5

E.—4

Of the above, 198 were charged with theft; 61, wilful damage; 101, mischief; 1, indigency; 1, forgery; 14, stone-throwing ; 29, possession of firearms; 14, disorderly conduct; 9, obscene language ; 9, assault; 48,. breaking and entering ; 9, not under proper control; 32, conversion ; 1, indecent exposure; 4, receiving; 8, discharging firearms with intent; 2, vagrancy; 1, indecent assault; 1, carnal knowledge; 6, arson; 1, fraud; 2, unlawfully on premises; 6, delinquency; 6, detrimental environments ; 3, drunkenness ; 15 breach of Defence Act; 57, breach of Motor-vehicles Act; 9, breach of Railway Act; 1, breach of Acclimatization Act; 1, breach of State Forest Act; 2, breach of Fire Brigades Act; 188, breach of by-laws. In addition to the above, there were 650 children committed by the Courts to the care of the State. There were also 533 children placed under supervision of Child Welfare Officers (24 of this number were subsequently committed). Taking the Auckland Children's Court, for instance, the District Supervisor reports that a review of the cases placed under supervision for the year shows that at the 31st March the number of boys was 130. Of this number, twenty-five had been before the Court a second time, and it was finally necessary to commit twelve of this number to the care of the Superintendent. These figures are somewhat in excess of those for the last preceding year, but this is largely accounted for by the fact that the Child Welfare Amendment Act, which came into operation in 1927, raised the age of the jurisdiction of the Children's Court from sixteen to seventeen years. These figures do not indicate an increase in delinquency nor a slackening of supervision, but the raising of the age has brought a larger number of children within the scope of the Children's Court. The method of supervision consists of close contact by field officers with parents, schoolmasters, &c., and the giving of constant advice and guidance by the " big brothers." The " big brother " scheme has now been in operation for the past six years, and has proved a very effective instrument not only in preventing children from repeating delinquencies, but in advising them, placing many children in situations, and helping them to make a respectable start in life. There are two " big brother " movements in Auckland. One is controlled by the Y.M.C.A., and one is controlled by the Roman Catholic Church authorities. At the 31st. March the Y.M.C.A. " big brother " movement had one hundred boys under its care, and the balance were under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Movement. The latter movement, which provides only for boys of the Roman Catholic faith, has recently been reorganized. The reorganization was taken in hand as the authorities were anxious to cope more adequately with the situation, and also to provide suitable means of expansion in the future. It is hoped that the reorganization will facilitate the extension of the work to other centres of this province, and eventually become Dominion-wide. Costley Training Institution Trust. Under the will of the late Edward Costley a sum of money was set aside for the purpose of assisting State children during their periods of apprenticeship, or for purposes enabling such children to receive secondary education. This year the Costley Trustees are assisting forty children. Of this number, twenty-four are not State wards, and are living in their own homes. They are receiving various amounts of assistance, either in cash or school-books or school uniform, and their studies are carefully supervised by the Department. As an instance of what the Trust is accomplishing, it will be interesting to note the following thirty cases. All of these children have received aid from the Trustees during the last five years, and have been enabled through such aid to follow the careers which they are now doing. The twenty boys consist of two coachbuilders, one plasterer, one clerk, two law students, three cabinetmakers, two motor mechanics, one electrician, one teacher, one civil engineer, one carpenter, one postal clerk, one accountant, one railway clerk, one bricklayer, and one chemist's apprentice. The ten girls are made up as follows : six teachers, one University law student, two typists, and one teacher (University), music degree L.A.M. In quoting the cases of what these children have done, it must be remembered that only two of these children are now in receipt of Costley assistance ; the rest have been well started on their careers. Children and Young Persons under the Guardianship oe the Superintendent. The total number of all ages actually under the guardianship of the Superintendent at the 31st March last was 4,562. Of these, 4,001 were either placed out or employed in the community or in institutions not under the control of the Branch, such as hospitals, convalescent homes, private children's homes, refuges, hostels, &c. Of the remainder, 152 were temporarily in receiving-homes awaiting placement, and 137 in training institutions. The actual number in residential institutions receiving primary instruction, modified to suit the capacity of the particular classes of children, was 184, made up as follows : Boys' Training-farm, Weraroa —full time and of school age, 30; half-time pupils over school age, 24. Institutions for backward children and problem cases —Otekaike, 100 ; Richmond, 30. Receiving-homes. During the year 1,752 children passed through the receiving-homes, and on the average about 150 children per day were in residence.