stand over until the end of the financial year; and, in the meantime, it will afford me much pleasure to be allowed to perform the duties.

It will be necessary, also, in accordance with Clause 42 of the Act, to appoint “Visitors,” and I would beg to recommend that these appointments be now made.

The scale of rations (filled in in pencil) is pretty much the same as in Victoria, except that there, bread, tea, and coffee are used for breakfast, for which I have substituted here an equivalent in oatmeal and milk (porridge), as being more suitable in this climate.

The time-table on the face of it may seem to require further explanation, but it will be seen, on reference to the several clauses of the regulations, that provision is made for relaxation and play according to the ages of the children. The elder girls are at present being taught, under the Matron, needlework, both by hand and machine; also cooking, washing, and making underclothing for themselves and the younger children; but a certain portion of each morning and evening is devoted to school, while the boys above the age of eight years are required to attend school half the day, and are kept at work, suitable to their strength, the other half of each working day.

I beg to attach table shewing the number and respective ages of the children admitted into the Industrial School up to the present time, and as it has been my duty to bring under the notice of the Government on several occasions the state in which these children were living prior to its establishment, I need not now refer to the subject further than by saying that a glance at the “Record Book” of the school will show that in each individual case the time had fully arrived when it became necessary for the Government to rescue them from the life of vice, infamy, and crime, into which they were inevitably drifting.

It will be seen on reference to the table (attached), that there are now 44 children in the Institution, and it affords me much pleasure to be able to inform the Government, that the conduct of these children is, and has been, all that could be desired, while their general health and appearance have improved to the extent naturally to be expected when the infamous state in which they were being brought up, is taken into consideration.

The officers and attendants connected with the Industrial School are, the Master, Matron, one male and two female attendants. The duty of the male attendant, besides generally assisting the Master, is to supervise the elder boys in the work they are at present engaged on, viz., clearing the ground preparatory to ploughing it, &c. Of the female attendants, one cooks for the establishment, and the other is laundress and acts as female warder, sleeping in the girls’ dormitory at night; and both are, as I have elsewhere stated, assisted by the elder girls.

Of the boys, six or seven are now of that age when it would be desirable to teach them some trade, in order to fit them to become, hereafter, useful members of the community. This might be done by engaging a practical tradesman instead of the present male attendant; the nature of the trade, however, I leave to the Government to decide, but I would suggest that the business of a tailor or shoemaker would be most useful, as the boots or clothes of the children might, in a very short time, be all made and repaired in the Institution.

In conclusion, I would beg to state that a full and accurate history, showing the antecedents and circumstances under which each child was committed, is kept at the school, and that every exertion has been made, and will be continued, to trace out such of the children’s parents as are supposed to be in the neighboring colonies or provinces; and where there are reasonable grounds to believe they are able to support, or contribute to the support, of their respective children, compel them to do so, for which purpose certain provisions of the “Neglected and Criminal Childrens Act 1867,” give ample power.

I have the honor to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

St. John Branigan, Commissioner.

The Provincial Secretary and Treasurer,

Dunedin.

OTAGO INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.

It must be steadily kept in view that the object aimed at by the Government, in the formation and maintenance of this Institution, is to supply, as far as possible, a home to the neglected children of the Province; and such a training as will fit them to become useful members of the community.

The Master of the Institution is therefore required, by every means in his power, to lead the children committed to his care to act rightly from right motives. Having this object in view, he is required carefully to admonish and instruct the children both by precept and example.

Duties of Master.

1. The Master is the officer into whose hands are committed the control and management of the Institution.

2. Upon him it devolves to see that all regulations and instructions received from the Inspector are properly carried out; and as to him all the assistants of the Institution under his charge will look for instructions and guidance, he is required so to direct and instruct as to enable them to discharge their duties in a proper manner, the success of the Institution, as a training school for the children placed therein, depending almost entirely upon the zeal and attention to duty manifested by the Master and his assistants.

3. The Master will conduct the correspondence, and will have charge of all books, documents, and stores; he will be held responsible for the proper appropriation of all provisions and stores supplied to him for the use of the inmates of the Institution, and for the preparation and transmission of all the returns which he may be required to furnish.

4. He will daily inspect every part of the establishment under his care, and see that it is kept scrupulously clean and neat; that all food supplied to the inmates is of good quality and properly cooked; and that the clothing of all the children is kept clean, properly marked, and in good repair. He will also be careful that accurate accounts are kept of the receipt and issue of all provisions, clothing, and stores generally.

5. The Master will ascertain that all the assistants of the establishment perform their duties properly; that the children committed to his care are under proper supervision at all times; and he will report to the Inspector without delay the absconding of any of the children from the Institution, or any other unusual circumstance that may occur, as well as any irregularity or neglect of duty on the part of the assistants which may come under his observation.

Duties of Matron.

1. The Matron, in the discharge of her duties, is responsible to the Master. She is required to supervise the female assistants and children, to see that the former are attentive to their duties, and that the children are well cared for and behave themselves properly.

2. She will also see that the latter are caused to kneel by the side of their respective beds morning and evening, and repeat aloud the form of prayer supplied for that purpose.

3. She is required to see that the children are washed and properly dressed, and that their beds are kept clean, and neatly made up.

4. She must visit the dining-rooms during meal-hours to assist the Master in keeping the children quiet and orderly; also to see that they are supplied