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usually at the rate of 15s. per week for each child concerned. Of the total number of children adopted, 82 were under the age of six months, 41 between the age of six and twelve months, 162 between the age of one and five years, 53 between the age of five and ten years, and 33 between the age of ten and fifteen years.

Table 1. —Status of Children and Young Persons under the Guardianship of the Superintendent at 31st March, 1931.

Table 2.—Committals and Admissions by Private Arrangement during the Year ended 31st March, 1931. The following table shows the admissions according to age : —

N.B. —In addition to the above, 52 boys and 23 girls were temporarily admitted for short periods. Table 3 below shows the admissions classified according to the causes of admission. Of the total number, 706, 266 were destitute or indigent, 116 not under proper control, 87 charged with punishable offences, 27 delinquent, 84 detrimental environments, 23 neglected. Of the children admitted under these headings, 463 were placed out in the community before the 31st March, 1931.

Table 3. —Committals and Admissions during the Year ended 31st March, 1931, classified according to causes of Admission.

2—E. 4.

3

Status. Boys. Girls. Total. In residence 162 128 290 Boarded out 1,355 1,010 2,365 At service .. .. 665 325 990 With friends .. .. .. .. .. 346 325 671 In hospitals, convalescent homes, &c. .. .. 15 13 28 In refuges or cognate institutions .. .. .. 15 90 105 In orphanages .. .. . . .. .. 9 13 22 Absent without leave .. .. .. .. 25 4 29 In Borstal institutions .. .. .. .. 2 .. 2 Y.M.C.A. Hostel, Auckland .. .. .. ! 14 .. 14 Institute for the Blind .. .. .. .. .. 1 1 At colleges .. .. .. .. .. 1 1 Girls' Hostel, Wellington .. .. .. .. . . 17 17 In residence, Eoman Catholic schools .. .. 34 53 87 In schools for mentally backward . . .. .. 191 78 269 In School for Deaf, Sumner ...... 2 6 8 In mental hospitals .. .. .. .. 4 6 10 Totals .. .. .. .. 2,840 2,070 4,910

Boys. Girls. Totals. j Under six months .. .. .. .. 35 33 68 Over six months and under one year .... 18 10 28 One year to five years .. .. .. .. 64 54 118 Five years to ten years .. .. .. .. 81 42 123 Ten years to fourteen years . . .. .. 87 _ 46 133 Over fourteen years .. .. .. . . 92 69 161 Totals .. .. .. .. 377 254 631 I

Taken charge of as Boys. Girls. Totals. Indigent .. .. .. . . .. 152 114 266 Not under proper control .. .. .. .'. 62 54 116 Delinquent .. .. .. .. .. 22 5 27 Detrimental environments .. .. .. .. 33 51 84 Accused or guilty of punishable offence .... 73 14 87 Admission by private arrangement (section 12, Child 18 10 28 Welfare Act) Neglected 17 6 23 Temporary arrangement .. .. .. .. 52 23 75 Totals .. .. .. .. 429 277 706