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Mount Magdala, Christchurch. The work at this institution is being carried out on the same lines as formerly. The girls under Government control are in very good health. The question of dealing with young women who upon reaching twenty-one years of age are morally unfitted to leave the asylum is an important but most difficult one. Mother Aubert's Mission Home at Jerusalem, Wanganui River, has been periodically visited by the Lady Visitor appointed by the Minister; and the Levin Memorial Home and St. Mary's Home, Karori, Wellington, at both of which girls belonging to the Wellington Receiving Home are maintained, have been visited by the manager of the last-named institution.

No. 4. REPORTS OF MEDICAL OFFICERS. Auckland. Sir,— Auckland, sth July, 1902. In reporting on the health of the children under my charge in connection with the Auckland Industrial School, I have again the pleasure of saying that there has been no death among them. There have been several cases requiring operation under chloroform, all of which were successfully performed by Dr. A. Challinor Purchas, and resulted in recovery. One, which was for necrosis of the tibia, has saved the limb, and enabled the boy to regain his health. Another was the means of restoring sight to a girl who would have become blind. Others were for removing obstructions to the breathing, and one for a large and troublesome naevus. One girl has been much benefited by medical treatment after suffering for a long time from mental weakness. We have not had any epidemic, but occasional instances of ordinary children's complaints. In the Home itself everything has gone on to my entire satisfaction. lam glad to find that some needed improvements in sanitary matters are being carried out. I have, &c , A. G. Purchas, M.R.C.S. Eng., The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

Canterbury. Sir,— Christchurch, 21st July, 1902. I have the honour to report that I visited the Burnham Industrial School regularly every month during the past year. On each occasion I inspected all the boys, after which I made a careful individual examination of all those who complained of anything, or who seemed to require attention. From April to October about 25 per cent, of the boys presented themselves for examination, but from October to March only half that proportion made any complaint. The complaints are generally trivial, except in the case of boys with hereditary deficiency. The boys are most of them healthy, strong, and well nourished. There has been a better milk-supply this year than formerly, and much less cod-liver oil has been required. The recommendation which I made in my last annual report, that a night-watchman should be appointed, has been carried out, with the best results. Bad habits of a secret nature are, however, still a cause of injury to body and mind, though less so than in the previous year. To effect further improvement we require more classification, which means more buildings. There has been lately a marked increase in the number of big lads, who are practically young men. The known character of these lads, some of whom have been in gaol, suggests some anxiety lest they should at any time require more means of controlling them than Burnham affords at present. The excellent discipline maintained by the manager has hitherto been effective in preventing any serious misconduct, but it is well known that indulgence in vicious personal habits renders an individual liable to explosive outbursts of impulsive violence. I have, &c, W. H. Symes, M.D., The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Medical Officer.

Otago. Sir,— Dunedin, 31st March, 1902. I have the honour to furnish you with my annual report on the health of the inmates of the Caversham Industrial School. The general health of the children has been good, and any diseases complained of have been of a minor type. It is a matter of congratulation that with our much increased numbers no death has occurred in the school since my last report. A boy, aged twelve years, died of spinal cavies in the house of his foster-mother after a long illness. He was a hunchback from childhood. This deformity was so aggravated that life would have been one long misery. In this case death was truly a happy release. Our numbers have been largely swelled by receiving a contingent of boys from northern schools, thereby making our numbers for the year 118—87 boys and 31 girls. I feel it my duty to say that the old buildings in which the boys are accommodated are a constant source of anxiety to all the officials, and that it is extremely desirable that something should be done, either in the way of replacing the wooden building or transferring the boys to the proposed school at Horowhenua. I have, &c, The Secretary for Education, Wellington. Robert Burns, F.R.C.S.E.

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