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linsey woolsey, serge, or other material of a coarse kind, could be effected at a moderate outlay, and 
much work accomplished by children ranging from ten to sixteen years of age, also by adults who 
are maintained by the State. * * * Educated agriculturalists are required. There are large 
areas of Crown lands in this colony that might bo turned to a profit, if youths were employed in bringing it 
under cultivation, either for sale, or for the supply of the different Government institutions with the produce. 
Under a well-informed superintendent the colony would thus obtain some well-trained farmers, who, in after 
life, would disseminate the effect of their training through every part of the colony. This also applies to 
enclosing and cultivating orchards and vineyards.” Another correspondent who answers at length is a 
gentleman of Sandhurst — “I am so impressed with the fearful responsibility the State has undertaken with 
regard to the neglected children connected with the industrial schools : I am so fully alive to the advantages 
that would bo derived from sotting apart largo reserves, entirely removed from the centres of population, 
for the purpose of instructing them in planting, rearing, and afterwards manufactm-ing the products, that 1 
trust the Commission will excuse the length of my opinion. Each reserve should be large enough for the 
production of nearly everything that is requisite for the support of its community, and should include a 
farm with the various manufactures I have elsewhere alluded to, viz., woollen goods, tobacco, basket-making, 
drying fruit, oils of various kinds, sugar-beet, tailoring, shocmaking, furniture, &c., &c. I think Govern- 
ment establishments for the above object might be made self-supporting. Private individuals are chary of 
taking children whose parentage is doubtful. If the State would give the children an elementary instruc- 
tion in the trades mentioned, they would, when they leave Government control, have the means of earning 
their own living.” In one return, with.out a name attached, sent in by the Smythesdale Shire Council, it is 
stilted that “there is an institution at Hamburg called the ‘ Rauhe Ilaus,’ where a great number of orphan 
children have been brought up, aud have been made very useful members of society. 1 believe no Institution 
of the sort has effected greater good than tho above-named. The Government might obtain from the 
management of the above institution some valuable information.” Many express their belief strongly that, ivith 
labor so valuable as it ought to be here, and land without cost, such industrial establishments ought in a few 
years nearly, if not quite, to pay their expenses. But the necessity for a careful classification of tho children 
is strongly insisted on, so that time may not be wasted in endeavoring to force on them oceupatious for 
which they may be mentally or bodily unfit. And a resident of Belfast points out a fact not to be over- 
looked, when he says — “Very strict rules should be kept at all these institutions. The native boys seem 
to be, whether from climate, from robust habit, or from having more flesh diet, very precocious, obstre- 
perous, and headstrong.” Whether to be taught and employed at Government establishments or apprenticed 
out, it is a matter of great consequence that the natural inclinations of the children should be studied. 
Your Wangaratta correspondents say — “ Orphan boys aud girls maintained at the expense of the State 
should be taught useful trades, and their labor, as far as possible, utilized in testing the remunerative 
capabilities of novel industries.” A gentleman of Nunawading gives it as his 02 )inion that “a largo number 
might be employed in flower-farming, conducted on the same princij)le as the flower farms at Mitchem, in 
Surrey. Poppy and other medical herbs could bo grown and jirepared in the colony.” Another gentle- 
man from Nunawading suggests a somewhat different occupation for the boys — “I consider that the labor 
of orjjhan boys may be largely utilized by employing them in the local forest nurseries under a sub- 
inspector ; in fact, in a great mauy ways their labor might be used, in forest culture particularly.” The 
defects of the present system is clearly pointed out by a correspondent from Geelong, as follows: — “ Many 
objections are raised to taking children, male or female, from our public institutions, because of their 
want of training to perform the most ordinary work. Every child over ten years of age should be 
trained for some special object in the future, especially boys ; and no girl should bo unable to perform any 
ordinary household work on leaving the institution, and proof of tho same should be given by the matron or 
other person having charge.” The before quoted resident near Mansfield adds to tho question the words “ also 
the convicts in our prisons,” and says that he would have them and the orphan boys and girls brought up to 
advantage “by teaching them all to get their living by industry. This can be taught them in the industrial 
schools and gaols by attaching to these institutions manufactories of all kinds. Make Pentridge a great 
manufactory ; aud when your convicts come out, after seven or fourteen years’ labor, the habit of industry 
will be acquired, which in most cases will not leave them. With reference to our industrial schools, 
the earlier the children arc brought in contact with and taught the use of machinery of all kinds, the 
more likely are they to gi'ow up intelligent and useful mechanics. They will acquire thereby a taste for 
mechanics, and the ingenuity for saving labor, so remai’kable in our American cousins, will be developed. 
I would recommend, therefoi'C, that large and powerful steam engines be erected at all the Govei'iimcnt 
industrial schools, and machinery attached for manufacturing woollen goods, nails, -and all other articles for 
which the services of boys are used in the factories of Birmingham, Sheffield, Wolverhampton, &c. Let the 
day time of the boys at these establishments be divided into three parts — four hours labor, four hours 
education, and four hours for recreation aud refreshment. I do not approve of the system of apprenticeship, 
except for seafaring life, and we have here an excellent opportunity of forming the best seamen. We are in 
the immediate vicinity of tho best whaling ground in the world, and every encouragement should be given 
by the Government to promote this important industry, which would also offer a good school for training our 
neglected youth to a seafaring life. Excepting, therefore, the apprenticeship to this, I should jirefer to work 
the orphan boys and girls in Government factories, aud would recommend that a portion of their earnings be 
saved for their own use and benefit, and expended, on the completion of their apjirenticeship, in the purchase 
of tools, &c., necessary for their traele, and for providing for them during the first few months after they leave 
the factory. The girls could be taught also the way to earn an honest livelihood, and their earnings given 
to them on their day of marriage, or after they had proved that they were capable of supporting them- 
selves by tho art or trade they had been taught. I am sorry that I have not time to enter more fully on these 
important matters, but trust that the Commission will believe that I have no other object in view than 
that of advancing their very laudable intentions.” With one more quotation I may close the arguments 
in favor of Government establishments, and that is from a return sent in by tho Smythesdale Shire 
Council — =“ With respect to destitute or neglected orphan boys or girls, who are maintained at the 
expense of the State, I would suggest that they all be taught different trades at the institutions, and that 
they be supplied with r.aw material, so that all clothing, boots and shoes, furniture, &c., used by the 
Government be made at these institutions. By so doing, in a few years they would be a saving to the 
State instead of an expense. I would have only ono trade in connection with each institution, as only one 
competent tradesman would be then required at each, and this would not entail any great expense.” 
