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Session 11. 1921. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: STATE CARE OF CHILDREN, SPECIAL SCHOOLS, AND INFANT-LIFE PROTECTION. [In continuation of E. 4, 1820.]

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

No. I.—EXTRACT FROM THE FORTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF TILE MINISTER OF EDUCATION. State Care of Dependent and Delinquent Children and Infant-life Protection. The Special Schools Branch of the Education Department provides (1) for the maintenance, training, and general upbringing of neglected and homeless children committed by Courts to the care of the State, for the maintenance and guardianship of children who lost both parents as a result of the influenza epidemic in .1918-19, for the training of delinquent children and juvenile offenders, for the supervision of all young persons (male and female) placed on temporary probation by the Courts ; (2) for the supervision of all infants under the age of six years maintained apart from their parents or adopted with premium, for the general supervision of children for whose upkeep pensions are paid, either under the widows or epidemic pensions scheme, and for the investigation of all applications for the adoption of children ; and (3) for the education and maintenance of all afflicted children — deaf, blind, feeble-minded, and. for children with defective speech. The total number of children in the care of the State in 1920 was 5,233, classed under the following headings : — Boarded out, industrial schools, receiving-homes, &c. .. .. .. 3,839 Juvenile probation.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 281 Infant-life protection . . .. .. . . .. . . 797 Deaf children .. .. . . .. .. . . . . 118 Feeble-minded children . . . . . . . . . . ~ 198 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,233 The number of children committed to the care of the State during the year was 535, classified according to reason for committal as follows : Destitution, 172 ; vagrancy, 17 ; associating with disreputable persons, 10 ; not under proper control, 207 ; transferred from gaol, 14 ; accused or guilty of punishable offences, 78 ; and in addition 37 were admitted by private arrangement,

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