E.—4.

PRIMARY EDUCATION. The following table, classifying the children according to average age (in years) in the respective classes as at the Ist July, 1938, enables a comparison to be made between State wards attending primary schools and children (including State wards) attending the same schools. The number of State wards attending primary schools was 1,710, while the proportion of State wards to all pupils at that date was approximately 1 to 114.

Table 6.—Average Ages of State Wards and Children attending Primary Schools.

CHILDREN UNDER THE GUARDIANSHIP OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE CHILD WELFARE BRANCH. At the 31st March, 1939, there were 4,286 children under control (excluding those mentioned under separate headings below), and of these, 2,059 were boarded out in foster-homes ; 843 were in licensed situations ; 537 residing under license with relatives and friends ; 259 were in residence at Government receiving-homes (many of these only temporarily), training-farms, and training institutions; 236 in special schools for mentally backward children ; and 51 in the four Roman Catholic schools recognized under the Child Welfare Act. The remainder were in various private institutions.

Table 7. —Status of Children and Young Persons under Guardianship of the Superintendent at the 31st March, 1939.

YOUNG PERSONS IN EMPLOYMENT. At the 31st March, 1939, there were in employment 1,161 (738 males and 423 females) State wards, representing slightly more than one-fourth of the young people (4,286) under control. Of those employed, 308 (202 males and 106 females) were residing with friends or relatives on license (section 20 of the Child Welfare Act, 1925), while the remainder (853) were supervised in situations by Child Welfare Officers. Of the males (536) supervised by Child Welfare Officers, 376 were farm hands (144 skilled in dairy work and cheesemaking and 232 competent to milk and carry out general farm-work), 36 factory employees, 14 labourers, 14 store and shop assistants, 7 Post and Telegraph messengers, 6 mechanics, 5 clerks, 5 warehouse assistants, 5 bootmakers, 5 body-builders, 4 painters, 4 electrical engineers, 4 cabinet-makers, 4 jockeys, 3 carpenters, 3 freezing-works employees, 3 motor-drivers, 3 car-painters, 3 butchers, 3 Railway workshop employees, 2 seamen, 2 bakers, 2 panel-beaters,

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Class P. S. I. S. II. S. III. S. IV. F. I (S. V). P. II (S. VI). Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Primary schools 6-74 6-65 8-54 8-36 9-72 9-4910-77 10-5411-7411-51 12-6212-3813-3313-14 State wards .. 6-81 7-04- 8-97 8-9010-01 9-9111-0810-9912-09 12-06 13-0812-86 13-69 13-70

Status. Boys. Girls. Totals. In residence .. .. .. • ■ • • 147 112 259 Boarded out .. .. .. •• 1,176 883 2,059 At service (includes 3 boys and 15 girls at day service) 535 308 843 With, friends .. .. .. .. .. 322 215 537 In hospitals, convalescent homes, &c. .. .. 84 41 125 In refuges, and cognate institutions .. .. .. 9 22 31 In children's homes registered under Part I, Child Welfare 23 47 70 Amendment Act, 1927 Absent without leave .. .. .. .. 13 8 21 In Y.M.C.A. Hostel, Auckland .. .. .. 15 .. 15 In colleges and residential schools .. .. .. 4 14 18 In girls' hostel, Wellington .. .. .. .. 17 17 In residence, private institutions (Roman Catholic) .. 28 23 51 In schools for mentally backward .. .. .. 166 70 236 In School for Deaf, Sumner .. .. .. 1 3 4 Totals .. .. .. .. 2,523 1,763 4,286