangements at the Home are all that could be desired, and every attention has been paid to the general order and cleanliness of the establishment. Certain repairs to the buildings have been effected, but it is still defective in the number and size of the rooms, which lead to the inconvenience and dangers of overcrowding referred to in our last report. There has been no epidemic sickness during the year, and no serious ailment has arisen to any of the inmates during their stay in the Home ; while the illnesses from which the little ones so frequently suffer on admission have been readily and speedily remedied under the earnest and sympathetic care they receive at the hands of those in charge. We have, &c, W. A. Chapple, M.D., M.R.C.S., D.P.H. The Secretary for Education. D. J. McGavin, M.D., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. Medical Officers.

St. Joseph's (Roman Catholic) Girls' School, Wellington. Sir,— Wellington, 30th April, 1906. I have the honour to furnish the annual report on St. Joseph's Industrial School, Wellington, for the year ending the 31st March, 1906. My annual examination was made on the 20th April, 1906, and I found the inmates happy, cheerful, and in the best of health. The dormitories, class, dining, and work rooms were scrupulously clean and well ventilated, and the sanitary arrangements in first-class order. During the year I made a thorough examination of the institution monthly. There were no cases of severe illness until November, 1905, when two inmates contracted influenza, and this was followed by pneumonia. One of them was sent to the Hospital, and died at that institution on the 30th November, 1905.

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I must again thank Sister Ambrose for her untiring zeal in looking aftei the health of thp children and trust she will remain with them for many years. I have, &c, P. Mackin, M.D., F.R.C.S. Ed., The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

NELSON. St. Mary's (Roman Catholic) Boys' School, Stoke. Sir,— . Nelson, 15th May, 1906. The year, medically speaking, has been uneventful. There has been no epidemic disease during the year. The health of the boys has been particularly good. No deaths occurred during the year. The new buildings are excellent and sanitary, but the septic tank is not all that can be desired ; the filter-beds often smell. The simplest remedy would be to carry the effluent by a pipe some distance down the valley, then to make the filter-beds so as to have them at a considerable distance from the buildings. I have, &c, Jas. Hudson, M.B. (Lond.), The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

St. Mary's (Roman Catholic) Girls' School, Nelson. Sir,— Nelson, 15th May, 1906. During the year there has been no epidemic disease. The health in general of the inmates has been particularly good. Two deaths have occurred in the institution during the year —one Sister, Mary St. Clair ; one baby, aged three months and a half, from marasmus. The new wash-houses, .fee, now being erected will be a great improvement I have, &c, Jas. Hudson, M.B. (Lond.), The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

CANTERBURY. Government School, Te Oranga Home. Sir,— Christchurch, 20th April, 1906. I have the honour to report that the health of the inmates of this Home has been generally good during the past year. There have been no severe illnesses. On making my.monthly inspection of dormitories, class, dining, and other rooms I found them always scrupulously clean. I consider much credit is.,due to Mrs. Branting's good management and untiring energy. At present the buildings are so arranged that the inmates are divided into two classes. It would be a great advantage if accommodation could be made so as to arrange the girls into three classes, and thus to separate the worst types of girls from the others. I have, &c, A. Moorhouse, M.8., Ch.B., ■ The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

Government Receiving Home, Christchurch. Sir,— Christchurch, 20th April, 1906. I have the honour to report that there has been no epidemic of sickness during the past year. One baby aged four months died of bronchitis, but he was one of twins and had been feeble from birth. F. A. died at Nurse Maude's men's camp for consumptives, while under Dr. Greenwood's care, from pulmonary tuberculosis. The Home has been kept scrupulously clean and neat, and the best made of the very limited accommodation of the cottage which is being used for the Home. The roomsaresmall, and at times are too crowded,.for]the health of the inmates. I am, &c, A. Moorhouse, M.8., Ch.B., The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

Government School, Burnham. Sir, — Christchurch, Ist June, 1906. I have the honour to submit the following report on the Burnham Industrial School for the past year. The health of the school has been generally good with the exception of occasional slight outbreaks of sore throat and of boils, which I attribute to the gas given off by the septic tank, especially when pumped out for the irrigation of the garden. The remedy, if not too expensive, would be to pass the effluent through coke filters, as is done at the Benevolent Asylum at Dunedin. One death has occurred from heart-disease, in the case of a boy named M., who was sent home to his mother in Dunedin. This boy was seriously ill when he came to Burnham, and he was only a short time there.

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The conduct of the boys has appeared to me better than previously. If about a dozen of the incorrigible type could be sent to a training-ship there would be more hope of improving them, and their removal would be a vast benefit to the rest of the school. The two cottage homes, in each of which six of the best boys live under the care of a married couple, have proved very useful ; but more of these cottages are wanted, both for the boys and for the attendants. Burnham is such an uncomfortable place to live at, on account of the absence of all society and recreation, that the only means of inducing good men to remain there as attendants is to give them cottages in which they can live with their families. If double cottages were provided it would obviate the risk of the wives being left alone. The Burnham boys are generally smart and clever, and receive good school and technical education ; but what they are most deficient in is truthfulness, honesty, and moral qualities. I think this deficiency would be best supplied by the constant influence of attendants, preferably married, with special aptitude for the work, and devoted to the improvement of the boys. There should be no more difficulty in getting the work done by married attendants at Burnham than at Sunnyside. I am very pleased to note that a good gymnasium is being erected, with separate* ? divisions for each of the three classes of boys. About forty of the boys have each their own garden-plot, and appear to take great interest in them. The school garden is an admirable picture, including 7 acres of vegetables, 5 acres of orchard, and \ acre of nursery for propagating young trees. Over 10 tons of vegetables have been sent to various charitable institutions during the year, and 5,000 trees have been planted on the farm. A good-mark system was introduced some years ago by which boys earn from Id. to Is. a week for good conduct, and this has produced a good effect on the discipline. The boys enjoyed their month's holiday on Quail Island. Mr. Garrard instructed twelve boats' crews of four each in regular boat-drill. The camp was conducted on military lines ; Major Sandford was executive officer and drilled the boys. All the boys are taught swimming, and over 75 per cent, of them can swim. I have, &c, W. H. Symes, M.D., B.Sc, The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

OTAGO. Government School, Caversham. Sir,— Dunedin, 31st March, 1906. I have the honour to furnish you with my usual annual report on the state of matters affecting the health and the general sanitary condition of the Caversham Industrial School. The proposed alterations in regard to the school—more especially the removal of the boys to Weraroa and the conversion of the school into a training-school for girls exclusively —was naturally a matter of anxiety. The change was effected on 31st October last, and under the management of Miss Stewart, Acting-Manager, has resulted in a complete success. The characters of the twenty-seven girls who are in residence at this date admit of being studied individually and their faults corrected as required. The general tone is commendable. I would reiterate that the experimental stage is past, and the authorities can be congratulated on the success of the alteration. With regard to the sanitary condition of the school, I know that the Government Board of Works is anxiously urging on the Dunedin Drainage Board the connection of their extended sewer with a drainpipe from the school. This step would obviate a deal of unpleasant work which exists at present. I have, &c, Robert Burns, F.R.C.S.E., The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

St. Vincent de Paul's (Roman Catholic) Girls' School, Dunedin. Sir,— Dunedin, 12th May, 1906. I have the honour to submit the annual medical report of the Industrial School of St. Vincent de Paul, South Dunedin, for the year ending the 31st March, 1906. With the exception of a few minor ailments the health of the inmates has been particularly good, no deaths having occurred and no infectious disease shown itself during the year. Clean, judiciously fed, and properly clothed, the children are happy and show every sign of the careful attention of the sisters. The hygienic and sanitary arrangementsffpf the institution are in a very satisfactory condition. I have, &c, Eugene J. O'Neill, M.8., F.R.C.S.E., The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer. .

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