From demi-mondes to slaveys : a study of the Te Oranga Reformatory for Delinquent Women, 1900-1918 : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History at Massey University

Abstract

This thesis examines the management of the Te Oranga reformatory for delinquent women, from its inception in 1900 until its closure in 1918. The institution was supervised by the Education Department, a body which, it is suggested, did not have firm ideas on the functions of the reformatory. The Department's ambivalence over the role of the institution, in addition to such other problems as limited facilities and poor staff, created a number of difficulties in the administration of Te Oranga. The study also examines Te Oranga's role in the wider society. It is argued that the committal of young women to, and treatment in, the reformatory was based on accepted and stereotypical views of women's "traditional" function in society.