OBITUARY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1819, 4 August 1913, Page 2

OBITUARY.

A NOTED EDUCATIONIST,

DEATH OF MR. J. H. POPE.

Widespread regret will be felt far beyond the borders of Wellington at tho deal-h of llr. James Henry Pope, formerly chief inspector of Native schools, which occurred yesterday altemoon nt his residonce, Maaraina Crescent. It is now mow than nine years since Mr. Popo retired from the position of chief inspector of Nativo schools. An enduring monument to his principal life work is to lie found in thn excellent system of Nativo schools w'hich now extends from tho North Cape to Stewart Island, for th-.it yystom, as we have it to-day, is Mr. Pope's creation. In the 'seventies, New Zealand had its schools for .the Maori, can-ic-d on under tho direction of tho Native Department, but they were entirely unorganised—merely kainga schools, conducted by untrained teachers, and without any proper system of oversight from the central Department, in 1879 the schools were handed over to the control of the Education Department. After making a. visit of inspection to the principal Native districts, Dr. Hislop, the Secretary for Education, and the l(ev. W. J. Habens, Inspector-General, made a recommendation to the Minister of tho day (the Hon. W. Rollcston), as the result of which Mr. Pope, who had till then been the senior male teacher of tho Otago Girls' High School, was offered the position of organising inspector of Native schools.

Mr. l'opo accepted the appointment, and thereupon set out upon the establishment of properly-organised primary schools for the principal Native settlements of the colony, with the Te Auto Nativo College, Hawko's Bay, as its culminating point in secondary education. To this position ho applied himself with characteristic-self-devotion, his work involving serious hardships through tho difficulties of travelling on the rough roads of the Far North, and the extreme eastern districts of the North Island, and being at times attended with actual danger, as was proved by more than ono accident and illness. Of tho admirable quality of the foundations laid by Mr. Pope,"and tte superstructure which ho reared upou -them before the end of his official care?r, tho records of tho Depart* ment, and tlie affection in. which lie tame to l>3 held by the Maoris in every corner of the Dominion, amply testify. Later on ho was joined in the work of inspec-'* tion by Mr. H. B. Kirk, now Professor of Biology at Victoria College, and by Mr. W. W. Bird, tho present chief inspector, who lias admirably carried on the system established by Mr. Popo. In 1304 Mr. Popo was compelled by failing health to retire from official life, and he has sinco lived quietly in Wellington, always retaining touch and warm friendship with his old colleagues of tho Department.

About forty years ago Mr. Popo contributed largely to New Zealand journalism, chiefly in tho editorial columns of the Dunedin "Star," and a column of astronomical notes, published by tho same paper. Amongst the subjects on which ho wrote strongly was that of funeral reform, particularly in tho direction of oremation'. In deference to his own Irishes it is intended that his remains shall be cremated at the ICarori Crematorium.

Mr. Pope was a native of St. Holier, in the Channel Islands, and came to Victoria in early manhood. There ho entered upon tlie work of school teaching, and in ISC3, on the establishment of tho Otago Hiffli School,' he resigned tlie headmastership of a primary school at BaJlarat to becorno an assistant master of tho Dunedin Secondary School. Nino years later he became senior master of the Girls' High School. There lie remained until 1876, when Ire was appointed headmaster of tlie Ba'.larat College, but ill-health shortly afterward.? compelled him to alxind-j-U that post. On recovery ho was again appointed senior master of the Otago Girls' Ilijjh School, Mxs. M. G. Burn being the principal. As already stated, it was this position that ho quitted in order to take up the work in connection with the Native schools. At ono period he was acting-rector of the High School. In his scholastic carecr, Mr. Popo had among his pupils many of the most prominent people in New Zealnml to-day, notably tho Hon-. H. D. Bell, Minister, for Internal Affairs, Mr. Justice Edwards, the Hon. T. W. Hislop, Mr. ,T. P. M. Eraser, Crown Prosecutor at Dui\odin, Ijady Stout, Judge Kettle, tho Hon. J. K, Sinclair, M.L.C., Mr. Jas. Mackenzie, Surveyor-General, Mr. 'B. Wilmot, Cliiof Surveyor of Otago, and Messrs. C. R. Ohapraan and Jas. Park, ox-Mayors of Duuodin, while tlie Hon. Dr. Poma.ro, the Hon. Mr. Npata, Dr. R-angihiroa, and Mr. C. Parata, the -present Maori- members, of Parliament, all received tlieir education in tho Native School and College during Mr. Pope's period of supervision. Apart frorii his official work, Mr. Popo was known to a wide circle in Wellington as a gentleman well versed in many departments of scholarship, and of singularly modest bearing and amiable disposition. He was an excellent linguist as regards Greek, Latin, French, and German, ajid had n working knowledge of Hebrew, while in his acquaintance with Maori lie had few equals. Music and astronomy were his spcc-ial hobbies, botany was als-o ono of his favourite pursuits, and his knowledge of mental science was deep and wide. While in the Education Department he prepared several Ijooks far use in the Native schools. Chief amo-ng.st these were "Health for the Maori" —it may be noted that the cultivation of sanitary methods in tho. kainga was equally with literary education one of tlio purposes of his Native school scheme. It is also understood that in his yea.rs of recent leisure he wrote a history of the Native school movement, and also a collection of Maori fables, neither of which has yet been published. of the members of M-r. Pope's faniilv are at mwent ocoupying prominent positions in, official or business life. His d-dest son, Air. Robert J. Pope, is headmaster of the Kaiwarra School; Mr. Roland Pope is Inspector in Charge of Special Schools under the Education Department; Mr. Fred. Popo is Secretary of tlie Department of Agriculture; M.r. Frank Pope is district manager of tho State Fire.Office- in Auckland: Mr. J. C. Pope is one of thto masters of Nelson College; Mr. Ray S. Pope is accountant to Messrs. Cederholm aud Tdlley; and liis daughters are:—Mrs. F. G. A. Stuckey. wife of one of tho Wellington inspectors of schools: and Mrs. C. D. Morpeth, wife of a wall-known Wellington accountant.

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Two Englishwomen, Miss Weston and Miss Wintz, .according to the "Queen," last year sent to English sailors 822,000 copies of a monthly magazine, "Ashore and Afloat," and nearly 500,000 copies of a printed monthly letter. They have also foOnded tho Royal Sailors' Rests, lodging-houses in which last year over 40,000 seamen were provided with coinfortablo lodgings.