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Honorary Child Welfare Officers. —I desire to express grateful appreciation of the valuable assistance rendered by honorary officers, men and women (about two hundred), who assist not only at the Courts but with child welfare work generally. Previous Offenders. —The records show that of the children brought before the Courts 305 had at some time appeared previously for offences ; only a small minority of these were actually under the control of Child Welfare Officers at the time of their appearance this year. Illegitimate Children. —With a view to ensuring that adequate provision was made, Child Welfare Officers made inquiries in the cases of 1,281 illegitimate births notified confidentially to them by Registrars. In most instances the mother or other relative was able to care satisfactorily for the child, but where necessary the Welfare Officer arranged for assistance, which in certain cases includes help in the initiation of affiliation proceedings. Committals and Admissions. —During the year 356 boys and 208 girls were committed by Courts to my care for the following reasons: Indigent, 139; not under proper control, 133 ; living; in detrimental environments or neglected, 110; delinquent, 182. In addition to the above, 110 children were temporarily admitted by arrangement or under warrant from the Court. Adoptions.—The number of orders for the adoption of children made by Magistrates during the year was 605, a record. The average number of children adopted annually during the past five years was 530. A most satisfactory feature is that during this same period the Court ordered only 7 cancellations. Edward Costley Trust, Auckland. —l wish to again thank the trustees for the continued help which they have given in a large number of deserving cases of children requiring help with educational courses or in the early years of apprenticeship. Special Residential Schools. —School for the Deaf, Sumner : The number of children on the roll at Sumner was 110 at the 31st December, 1941. Owing to the buildings being in occupation by the military authorities the school was not reopened at the usual time—the beginning of February. A separate school for the South Island children will bo opened shortly in Christchurch. Arrangements for accommodation of the North Island children are in hand. Special School for Boys, Otekaike, and Special School for Girls, Richmond : The total number in residence at these two institutions for backward children at the 31st March, 194-2, was 183. At Otekaike the admission of a number of children had been held over pending the appointment of necessary teaching staff. New Zealand Institute for the Blind : At the 31st March, 1942, there were 19 Government pupils in residence at the New Zealand Institute for the Blind at Auckland. Other children at the Institute are arranged for privately. This institute is administered by an independent Board of Trustees on which the Government is represented. Registered Children's Homes. —Two additional homes were registered during the year, making the total 85. All these homes were inspected by Child Welfare Officers during the year. The total number of children in residence at 31st December, 1941, was 2,970, as comparwl with 2,854 in the previous year. In the case of 227 children both parents were dead, in the case of §47 the father was dead, and in the case of 629 the mother was dead. Many of the institutions reported that programmes they had in view for renovations and improvements had to be held over for the present. Maori Children. —It is the policy of the Department to deal with these children by remedial treatment in their own homes and localities as far as this is practicable. Very considerable help in this connection has been given by the honorary Child Welfare Officers, including representatives of the Maori race. Considerable success lias followed the plan of placing older delinquent M.aoris under close supervision in,situations some distance away from their own homes. Care is taken in these cases to ensure that their wages are suitably apportioned, that clothing is provided, and that pocket-money is no greater than is necessary. Infant-life Protection (Infants Act, 1908). —The number of homes registered under the Infants Act is 572 and the number of children in them is 627. Child Welfare Officers were appointed in 33 cases as conciliators under the Domestic Proceedings Act, 1939. Reports by Child Welfare Officers were also asked for in 41 cases by Magistrates and Judges where the custody of the children was concerned. British Children. —I am happy to report that these children, numbering 203, are still progressing very favourably in their new surroundings. Their health during the past year has on the whole been very good. I wish to express grateful appreciation of the gratuitous services rendered where necessary to these children by members of the British Medical Association and the New Zealand Dental Association. The reports on the children indicate that they are progressing very favourably indeed in their various classes and that they show continued interest not only in their lessons, but in all school activities. The number of children attending the, various types of schools on the 31st March, 1942, were as follows ; Kindergarten, 1 ; primary schools, 96 ; post-primary schools, 86 ; University college, 1. Nineteen children have left school and are placed in various approved positions : they are doing well. Early in the year the local representative of the Children's Overseas Reception Board, Major Bavin, 0.8. E., was transferred to Australia. His successor, Mr. W. Garnett, was also transferred to Australia. Mr. R. Sedgwick, who is Official Secretary to Sir Harry Batterbee, is now acting. I am pleased to be able to state from first-hand knowledge as well as from reports received that these children are a healthy, happy, and contented group, and a credit to any community. J. R. McClune, Superintendent. The Director of Education.

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