in the case of aliens likely to be permanently dependent from recognized disease or disabilities, the saving to the State is apparent, for it costs more than the average expense of removal to support a person in a hospital for one month.

The recent amendments to the laws relating to the deportation of undesirable immigrants have enlarged the list of mental or physical defectives and other undesirable classes of immigrants. subject to deportation. The return of such aliens by National authority, if found in charitable institutions within the time fixed by statute, is now fairly well assured. In the case of aliens dependent from causes existing at the time of their arrival in America the limit for deportation is only three years, and one year in the case of aliens dependent from subsequent causes. Both these periods are too short. The United States does not carry its proportionate share of the burden of removing aliens from the public charitable institutions of New York State. When such removal is necessary, sixty-five per cent, of all are removed at the expense of the State. Of 577 aliens removed from public charitable institutions, the National Government provided for only 201. The remainder, chiefly aliens dependent from causes arising subsequent to their arrival in America, requested transportation to their native lands and friends, but as they had been in America more than one year, the National authorities would not remove them.

The period of removal by the United States authorities of priorto-landing cases should equal the period required by law before. an alien can become a citizen of the United States, and the permissible removal in subsequent-to-landing cases and in compliance with the request of the alien should not be limited, but should be discretionary with the Secretary of Commerce and Labor, when the interests of the alien and of the Government will be served by such removal. In addition to this extension of the deportation period, the officers of the Immigration Service should be authorized to determine ordinary cases without reference to Washington and thus avoid vexatious delays.

Since the State Poor Law went into effect in 1873 and the Alien Poor Law in 1880, the whole number of alien and nonresi

dent removals made by the State Board of Charities has been 37,432. The estimated average length of residence of permanent charges in almshouses is fifteen years. Taking this for granted, the expenditure involved in supporting these 37,432 poor persons would have been, at a minimum of $2 a week, no less than $58,393,920. The 1,153 removed this year at a total cost of $14,344.84 would, on the above basis, cost $1,798,680 to support. Removal is therefore a far more economical method of dealing with alien and nonresident dependents than maintenance, while it is also the best, as it restores them to their homes.

INDIAN POOR.

Dependent Indians are legal charges on the State rather than on its subdivisions, and therefore in accordance with the Poor Law the administration of relief to indigent Indians is under the direction of the Board. The Poor Law and the rules of the Board in regard to Indian relief require that destitute Indians, if capable of being moved, shall be cared for in an almshouse. Temporary outdoor relief is given only in cases requiring immediate assistance, and in cases where the Indian cannot be moved to the nearest almshouse.

There has been no unusual sickness or epidemic among the Indians, and their relief has not proved a large expense to the State, though their improvidence is such that if carelessly administered the cost of their relief would be many times as great.

No provision is made by law for the support of Indian children in schools for the deaf or blind in cases where ordinarily the support would be at county expense. An amendment to the law is desirable to provide that such children shall be maintained from the funds available for the education of State pupils in such schools.

The total number of Indian poor provided for in almshouses or asylums during the fiscal year was 54, as compared with 42 last year, and the total expenditures on account of Indian relief amounted to $2,585.98.

The decrease shown by these statistics is due to the lack of sufficient appropriations to continue the work of removing during the last quarter of the fiscal year alien nonresident and State poor persons to their homes in other States and countries.

ALMSHOUSE INSPECTION.

All the almshouses and municipal charitable institutions of the State were regularly inspected during the year. The progress made in these institutions is noteworthy. In most of the counties public sentiment approves the adequate care and treatment of the county wards. Suitable buildings are provided, clothing and bedding is adequate and the dietaries are excellent. The boards of supervisors and superintendents of the poor in several counties have co-operated this year with the State Board of Charities to secure the erection of new buildings. The Board of Supervisors of Erie county has voted to erect a new county hospital of modern type and is considering the removal of the Erie County Almshouse to a site outside the city of Buffalo. The proposed erection of a new county almshouse and hospital in Otsego county has received the favorable consideration of the poor officers and citizens of that county. In Niagara county a committee of supervisors was appointed to report on the advisability of building a new almshouse on a better site. The citizens of Rensselaer county are taking active interest in the welfare of their almshouse inmates and a new tuberculosis hospital has been erected, so that segregation of tubercular patients can now be made. The administration in Westchester county is progressive. Consideration has been given to future needs, and a layout has been drawn for a new almshouse on the block plan.

By co-operation between the poor officers and the courts in Broome county, the almshouse has been relieved of a vicious and undesirable class in its winter population. Rather than be committed to a penitentiary many such persons have become self-supporting with a considerable saving for the county.

The town almshouses at Hempstead and Oyster Bay should be abolished and a single institution for Nassau county established in place of them. Neither of the two is now fit for use and steps in the direction recommended should be immediately taken, as the town of Hempstead is preparing to build a hospital.

When State institutions, now existent or contemplated, relieve the almshouses of the care of the feeble-minded, idiotic, alcoholic and vagrant, the residue will be a normal almshouse population, viz., the aged and infirm poor, who because of their infirmities require comfortable housing and good care. The almshouse of the past, in which the worthy poor were compelled to associate with the feeble-minded, idiots, vagrants and vicious persons is disappearing, and the almshouse of the present is practically an infirmary for the care of destitute persons of advanced years and failing health.

THE SUPERVISION OF DEPENDENT CHILDREN PLACED IN

HOMES.

The supervision by the Board, through its Department of State and Alien Poor, of the work of placing out children by public officers and societies or charitable institutions which receive public funds, serves a two-fold purpose; it brings to the attention of the responsible agencies all cases where undesirable homes have been selected, and thus promotes the prompt removal of the child, and it also causes the officers to exercise greater care in their selection of homes for dependent children as they know that their work will be examined by State officers.

The results of the work of the inspector who examines the family homes in which children are placed by Poor Law officers and by the Catholic Home Bureau, as well as other cases brought to the attention of the Board through complaints, amply justify the expenditure involved and show the need of further extension of the work. All children supported in whole or in part by pub

lic funds, who are placed out in New York State, should be visited by an inspector of this Board at least once.

The appended report of the Department of State and Alien Poor contains statistical tables to which attention is directed. These show the operations of the State Poor Law from October 22, 1873, to the close of the fiscal year September 30, 1909.

INSPECTION OF PUBLIC CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS IN NEW YORK CITY.

In New York City the Commissioner of Public Charities administers all public charitable institutions except four hospitals. the supervision of which is entrusted to the Board of Trustees of Bellevue and Allied Hospitals; and of this Board the Commissioner of Public Charities is ex officio a member.

The Department of Public Charities needs a new office building, accessible to the public; the present offices on the East Twentysixth street pier are a quarter of a mile distant from the nearest trolley line. The Children's Bureau which is now housed with the Children's Court, will soon have a building of its own in Fiftyninth street.

The Commissioner of Public Charities has charge of the general relief work in Greater New York and of three almshouses, seven hospitals and a lodging house, all located in the city proper or on small islands and reached by the Department's fleet of six steamboats. The bed capacity for inmates is 9,600, and 11,000 people are fed daily at the institutions. The work of the Department requires the employment of 2,100 persons, including a staff of 86 internes and 266 nurses. The yearly cost of provisions exceeds $734,000; of clothing, $143,000; of salaries, $492,000; of drugs and liquors, $54,000; of surgical instruments, $13,000; of fuel and light, $136,000; of miscellaneous charges, $197,000; making a total expenditure of more than $1,769,000 a year.

By the appointment of a Scientific Advisory Council the Commissioner of Public Charities has secured for the Department the expert advice of specialists, whose opinions should be given weight in formulating the future policies of the Department. Investigations of value are being conducted in the Russell Sage Pathological Institute, the generous gift of Mrs. Russell Sage, and a proper building for this research work will soon be erected.