E.—4

1925. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: STATE CARE OF CHILDREN, SPECIAL SCHOOLS, AND INFANT-LIFE PROTECTION. [In continuation of E.-4, 1924.]

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

No. I.—EXTRACT FROM THE FORTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION. State Care op Dependent and Delinquent Children, Infants, and Applicted Children. The Special Schools Branch of the Education Department provides (1) for the maintenance, training, and general upbringing of neglected and homeless and orphan children committed by Courts to the care of the State, 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 under the widows' pensions scheme, and for the investigation of applications for the adoption of children; and (3) for the education and maintenance of all afflicted children who are deaf, blind, feebleminded, or have speech defects. The total number of children under the supervision of the State in 1924-25 was 5,194, classed under the following headings :— Boarded out, industrial schools, receiving-homes, &c. .. .. .. 3,784 Juvenile probation .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 376 Infant-life protection .. .. .. .. .. . . 704 Deaf children .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 97 Feeble-minded children .. .. .. .. .. 233 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,194 The number of children committed to the care of the State daring the period Ist January, 1924, to 31st March, 1925, was 514, classified according to reason for committal as follows: Destitution, 199; vagrancy, 3 ; associating with disreputable persons, 7 ; not under proper control, 161 ; uncontrollable (complaint by parents), 9 ; transferred from goal, 11 ; accused or guilty of punishable offences, 98 ; section 47 of the Infants Act, 1 ; and, in addition, 25 were admitted by private arrangement. Classified according to age at the time of admission the numbers are as follows : Under six months, 40 ; over six months and under one year, 15 ; from one to five years, 63 ; from five to ten years, 82 ; from ten to fourteen years, 63 ; and over fourteen years, 50.

I—E. 4.