E.—4

1929. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: CHILD WELFARE, STATE CARE OF CHILDREN, SPECIAL SCHOOLS, AND INFANT-LIFE PROTECTION. [In continuation of E.-4, 1928.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. l.— EXTRACT FROM THE FIFTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION. CHILD WELFARE. Number of Children under Supervision. The total number of children under the supervision of the Child Welfare Branch as at the 31st March, 1929, was 6,364, classed under the following headings : —- State wards boarded out, at service, in receiving-homes, &c. .. .. 4,287 State wards under supervision of Child Welfare Officers .. .. . . 678 Infants in registered foster-homes under Infants Act .. .. 1,007 Pupils at School for Deaf, Sumner .. .. .. . . . . 117 Feeble-minded persons in institutions .. .. .. . . .. 275 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 6,364 The number of children committed to the care of the Superintendent during the year ended 31st March, 1929, was 650, classified according to reason for committal as follows : Indigent, 264 ; delinquent, 19 ; detrimental environments, 99 ; not under proper control, 157 ; accused or guilty of punishable offence, 84 ; neglected, 27 ; and in addition 13 were admitted by private arrangement (section 12, Child Welfare Act), while 37 were temporarily admitted, and 2 under section 47 of the Infants Act, making a total of 702. Classified according to age at the time of admission the numbers are as follow : Under six months, 69 ; over six months and under one year, 43 ; from one to five years, 135 ; from five to ten years, 159 ; from ten to fourteen years, 143 ; and over fourteen years, 153 : total, 702.

i— E. 4,