E. —4.

One of the most critical periods in the care of the girls comes with their re-establishment in the community, and we find this is usually best accomplished gradually. Our girls are in practically every case best fitted for domestic work, in which they also have the advantages of good homes and some supervision. Most girls go first of all to help on odd days in neighbouring houses, and then go out to service daily, and finally to resident positions where they can eventually manage all their own affairs. We always have a waiting-list of employers anxious to have one of our trained girls. C. M. Findlay, Principal. Girls' Hostel, Wellington : Annual Report of Matron. The working of the Hostel for the year is as follows : Number of girls in residence at 31st March, 1939, 17 ; number admitted during the year, 19 ; number left, 19. Of the number who left the Hostel during the year, 8 are placed at domestic service, 5 are placed at private board (4 of these were employed as dressmakers, and 1 as a shorthand-typiste), 5 transferred to other institutions, and I returned to relatives. Children passing through Wellington who were accommodated for the day at the Hostel during the year numbered 47. Each Wednesday and Sunday the service girls visit the Hostel during the afternoon and evening, and those who have gone to private board also call fairly regularly. Tho general health of the girls is excellent. They are placed in suitable positions, and the various employers report favourably on their work. Six girls have been attending evening classes at the Technical School. The customary recreations have been followed, including basket-ball, swimming, dancing, &c., and a number of picnics and parties have been held during the year. The general working has been practically the same as described in last year's report. The 17 girls in the Hostel at tho 31st March were employed as follows: 1 shop-assistant, 1 furrier, 3 dressmakers, 5 in the Department's clothing-factory at Miramar, I printing-office employee, 2 housemaids, and 4 tailoresses. I. Williams, Matron. Boys' Training Farm, Weraroa : Report of the Acting-Manager. A total of 93 boys were admitted during the year, 57 were placed in situations, 17 returned to their homes under license, and 10 were transferred to other institutions, leaving at the 31st March, 1939, a total of 66 boys on the roll. The health of the boys has, on the whole, been excellent. The work of the institution has proceeded along the same lines as in former years. Boys have shown improvement in all lines of industry carried out on the farm. Recreation has been well catered for, both indoor and outdoor, several competitions' having been arranged with local organizations. A system of grouping boys, under a group leader, has been inaugurated with much success. Several of the better-behaved boys were allowed to spend Christinas and Easter holidays with parents and friends, and this privilege proved beneficial as an encouragement to maintaining improvement in general conduct. J. J. Hebcock, Acting-Manager.

SMALLER INSTITUTIONS. Table 1.-Particulars of Inmates in Residence for the Year. Receiving-homes.

Boys' Homes.

6

Total Number of Children Average Daily Number. passing through the Home during the Year. Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Auckland .. .. .. 3-01 14-39 32 122 Hamilton .. .. .. 3-49 4-94 57 60 Wellington .. .. .. 3-52 13-18 29 106 Christchurcli .. .. 1-34 20-86 94 183 Dunedin .. .. •• ■■ 11-17 12 89 Total '.. 11-36 64-54 224 560

. r . Total Number passV Numbcr al Y in § U " ng • Auckland. .. .. .. 22-12 162 Wellington .. . • .. • • 14-85 168 Christchurch .. .. .. .. 16-46 185 Dunedin .. • • • ■ • • 10-42 76 Total .. .. 63-85 591