2

8.—3

TABLE T.—Inmates, 1900 and 1901.

The Government industrial schools are of two kinds : reformatories and industrial schools proper. There is one reformatory for boys at Burnham, and another, Te Oranga Home, near Christchurch, for girls. An addition, in the form of a new wing, is now in course of erection at the latter institution, and this, when completed, will relieve the present overcrowding, and will facilitate the classification according to character which is so essential an element of success. At Burnham there are many who, if they had not been sent there, would probably be found in the prisons of the colony ; where they are, however, they are regularly taught farming, gardening, carpentry work, bootmaking, tailoring, and other trades, and have every chance of being reformed in character. They are divided into three classes, promotion from a lower to a higher class being according to good conduct and diligence in learning a trade. Those in the first and second classes receive small payments as pocket-money, and any boy in the first class who earns more than the cost of his maintenance has the surplus paid into the account of his earnings in the same way as if he were licensed out to service. So far as there is room, also, those belonging to the first class live in cottages on the farm, under the supervision of married attendants, and enjoy thus a taste of home life and considerably more liberty than boys belonging to the other two classes. The individuals placed in the third class need for the most part a considerable degree of control, and it is hoped that the detention-yard to be erected shortly will enable close supervision to be exercised over these boys while they are employed on useful work, so that absconding may be almost impossible and discipline may be maintained without the occasion to have recourse to corporal punishment or detention in cells. Marked benefits have already resulted from the system of classification that has gradually been introduced into our industrial schools, more especially during the last three years. This opinion is confirmed by the Burnham Board of Advice in a letter which will be printed in E.-3, satisfaction being expressed at the general improvement shown, and particularly as regards the effect of the industrial training of the boys, which is now such a prominent feature of the school work. Caversham is the largest industrial school, properly so called, in the colony. Boys and girls of known criminal or vicious instincts are not sent there ; those who are in residence are such as at the time of committal were too old to be boarded out, or such as need a somewhat firmer measure of control than can be looked for in a foster-home. The site for the new boys' industrial school at Horowhenua has been cleared, and is now quite ready for the erection of the buildings required. These will consist of the main building, in which will be quartered the boys needing the direct supervision of the manager; four to six cottages containing each about fourteen boys in charge of a married attendant; a manager's house, an office, a school, workshops, dairy, cow - shed, stables, and other small buildings. All the boys will dine together in the dining-room of the main

Boarded out. In Residence. At Service, &c. Totals. a I S « - g » u o o 6 g o (D g o QJ ® r o Q 5 O Q P 5 P I p g I! g a 1 6 1 I s § I 8 3 R P rovernment SchoolsAuckland Receiving Home, Wellington Receiving Home. Christchurch Burnham Tβ Oranga Home, Christchurch Caversham 'rivate Schools — St. Mary's, Auckland St. Joseph's, Wellington.. St. Mary's, Nelson St. Vincent de Paul's, Dunedin 46 162 194 2 39 147 162 10 48 39 147 184 16 108 12 95 3 2 10 7 5 35 19 2 10 115 17 130 32 292 1 205 28 69 28 2 126 30 28 69 166 29 194 94 562 13 494 3 69 226 33 14 281 97 69 226 281 46 508 11 2 5 *2 4 100 49 202 4 10 8 96 39 194 27 31 100 7 6 10 34 37 110 127 82 307 3 (■) 2 130 76 305 1 16 3 19 8 8 24 3 27 Totals 409 188 178 419 598 65 22 641 696 148 139 705 1,703 351 289 1,765