B.— 3a.

Sess. 1T.—1897. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: THE COSTLEY TRAINING INSTITUTION. ("THE COSTLEY TRAINING INSTITUTION ACT, 1885.") [In continuation of E-3a, 1896.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by command of His Excellency.

The annual meeting in connection with the Costley Training Institution was held on Thursday evening, 21st January, 1897, at the building, Eichmond Eoad, Auckland. The annual report and balance-sheet for 1896 was read, as follows :— At the close of another year, the trustees have the pleasure of reporting that the work of the institution has been quietly and satisfactorily carried on during the preceding twelve months. The objects for which Mr. Costley denied himself the luxuries and many of the pleasures of this life have been duly regarded, and, to some extent, furthered; and the benefits he contemplated have been conferred on a number of boys and girls, who but for his benevolent aid and forethought would have been left to fight the battle of life under difficulties and hindrances that would have left them but little chance of victory. They are now enabled to make a good start, and those who pass through the institute leave it well trained and furnished for the struggle, and success then depends chiefly on their own energy and good behaviour. May they ever look to Him who alone can give them strength and grace to continue in the right way ! There are twenty-three boys now in the Home, of whom fourteen are learning different trades, and the others, being too young for apprenticeship, attend the nearest Government school, and in the evenings practical instruction is given by a competent mechanic in the workshops in such work as carpentering, blacksmithing, plumbing, &c, as will be useful to them in what occupation they may follow in after-life. With one exception, the conduct of the inmates has been very good. The manager, Mr. Earnsay, has succeeded in maintaining a quiet and willing submission to a mild discipline. This is the more satisfactory as youths of seventeen and eighteen may naturally be expected to be somewhat impatient of a restraint which is imperative where a number of lads from twelve to eighteen years of age are congregated together. He has been materially aided by Mrs. Eamsay, whose kindly maternal interest in her charges has secured their good-will and affection. The exceptional case was that of a boy who was convicted before the Eesident Magistrate of stealing a valuable ring. The trustees have ever been most anxious to exclude the criminal element from the institution, and of impressing on the boys the necessity of maintaining its good reputation, and they referred the case to the Government, who authorised the boy being transferred to the Industrial School at Burnham. The health of the inmates has been generally very good ; there has been but one case of serious illness. A boy had a severe attack of typhoid fever and was removed to the hospital, from which he was discharged, after over two months' care and treatment, thoroughly restored to health. Minor cases of sickness and trifling accidents have been attended to at the Home by Dr. Knight, the honorary surgeon, to whom the thanks of the trustees are due for his prompt and ready attention to every ailment brought under his notice. The trustees also record their thanks to Mr. Kirker, the manager of the South British Insurance Company, for a handsome gift of twenty-four volumes of interesting books for the use of the boys, and would be glad if others would follow this excellent example. Besides the twenty-three boys at present in the institution, there are other four who have been placed in the country, and four who have been licensed to live with relatives who have desired to take charge of them, and there are five girls still on the rolls who are either at work or in domestic service. The trustees have determined, as a general rule, that where it appears desirable that boys should follow a country life rather than be brought up to a trade they should remain at the institution till they are sixteen years of age, and receive such technical instruction as would be most useful to them when engaged in farming pursuits. The total house expenditure for the year on account of the twenty-three boys maintained at the institution has been £624 2s. 6d., or just £27 per head, made up as follows : Food, £13 145.; fuel, gas, and sundries, £3 125.; clothing, £3; superintendence and servant, £7 4s. : total, £27. The amount appropriated from the boys' earnings towards their maintenance has been £215 Os. 7d.,