H.—2l.

112

[c. t. bbakting.

236. Did you write any private letters to the Department?— No. 237. All the Department had were the statement of the girls and your letter?— Yes. 238. What was the next thing you heard from the Department?—l think Miss Howden must have been telegraphing to the Department, because I had a letter to say she would be answered through me in the course of the next day. The next was she was asked to send in her resignation. I think that came by letter. 239. Miss Howden, of course, was living in the Home all this time? —Yes. 240- What happened then?— Miss Howden said she refused to resign until it suited her and she had thought things over. I told her if that was so there was no other course open to me but to wire her decision to the Department. This 1 did, and the Department sent a message that Miss Howden was to be dismissed, and to be.paid a month's salary in lieu of notice. 241. Up to the time when you had reason to believe that Miss Howden was undermining your influence with the girls, had you any feeling against her?— No. She certainly applied herself to learn the clerical work. 242. You had no complaints to make against her? —No. 243. You found her, so far as you could see, conscientious and loyal? —So far as I knew. 244. And I suppose you were greatly surprised when you discovered to the contrary?—l was horrified. 245. Your own personal feelings to Miss Howden were the same as to the other members of the staff? —Yes. I have nothing against her whatever. 246. Have you in any- way tried to do anything to get Miss Howden out of her billet except sending these papers to Wellington?— No. It is too much trouble to teach them their duties to want to get rid of them. 247. Miss Harrison is the schoolmistress? —Yes. 248. Miss Harrison apparently thinks you have no sympathy with her work. I believe you have certain views on the education of the girls ?—Yes. 249. Do you consider it is more important they should learn arithmetic than Shakespeare's plays?— Much more important. 250. Your own idea as to their education is to fit them with useful knowledge for life?— Yes. 251. Have you yourself when you have had the girls with you in a shop tried to get them to calculate for the"purpose of exercising their minds? —Yes, to see what they could do. 252. That is to say, you have given them the number of yards and the price, and asked them what it came to ? —Y'es. 253. Are you specially anxious that the girls should be trained in arithmetic, mental and otherwise? —Yes; I think that is the most important. 254. Did you write this letter to the Department, viz. : " 9th January, 1908.—The Secretary for Education," Wellington, —Sir,—ln reply to the School Report of the 31st December, 1907, 1 think that in trying to keep up with the syllabus Miss Harrison attempts too much, and that it would be better if the girls were kept more at reading, writing, and arithmetic. Nearly all the girls who come hete are past the school-age, and that being so, the syllabus need not be adhered to. It is most important that all girls should be able to read, write an intelligible letter, and be able to do easy sums in mental arithmetic, so as to calculate the cost of things while in a shop. This 1 find service girls unable to do : also to manage their wages. I think it is a mistake for girls who have passed the Fifth and Sixth Standards in the above subjects to attend the school. There is much otherwise for them to learn to fit them to earn their living, and little enough time to learn it while here, as they have much to unlearn. I would also like to say that it seems waste of time in most cases for girls of eighteen years and over to attend school. Their minds are past school work, and they do n.ot apply themselves. Plenty of work can be found for them in the institution. If girls who have passed the Fifth and Sixth Standards, and also the girls who are over eighteen, attended a class once a week on the laws of health, and were otherwise exempt from school, except drill, it would, I think, be found that the teacher having fewer standards to teach would have better results instead of a smattering. Possibly this would be better than_ taking all the girls on alternate days. I wish to say that Miss Harrison is a very conscientious teacher. —E. T. Branting"?—Yes. , 255. What are the differences between yourself and Miss Harrison in regard to the teaching' —What I state in that letter. 256. What does Miss Harrison want?—I think she keeps to the syllabus too much. That is all I know about it. ,„„.„. , , ,-i 257. Miss Harrison thinks she should stick to the syllabus?— Miss Harrison would like to see them at school all day long. , 258. Otherwise, is there any friction between yourself and Miss Harrison J —JNo. You think a good deal of her?— Yes; she is a very straightforward woman. 260. And doing good work for the girls? —Yes, to the best of her ability. 261. Generally, during the eight years and a half you have been here,' have you found the training of the home is doing the girls good?— Yes; they are very much improved. We have turned out a number of good service girls, who are doing very well. 262. Can you remember of your own knowledge girls who after they have left the Home have turned out immoral and loose women or failures generally ?—Some of them have. 263. Can you give me any idea of the proportion ?—lt is a very small proportion. Of course, a large number of girls are very old, and I do not get a chance with them. 264. What do you mean by very old?— They are nearly twenty-one. 265. Has your" past experience with the younger girls been hopeful ?—Yes ; they are, doing very well considering what they come from. 266. Do you find that the girls get more refined and more womanly in the Home?— Yes, most of them.