E.—3b

8

The Manager, the llev. Father Mahoney, is blamable for having allowed the management of the school to practically pass out of his hands. He appears to have intrusted the entire control to the Brothers in charge, failed to make himself familiar with the discipline of the school while under their care, and, in the absence of any complaints by inmates or other persons, either to himself or to the chaplain, assumed the management by the Brothers to be satisfactory in every respect. This having gone on for some years, the Brothers have come to regard themselves as to a great extent independent of the Manager. This must not be allowed to continue; the personal responsibility and control of the Manager must be recognised. We are of opinion that, although, as a general rule, the Manager should be resident on the premises, still, having regard to the fact that Father Mahoney was practically the founder of the institution, that his interest in it has been unceasing, that he is personally very much respected by former and present inmates, and that we hold him innocent of any knowledge of those severities and shortcomings which we have condemned, he should remain the approved Manager of the school, although residing at Nelson. During our sittings the Provincial of the Marist Brothers gave evidence before us, and informed us that the Order recognises the overriding authority of Father Mahoney as Manager in the management of the school, including the right to remove any member of the staff if, in his opinion, he is unsuitable. The witness also expressed a willingness and desire that the school should be placed under the same regulations in all respects as the Government schools in regard to matters mentioned in section 46 of the Act of 1882, except as to religious instruction. On action taken by the Manager, Father Mahoney, the Brothers Loetus, Wybertus, and Kilian have been removed, and their places filled by Brothers new to the school. While we recognise that no complaint has been made against, or any unfitness shown by, the remaining members of the old staff, some of whom—more particularly Brother Augustine —have been spoken of as kind Brothers, it will, in our opinion, be in the interests of the institution to gradually replace them by Brothers unassociated with the past administration of the school, of British nationality, and of cheerful disposition. The right of inspection of industrial schools is governed by sections 49 and 50 of " The Industrial Schools Act, 1882." Under section 49, all members of both Houses of Parliament, Judges of the Suj»reme Court, all Magistrates, Inspectors appointed under the Act, and all persons authorised in that behalf by the Minister, have the right to inspect any Government or local school, while, by section 50, the right of inspection of private schools is limited to Inspectors appointed under the Act, and Inspectors of the Education Department appointed for that purpose. There is no definition by statute of the powers of Inspectors. All classes of industrial schools are subject to any regulations made under the Act (section 47) in regard to inspection, but no such regulations have been made of which we have any knowledge. It appears to us that this right of inspection of private schools given by the Act is sufficient if the power to appoint Inspectors is exercised so that some two or more persons, one of whom should be, if possible, a medical man, resident in the district in which the school is situate, are appointed Inspectors or Official Visitors, and their powers clearly defined. We do not consider it right to flood any institution of this character, public or private, with a large visiting body. If, however, it is thought desirable to extend the right of inspection, it might be given, in addition to Inspectors, to all members of both Houses of Parliament, Judges, Stipendiary Magistrates, and the Chairman of the Charitable Aid Board of the district in which the school is situate. We feel very strongly that the Act should be so amended that all regulations in respect of the employment, education (other than religious instruction), diet, clothing, correction, and industrial training of the inmates shall apply to all schools under the Act; and in making this strong recommendation we are supported by the assurance given by Father Mahoney, and the Provincial of the Marist Brothers, that they would welcome a change which would put them on the same lines as the Government schools in respect to the matters above mentioned. We think it very important that a duly qualified medical man should be appointed to visit the school periodically, whose duty it should be to inspect—not in a perfunctory manner—the inmates and dormitories, and to record in a book kept for the purpose the result of his visits. All punishments should be reported to this officer at his first following inspection.