E.—4

8

The numbers of children admitted were —From. Auokland, 107 ; from Wellington, 101 ; from Christchurch, 35 ; from Dunedin, 42 ; from Napier, 18 ; from Hamilton, 20; from Wanganui, 12 ; while in no case were more than 8 sent from any other town in the Dominion. The records show that, of the total number of children admitted, 26-9 per cent, were known to be illegitimate. When children are before the Courts the Magistrates, after hearing evidence, direct in v/haf religious denomination they are to be brought up. The orders made in 1915 show the denominations to be as follows : Anglican, 230 ; Roman Catholic, 132 ; Presbyterian, 53 ; Methodist, 27 ; Church of Christ, 3 ; Salvation Army, 2 ; Congregational, 3 ; Baptist, 2 ; Lutheran, 1. The number of inmates over whom the control of the schools terminated during the year was 305. Of this number, 232 were then of good character, 1 fair, 3 bad; 10 were married ; 3 were weakminded ; 24 were discharged under the age of fifteen years (3 of whom were legally In 21 cases information as to character cannot be given, the whereabouts of the inmates (who were absent without leave) being unknown at the time of termination of tho period of control. The number of inmates missing at the end of the year was 54—49 boys and 5' girls. There were 11 deaths, particulars of which appear in the following table:—

Table I 7. —Deaths, 1915.

Table I 8.—Discharges, 1915.

Under tbe provisions of the Industrial Schools Act, 1909, power is given for the detention beyond the age of twenty-one years of any inmate who, upon application being made to a Magistrate by the Manager of the school' at the direction of the Minister of Education, is found to be morally degenerate or otherwise not (in the public interest) a fit person to be free from control. In the four years since this Act came into operation there have been 35 orders issued extending the period of control, 30 of the inmates concerned being girls. The Act provides for extension for four years, and gives power to the Court on similar procedure to renew the order from time to time for a period of four years. It is expected that the number of those over whom authority beyond twenty-one years will be needed will always be small in proportion to the whole number of inmates ; but the value of such an enactment in respect of the remainder who have to be detained is obvious, both in their own interest and in that of the community at large.

Age at Death. Status at Death. Years. Months. Certified Cause of Death. School to which belonging. 4f At board 10 In hospital I 2J At board 3 9 „ 12 7 „ , 13 II In hospital 14 11 ) In residence 17 2 In hospital 17 3 19 .. Expeditionary Poree 19 j 1 I At board , Convulsions • .. .. .. .. Wollington*Roeoiving'Home. G astro -enteritis ; exhaustion ; heart-failure .. ,, " Acute broncho-pneumonia .. .. . . Caversham. Pneumonia; whooping-cough .. .. ,, Peritonitis, ruptured kidney; result of fall Wellington Receiving Home. from a tree Acute periostitis .. .. .. .. Boys' Training-farm, Nelson. Accidentally drowned while bathing .. .. ,, Weraroa. Meningitis .. .. .. .. „ „ Peritonitis .. .. .. .. ,, Nelson. Killed in action .. .. .. .. ,, ,, General tuberculosis ; tubercular hip .. Caversham.

Government Schools. Private Schools. Cause of 1g § R I?™ 8 |g a a* „' 1 fWv St. &? I St. Termination ot Auckland. SH 3 § ?,',. ?«S S3 g&Sft I Sl m " 'Mary's, S™ ; Mary's, Control. »|| w ™»» oo Gtalrt | sham. Anok f and . 11 N elson. B. G. B. B. G. B. G. ' B. j G. : B. B. G. B. G. G. B. G. }isoharged by 1 4 54 9 6 27 11 3 2 I 72 8 1 21 I 6 8 .. 6 warrant Jeath 2 2 1 3 ,.| .. .. | .. 1 2 .. ...... .. Reached age of .. 3 1 1 .. 1 12 8' 4 ! 7 9 5 .. 4 2 | .. 1 21 years tlarried .. .. 3 j .. .. 2 .. 8j .. ..;..!.. 1 .. 1 .. .. Totals .. 1 10 57 ' 12 9 31 ! 16 8 J 6 79 18 9 21 11 5 .. 7 _J i : I j_ Note. —Of the 197 boys discharged during the year, 03 were serving with the New Zealand Expedith Private Schools. a « a <j so a ce <u iSPHg £*« aj >> G o n .. 197 .. ' 8 5 22 All Schools. .2 * .a o 0 H 29 226 3 11 36 58 1 10 10 5 ! 227 78 305 7 j ditio l I I nary Force L IS.