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CHILD WELFARE. The Child Welfare Branch provides generally for the maintenance of destitute, neglected, and delinquent children, and young offenders committed to its care under the provisions of the Child Welfare Act, 1925. In. addition the Branch provides for the following social services : — (1) Preventive work in the community — that is, the investigation, occasional social readjustment, and necessary supervision by Child Welfare Officers in the early stages of any cases brought under notice. (2) Investigation, regarding the conduct, family history, and home conditions of all children brought under the notice of Children's Courts, or young persons charged with offences. (3) The oversight of all young offenders who are placed under supervision by the Children's Courts. (4) Supervision of all infants and young children who are maintained apart from, their parents or guardians. (5) The investigation and supervision where necessary of all illegitimate births to ensure that these infants are properly placed and cared for. At the same time the Welfare Officer assists the unmarried mother, where possible to re-establish herself in the community, and to fix paternity so that the man. concerned may be made to recognize his responsibilities. (6) Inquiry regarding all applications for the adoption, of children under fifteen years of age. In every such case a report is furnished by the Welfare Officer to the Magistrate prior to the hearing of the application, for adoption. (7) Preliminary investigation regarding applications for widows' pensions. and supervision and disbursement of pension-money in doubtful cases. (8) Assistance in supervising young Natives of the Pacific islands domiciled in the Dominion. (9) The care and training and subsequent supervision in the community of the higher grades of feeble-minded, children who cannot be left in their own homes, or who cannot attend special day classes attached to public schools. (10) The education of deaf children and those who are partially deaf and children with speech-defects. (11) The inspection and registration of all. children's homes, orphanages, &c. A most important function of the Child Welfare Branch is to endeavour to check in the early stages the development of conditions in the social field that lead or are likely to lead to child wastage and, where this is not possible, to provide social readjustment for the child or young person who by reason of his environment or physical or mental condition is handicapped in the race of life and likely to become a burden on the community. The Child Welfare Amendment Act of last session contains important provisions regarding the inspection and registration of private institutions, orphanages, &c, where children are maintained apart from their parents or guardians. Generally speaking, these private institutions for children, of which there are about eighty throughout the Dominion, have many things in common, but practically all of them retain, their individuality and are working out their problems (similar problems mostly) in. different ways. At this stage in the development of child welfare in the Dominion it is considered desirable in the interest of all. concerned, particularly the children, that there should be a close relationship between private social-welfare organizations and institutions and the Child Welfare Branch of the Education Department. The Amending Act considerably clarifies the powers and scope of the Children's Courts, and specially provides methods of dealing with children and young persons without the recording of convictions. Parental responsibility in the matter of ensuring that the conditions imposed on children residing in their own. homes, but placed under the supervision of Child Welfare Officers by the Children's Courts, is also provided for.

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