E.—6a

16

3. — Extract from a Report of the Inspector- General of Schools. The school is well furnished with all necessary appliances for teaching, cooking, bathing, &c, but suffers from want of out-door space. The children appear to be well cared for, and are orderly and well-behaved. I understand that Mr. Restell has lately examined them. I shall look for his detailed report with interest. My own opinion is that they are backward in general intelligence. G-ood reading is a fair test of intelligence, and the reading—particularly in the girls' school—is not very good. 26th November, 1880. Wi. Jas. Habens.

4 — Report by Mr. Restell. Sib,-— Education Office, Christchurch, 28th February, 1881. I have the honor to report that I have examined the Lyttelton Orphan Asylum Schools. The school-work has been interrupted by sickness, convalescence, the removal of the orphans to, and their stay at, Quail Island. The schools are in good order. Satisfactory progress has been made since mv last examination, upon which I reported fully, and made some suggestions. I have, &c, The Chairman, Education Board. J. P. Restell.

No. 11. Btjenham Industrial School. I.— Memorandum by the Inspector-General of Schools. The statistics of the school are shown with sufficient detail in the Eeport of the Minister of Education (25th June, 1881), in a Parliamentary paper (E.-l, 1881). I visited, the school for the first time on the 24th. of January, 1880. My report dealt first with the question of drainage, which has since been very satisfactorily settled; and next with the necessity for increased dormitory space, which has been amply provided for by the building of a new schoolroom and a house for the manager. Nothing worse than a little trouble and temporary inconvenience was endured, by having to make up beds in places not devoted to dormitory purposes, until the space occupied by the school and the master's family was set free by the occupation of the new buildings. The health of the children has always been wonderfully good. In the early part of the year it became manifest that the manager was not quite equal to the duties he had to perform. His services were therefore dispensed with, and Mr. Maddison was appointed, and began work in April, 1880. After visiting the institution in November (on the 2nd, 3rd, and 29th), I reported as follows: "Mr and Mrs. Maddison appear to me to be well fitted for the work they have undertaken. They have been steadily making improvements ever since they entered upon their duties." In the same report (of which a copy is attached) I strongly recommended a reorganization of the dayschool, the results of its work at that time being very unsatisfactory, as evidenced by Mr. Edge's report and the state of the children when I examined them myself. A new schoolmaster has since been appointed. Mr. Pope visited the school on the 10th and 11th of June, ISBI, and his report affords reason for believing that a great improvement has been effected. The schoolmaster's wife was to have been his assistant in the school. She, however, has found it necessary to resign, and her place has been filled by a new appointment made only a few weeks ago. The last occasion on which I spent a few hours at the institution was in April. I saw many signs of progress, and nothing to call for adverse criticism, except a temporary want of a mistress for the junior classes in the school. Mr. Titchener, the Manager of the Caversham Industrial School, rendered very good service by visiting Burnham School several times to advise Mr. Maddison, while he was new to his work. Wellington, July, 1881. Wm. Jas. Habens.

Enclosure. Report on Burnham Industrial School. (Inspected 2nd, 3rd, and 29th November, 1880.) Me. and Mrs. Maddison appear to me to be well fitted for the work they have undertaken. They have been steadily making improvements ever since they entered upon their duties. The new schoolhouse is in process of erection on the site which I marked out for it on the 3rd ultimo. It will look to the north-east, and the playsheds behind will be in full view of the glazed corridor near the kitchen. Between the schoolhouse and the main building, space is left for a residence for the manager, which I think will one day be required. The school stands in a front corner of the girls' playground, overlooking a small garden, and placed so as to conceal the girls' bathroom and closets from the view of persons approaching the institution by the main drive. Unless the number of inmates should increase more rapidly than usual, there will be ample sleeping room when the present schoolrooms are set free for dormitory purposes. In the interval between my visits of the 3rd and 29th ultimo, a rearrangement of bedsteads was made, and by this means room has been found for more beds, so that no two boys have to sleep together. I did not approve of Mr. Maddison's proposal to remove the partition between the two dormitories. I showed him that the economy of space which he aimed at could not be secured in that way, and I suggested that sufficiently free circulation of air might be obtained by removing only that part of the partition which is above the girders. I find that Dr. Prins's proposal to have a detached building with a kitchen, for the infants and nurse, is quite independent of the question of enlarged accommodation in the main building, and is recommended as being in any case desirable. There is a cottage on wheels now standing in the girls' playground, and used as a dayroom for the infants. Mr. Maddison suggests that an immigration cottage standing empty in the neighbourhood might be removed, and added to the cottage now in use,