19

"Naturalization Ordinance," read a
third time, and passed.

His Excellency, agreeably to his reply
to the motion of Capt. Smith, for information on the subject of the Light house,
laid on the table papers relating thereto.

Also, the following reports of the Inspectors of certain Industrial Schools,
which, on the motion of the Lieutenant-Governor, seconded by Col. M'Cleverty,
were ordered to be printed.

WELLINGTON,

Wellington, December 7th, 1852.

To His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief.

Sir,—We, the undersigned, have the
honor to report to your Excellency, that,
according to your desire, we have visited
and carefully inspected St. Joseph’s Providence, erected by order of your Excellency for the education and industrial
training of girls of the native and half-caste race, and granted to his Lordship
the Right Rev. Dr. Viard, Catholic Bishop, and his successors.

The site, consisting of one acre, is
most desirably chosen, and although in
the centre of the town, it may be said to
enjoy the comfort and advantages of a
pleasant and picturesque country.

The house, which is built (on a brick
foundation) of red pine timber, well
painted on the outside, and lined
throughout inside with wrought white
pine boards, faces the east, and consists
of a centre part about forty feet long and
twenty feet wide, with one wing on the
north side, twenty feet in width, and
projecting fifteen feet from the main building, which makes the total length of the present building about 60 feet. But when the
design is completed, by the addition of a
wing on the south side, the total length
will be increased to about eighty feet.
And this addition, which is greatly to be
desired, can, we perceive from the plan, be
made without interfering in any way with
the pupils at present in the Institution,
the number of which, on its completion,
can be doubled or increased from sixteen
to thirty-two.

The rooms on the ground floor are about ten feet in height, and the sleeping rooms about eight and a half feet high.

The ground floor consists of an entrance hall, school room, a recreation
room, a refectory, kitchen and store
room.

The upper floor contains the chapel in
the wing, and the dormitory extending
the whole length of the building and divided into eighteen well-lighted and ventilated bed rooms, now accommodating
sixteen pupils and two school-mistresses.
It was pointed out to us that, by the
addition of the other wing, the dormitory
could be made capable of holding the
further number of sixteen girls and one
school-mistress; and as the chapel, schoolroom, recreation room, refectory, and
kitchen, are capable of accommodating 40
pupils, the working value of the Institution
would be thus doubled at a comparatively
small cost. It is proposed to divide the
ground floor of this wing into infirmary
and laundry, both of paramount importance to the Institution.

The out houses consist of a bath room,
a washing and drying room, sheds for
firewood, a place to hang up clothes,
together with a good well and pumps, all
in perfect order.

There is also a kitchen and flower
garden in front of the house, with a grass
plot and well gravelled space for playing.
These are all well laid out and arranged,
and present a pleasing appearance in
front of the building.

The whole of this part of the acre is
enclosed by a strong and substantial
boarded fence, which, joining at right
angles with the building, forms a perfect
square of about two-fifths of an acre.

The remaining portion of the acre will
be very soon enclosed by a live fence,
and laid out as a kitchen garden and
orchard.

We have to express our gratification
with the interior arrangement of St.
Joseph’s Providence, and the perfect
order and excellent management with
which everything is apparently conducted,
and which we understand has afforded
much satisfaction to numerous visitors.

The time of the girls is divided between exercises of piety, study, manual
work of a nature to make them useful
servants, and necessary recreation.

It is only two months since the Institution has been opened, and already the
girls, by their modest and good behaviour,
form a striking contrast with their old
companions, and convey the idea of being
children of a much superior class. We
must here also beg to record our opinion
of the great merit which is due to the
lady who presides over the establishment.

We believe the operation of St.
Joseph’s Providence cannot fail to make
a deep and lasting impression on the