E.—4

6

matmaking, sewing, &c, or are fairly capable at domestic or laundry work or gardening, they can be transferred to one of the other schools, where it will not be necessary to employ an expert staff. As in the majority of cases it will be necessary to retain lifelong control, the problem of establishing after-care homes or colonies will have to be faced in the near future. With regard to boys, the extended building programme at the special school at Otekaike has now been completed, and there is now provision for the accommodation of some two hundred cases. Workshops have been provided, and technical instruction in carpentry, bootmaking, mat-weaving, basketmaking, boxmaking, &c, will be carried out. A thoroughly equipped day school has also been provided, and under the direction of an expert teacher progress in the training of the boys is now possible. Nearly one hundred boys have been admitted, and as the cases now under review are examined they will be drafted on to Otekaike until the full complement of the school is reached. The following tables show the numbers dealt with at Otekaike during the past year, together with particulars regarding expenditure :— Numbers as at 31st December, 1916 :— Males. 11l residence .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 67 Boarded out .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 Temporarily absent with friends .. .. .. .. .. 10 79 Particulars of expenditure for the financial year ended 31st March, 1917:— £ Salaries .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. 2,839 General maintenance .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,828 Travelling-expenses .. .. .. .. .. .. 358 Maintenance and buildings .. .. .. .. .. 230 Additional buildings, furniture, &c. .. .. .. .. 5,635 — £11,890 Less — Parental contributions towards maintenance .. .. 636 Amount collected from Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards 411 Sundry other recoveries .. .. .. .. 306 1,353 Net expenditure .. .. .. .. £10,537 Special School for Girls, Richmond. Numbers dealt with : In residence at 31st December, 1916, 48. Particulars of expenditure : — £ Salaries .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 360 General maintenance .. .. .. .. .. .. 612 Travelling-expenses .. .. .. .. .. .. 69 Buildings, furniture, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 2,264 — 3,305 Less — Parental contributions towards maintenance .. .. 90 Sundry other recoveries .. .. .. .. 5 95 .. .. .. .. £3,210 On the land attached to Otekaike and Richmond (in conjunction with the Nelson Training-farm) sufficient vegetables and fruit are grown to provide for the needs of these two schools, and in addition the dairy herds supply the schools with their requirements in the way of milk and cream. At each of these two schools a certain number of the inmates are employed on the farm or in the garden and orchard. Every care is taken, however, to ensure that no boy or girl is required to do work for which he or she is not physically fitted.