5

E.—4

Nature of Employment at 31st December, 1922, of Boys having left School, placed at Service, or residing with their Friends on Probation. At the end of the year there were 468 farm workers —124 skilled in farm-work, dairy-work, and cheesemaking, and 344 others competent to carry out general farm-work. There were 49 boys apprenticed as follows: 8 cabinetmakers, 6 bootmakers, 3 electrical engineers, 3 coachbuilders, 3 printers and bookbinders, 2 plasterers, 2 ironmoulders, 2 butchers, 2 woollen-mill employees, 2 boilermakers, 2 carpenters, 1 jockey, I baker, I basketmaker, 1 hairdresser, 1 painter, 1 cycle-worker, 1 draper, 1 french-polisher, 1 motor mechanic, 1 tinsmith, 1 plumber, 1 brickworks employee, 1 boatbuildcr, and 1 seaman. Boys otherwise employed (not apprenticed) totalled 93, as follows: 19 labourers, 19 factory hands, 12 shop-assistants, 7 clerks, 4 seamen, 4 painters, 3 drivers, 3 telegraph messengers, 2 dairy-factory employees, 2 gardeners, 2 bakers, 2 plumbers, 2 bricklayers, 2 miners, 1 bushman, 1 printer and bookbinder, I cabinetmaker, 1 surveyor's assistant, 1 electrical engineer, 1 assayer at school of mines, 1 coppersmith, 1 railway employee, 1 chemist's assistant, and 1 butcher. Total number of boys employed was therefore 610 (468 farm-workers, 49 apprentices, and 93 others). Nature of Employment at 31st December, 1922, of Girls having left School, placed at Service, 'or residing with their Friends on Probation. There were 333 domestics, 9 apprentices (5 dressmakers, 2 tailoresses, 1 milliner, and 1 bookbinder), 23 factory employees, and 13 in other employment as follows : 3 dressmakers, 2 dentists' assistants, 2 shop-assistants, 2 clerks, 1 waitress, 1 nurse, 1 typist, and I tailoress. This gives a total of 378 girls employed (333 domestics, 9 apprentices, 23 factory employees, and 13 others). Admissions during 1922. During the year 410 children were committed to the care of the Department (400 to Government schools and 10 to private industrial schools), as compared with 528 for the previous year. The following table shows the new admissions classified according to age : — Boys. Girls. Total. Under six months .. .. .. .. ..27 22 49 Over six months and under one year .. .. 10 13 23 One year to five years .. .. .. .. 52 31 83 Five years to ten years .. .. .. .. 66 34 100 Ten years to fourteen years .. .. .. 65 29 94 Over fourteen years .. .. .. .. 45 16 61 Totals .. .. .. .. ..265 145 410 Table I 4 attached to this report shows the new admissions classified according to the causes of admission. Of the total number (410), 163 were destitute, 136 not under proper control, and 54 had been charged with punishable offences. Of the children admitted under these headings, all except 46 were placed out in foster-homes before the end of the year. Table 17 gives particulars of the character or state of the parents at the time of the admission of the children. From this table I have selected the following figures showing (1) the number of children of drunken parents, and (2) the number of children of feeble-minded parents. Admission of Children during 1922 on account of the Drinking Habits of one or both Parents. Drunken mother .. .. .. .. .. .. 7 Drunken father .. .. .. .. .. .. 47 Both parents drunkards .. .. .. .. ..11 65 Admission of Children during 1922 on account of Mental Deficiency of one or both Parents. Mentally deficient mother .. .. .. .. .. 35 Mentally deficient father .. .. .. .. .. 3 Both parents defective mentally .. .. .. .. .... 38 The following figures show the number of committals to industrial schools for the past twelve years : 1911, 389 ; 1912, 405 ; 1913, 328 ; 1914, 405 : average for four years before the war, 382. 1915, 453; 1916, 436; 1917, 358; 1918, 381; 1919, 864; 1920, 535; 1921, 528; 1922, 410: average for eight years after the commencement of the war, 496 (excluding epidemic orphans, the average is 458).

Schools for the Feeble-minded. Numbers at 31st December, 1922.

Richmond. (Girls.) Otekaike. (Boys.) Total. In residence On vacation At service In hospital In probation homes 52 11 2 144 14 4 1 2 196 25 6 1 2 Totals 65 165 230