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A. HAKBISON.I

46. 1 was going to ask you to compare these results with what you would expect to obtain in an ordinary school ?—They are not so good, 47. You carry right up to the Sixth Standard?— The Department do not want me to do that, and the matter is just now under discussion. I saw Dr. Anderson at Christmas time, and he told me he does not want me to take further than the Fourth Standard. 48. But suppose a girl had passed the Fourth Standard before she came to the Home? —Then it disheartens them if they are kept back at the low work, and that is what I do not like. 49. You have to keep them down?—l have not so far, but if a girl is well on she likes to go further on. It is so discouraging to her to go over the old ground. I would prefer to take them on. Of course it gives me more work, but Ido not mind that. 50. What has your average attendance been during the last three months? —Thirty or over in the morning and twenty in the afternoon. 51. From your experience with the girls, can you suggest any improvement in your side of the institution that would tend to improve the standard, morally or otherwise, of the inmates, because your work ought to be a considerable factor ?—Yes, and I think it ought to be regarded as that. 52. I want you to make any suggestion, because my object, and the Department's, too, in asking me to hold this inquiry, is to find the weak spots?—l think every girl in the Home should attend school during the two hours. 53. You think that should be compulsory ?—Yes. 54. You would suggest, ( then, that exemption from the two hours a day should not be left to the will of the Matron ?—Yes; I think every girl has a right to have two hours a day at least at school. 55. And you would regard that as little enough?— Yes. 56. And you are not in favour of girls having manual labour in the morning?— Yes; but that would be impossible. 57. Which girls do you take in the morning?— The most backward. 58. Why do you not take them 1 in the afternoon? —They have to go out in the afternoon. I have no room for the whole of them in the little schoolroom. I have only thirty desks. 59. You say the school-accommodation is insufficient?— Well, I never thought of having them. 60. It is essential the Department should place every facility in the matter of accommodation iv your way: Have you ever represented this matter to the Department? —No. I have not been in the schoolroom very long. 61. You say the school-accommodation in the institution is insufficient to carry out the work which you think important to the institution? —Yes, provided I am allowed to take my morning girls in the afternoon. t 62. Then, do you think your work as a teacher would be assisted and improved by having all the girls together at one particular school-time?—lt would be rather too much work to take fiftyfour. 63. What is the full accommodation of your present school?— Thirty-two. 64. And you have a roll of fifty-four ?—Yes. 65. You cannot take all the girls at one time? —No. 66. Then, you would prefer to teach them in two sections? —Yes. 67. I want you to suggest some way in which you could take the girls when they are not tired? —If I had my way I should take them for two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon —every one of them. 68. But you said you could not teach them all? —Yes; if I had them for the four hours. 69. I suppose the big girls are of a dense type?— Some of them are. They do not care to think of one subject too long. Their thoughts wander. 70. There is no limit to age so far as your school is concerned? —No. 71. Mr. Pope.] State your grounds for saying the Matron is out of sympathy with your schoolwork? —I know it by many things—by the way she talks at dinner-table many a time about the school. 72. Tell us what she has said?—l think I had better say the Matron would like to shorten the work of the girls in school. 73. With what object? —She likes them to be outside at the other work. 74. Does that necessarily mean she*"is out of sympathy with the school? —The Matron does not think it is as important as I do. 75. And therefore you think she is out of sympathy?— Yes, I do. 'And I am kept waiting so long for many things. I was kept more than three months waiting for a bottle of ink, and I have not yet got the clubs which I applied for long ago. 76. You know the ordinary method of procedure: have you requisitioned the Department for the clubs?—No, because the Matron said she would buy them herself at Strange's. 77. When did you last remind her? —I used to get the girls to worry her, 78. Are you not aware that before you came here the Matron herself tried to give the girls instruction in composition and arithmetic?—No; I thought it was Miss Mcintosh. 79. At any rate, it was done at the Home? —Yes. 80. Does that indicate that the Matron is out of sympathy with school instruction?—l do not know anything about that. 81. You have your attendance register showing these absences and irregularities?— Yes [produced]. 82. Have you ever represented any of these matters to the departmental officers? —No. 83. You have spoken freely to Mr. Walker and myself?— Yes, to Mr. Walker. 84. And myself ?—We have had chats, but not about business.