E—4.

The following figures show the number of children dealt with under the foregoing headings Nos. (1), (2), (3), and (6) Special schools and receiving-homes .. .. .. .. 3,859 Under supervision of Child Welfare Officers .. .. .. <. 323 Infants supervised in licensed foster-homes . . . . . . . . 771 Afflicted children — Deaf .. .. .. .. .. 116 Feeble-minded . . . . . . . . . . .. .. 283 5,352 Boarding-oot SYSTEiM. The majority of the children committed to the care of the State are not detained in institutions, but are boarded out in foster-homes situated mainly in suburban areas and in districts in close proximity to the smaller centres of population. At the end of the year there were 1,819 children boarded out —1,776 from Government receiving-homes and 43 from private industrial schools (Roman Catholic). Arranged according to the ages of the children the numbers at 31st March, 1926, are as follows : Under five years, 339 ; from five to ten years, 657 ; from ten to twelve years, 362 ; from twelve to thirteen years, 199 ; from thirteen to fourteen years, 187 ; and over fourteen years, 95. The rate paid to the foster-parents for the maintenance of each child is 15s. a week, but for infants under twelve months 17s. 6d. a week is paid. Each child is provided with a very complete initial outfit, the foster-parents being required to . maintain the clothing at this standard. Medical attendance, medicines, and dentistry are provided by the .Department, as also are school-books and school stationery. Upon Boarding-out Officers and Managers of Receiving-homes rests the responsibility of selecting proper homes .and of .supervising the inmates in these homes. No hard-and-fast rules can be laid down as to the type of home to be selected, or the number of times a home should be visited, or the methods of supervision. Much depends upon the personality, ability, and intuition of the officer concerned. Frequent visiting is advocated in the interests of the children, and as a general rule this is carried out; but the Department arranges a further safeguard by obtaining confidential reports every quarter from the headmasters or class-teachers of the schools which the children attend. Wherever possible, arrangements are also made for local honorary Lady Visitors to visit the foster-homes monthly, or more frequently if necessary, and generally keep a friendly eye on the children concerned. The numbers dealt with by the Juvenile Probation Officers in the main centres during the year ending 31st March, 1926, totalled 1,316, and were dealt with as shown in the following table : —

Assisted Service, Higher Education, and Employment of State Children over School Age. At the 31st March, 1926, there were 40 inmates at service receiving assistance (assisted service in most cases refers to apprenticeship). There were 45 children receiving post-primary education— 30 secondary and 15 technical. In addition, there were 51 children over the age of fourteen years still attending the public schools and being maintained by the Department. Nature of Employment at 31st March, 1926, of Boys having left School. At the 31st March, 1926, 517 boys were at service as farm workers. There were 73 boys apprenticed as follows : 10 cabinetmakers, 7 carpenters, 5 bakers, 5 motor mechanics, 5 bootmakers, 4 ironmoulders, 4 tinsmiths, 3 electrical engineers, 3 coachbuilders, 2 general engineers, 2 blacksmiths, 2 upholsterers, 2 electricians, 2 plumbers, 2 painters and paperhangers, 2 plasterers, 2 wickerworkers,

5

fc) .2 "S © LS S , > I '43 <5 .23 ll £ -g 3 I S~ 5 ~ I 1 «■ 1 ■s $ ■§ S £ § £ Ss a I 3 « LSfi'S a PN w o . "2 T3 = T3 i -° J i « T3 Q « TJ+S District. a § « § 3 2« | «-2 i 3 * S3 ¥• • P f| S SJ ® "O . « •O'O TS V, ® 2 £ ! SI a s ! n ® n'~ •9'S 'S * ■e §> "° '2? s |g I Is 5 lSIo'allssi§. e =s's| e 2 I " % I. £& ■3 .2.2 .2 .2 g .2 -2 °S 8 2 S,n « ! S a = oft §3 £ ■a .3 •« o, .2 a -2 c, ,;, | §.S P > >.S s BaS '23 .9, ■"■= g.a o ■£ S Ss g.2 i 0 13 I § > § §3 § § Soc 8 S" I"" § 3 J* ' £ 3 S I" I 2 = o CP OO O MjO «2 < 23 ■<{ QjQ Eh North Auckland.. 18 .. .. 1 .. 3 26 21 69 Auckland .. 125 .. 6 2 3 5 8 2 55 77 10 .. 3 3 1 4 304 South Auckland 38 2 1 1 1 I 2 1 3 13 25 9 .. 5 2 104 Wanganui ..13 5 2 4.. 13 .. 1 1 7 4 9..2 61 Hawke's Bay .. 25 .. .. 1 11 3 .. .. 3 7 .. 14 20 1 1 .. 86 Palmerston North 16 3 11 2 9 .. 10 13 4 1 60 Wellington .. 42 . . 4 3 .. 3 .. 1 3 5 1 59 27 .. 1 4 ... . 5 158 Nelson .. 22 1 .. 1 5 4 1 ..4 38 West Coast .. 11 .. 3 .. .. 5 13 I . . 1 34 North Canterbury 37 .. 7 1 .. 2 5 .. 31 40 1 2 4 .. 6 26 162 South Canterbury 16 4 1 1 .. 32 14 1 ,.2 71 Otago .. ..32 I 1 7 30 33 .. 5 9 .. 1 .. 119 Southland .. 28 19 3 50 Totals .. 423 8 26 14 19 25 1 3 17 38 13 306 294 37 9 34 3 0 37 1,316