9

8.—4

Expenditure on Government Industrial Schools, Receiving-homes, and Probation Homes, 1918-19. The following figures show the expenditure in connection with Government and private industrial schools during the year:— Expenditure on Government Industrial Schools, etc., 1918-19. Gross Cost. £ £ Salaries . . .. . . . . . . .. 14,269 General upkeep ... .. ~ .. ~ .. 1.9,034 Travelling-expenses .. .. .. .. .. 2,885 Furnishings, repairs, &c. . . . . . . . . . . 2,731 38,919 Payment for children boardedjout .. .. .. .. '.. 35,560 Gross cost . . . . . . . . . . . . 74,479 Recoveries from parents and others . . . . . . . . 24,879 Sales of produce, &c. . . . . . . . . . . 5,610 Earnings of past inmates paid to Public Account .. .. 1,005 31,494 Net cost of maintenance . . . . . . . . 42,985 New building's and works .. .. .. .. .. .. 18,008 Salaries of Visiting and Probation Officers, &c. .. .. ... 3,523 Total cost .. .. .. .. . . . . £64,516 Expenditure on Private Industrial Schools, 1918-19. £ Gross cost.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,353 Recoveries .. . . . . . . .. .. . . 2,281 Net cost .. . . .. .. .. .. £72 Sales of Produce, &c, at Industrial Schools. 1917. 1918. Increase. £1,603 £5,610 £4,007 Included in the total sum recovered (£27,836) is an amount of £11,972 paid by Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards for the maintenance of 1,009 children committed to industrial schools on account of indigency. In addition, 134 inmates of private industrial schools were maintained at the expense of Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards. As these latter schools make their claims direct against the Boards, the figures are not included in this report. Section 50 of the Industrial Schools Act provides for the placing of inmates of industrial schools in situations and for part of their earnings to be placed in trust accounts in the Post Office Savings-bank. There are some two thousand such trust accounts, representing about £60,000. Though these earnings cannot be claimed as a right, in practice they are generally paid over to the persons concerned who, after passing out of the control of the schools, are able to give evidence of good character, provided that satisfactory investments for the money are shown. Admissions during the Year and the Reasons for Admission. During the year 381 children were committed to industrial schools, and an analysis of the state of these children prior to admission shows that 101 were destitute, 4 vagrants, 15 residing in disreputable surroundings, 141 not under proper control, and 84 either accused or guilty of punishable offences. Of these 381, only 101 were actually in residence at industrial schools at the end of the year, so that 280 were placed out at board, in situations, or with friends on probation, either on admission or after a short period of residence at an industrial school. Infant-life PeotFjCtion. The purpose of this system is to provide supervision and protection for infants boarded out by their parents or guardians in circumstances that might

2—E. 4.