AT ROTORUA.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 July 1921, Page 1

AT ROTORUA.

Most tourists think that the little .Maori children of Wlmkcrowarowa, near Hotorua, having nothing to do in life hut jump from the bridge and make money by diving for it, says an exchange. Hut the little dark lolk ol ■ Whaka” lead a more industrious life when the tourists are not about, and the recent success of their Native^ school show that these young people are quite' capable of competing with their fairer brothers and sisters in the matter ot scholarship. The Native school neat the Maori settlement has won the Makarini scholarship tor this year, making the school’s record up to the fifth year i„ succession. The Maknrini scholarship was founded and endowed by Sir Donald M’Lcan, and it provides for special educational facilities for one child out of the many hundreds attending the one: hundred and twenty Native schools in New Zealand. Having won the scholarship five years running is therefore a great achievement for the colony of children under Mr Banks, who is headmaster for the Whakarewarewn school. The children of this school, exclusively Native, of course, hold one hundred and forty war loan certificates, which were bought out of their savings. Further, they give 10 per cent of their diving money to a charitv-box, which is drawn on when some outside cause is soliciting support. In addition to the school lessons agriculture is encouraged, iind each boy has a plot of ground for which he is responsible. A few months ago it was announced that every child from the Sixth Standard of the year had gained his or her prolioiency certificate. Mr J. Banks is the headmaster of the Native school, which is built not so very far from the boiling pools and geysers which are the attraction of this Native village.