Educational Matters at Kawhia South.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 292, 11 January 1907, Page 2

Educational Matters at Kawhia South.

INSPECTOR CROWE'S report Some little time ego Mt B Crowe ! visited the Kawbia South district rela- ( live io sobool requirements. Al the . meeting of the Auckland Eduoi /on Board the following report was Iread, for wbiob a speoiel vote of thanks was accorded Mr Crowe, on the motion of Messrs Sarris and Greenelade:— “ I have railed the Kawhia South district and enquired into the several applications now before the Board. Ths district is about 16 miles long and 12 miles wide. It is very broken, being in fact a series of mountain ranges (mostly limestone), but contains some exceedingly fertile land which will some day support a largo - population. At the present time tfar great tnijorily of the settlers are bachelors. The great drawback at >^P re ' seat time is the want of roadZ 1 bare are some 80 miles of 6>t br.d e track formed, but eeveinZmnes of this ««sk seem to begin and end nowhere in particular, whiip«*e whole of it ia ptjmtfeally impassible during a great part of the ya»< The difficulty can I think be gppover by an extension of the houq/iold system and when the numbers warrant is by the establisbmepr'bf an aided school. The itinerantsystem is not applicable. In the 4&et place the settlers are practically unanimous against it, and in the second the trouble of getting about from place to place and the poor quality of the soo-nnmodation would render a teacher's life one of continual hardship and misery. I have dealt with the applications separately and if my recjmmeudations are carried out as much will be done in the matter of providing educational facilities for the struggling settler of Kawhia South as can be reasonably expected. - R. Cbows." Kinobaku,—This place is the Kinohaku barbonr, some five miles from the Kinobaku school. There are some 18 children of school age now without means of education. Mr Scott offers the use of a small building tree of cost. I recommend that his offer be accepted and that a school be established bare io be worked half time with Kinobaku. The schools could be worked on alternate days in the summer and week about in the winter months. By this means the teacher would obtain a living wage. In this connection an easy exchange can be made. Mr M'Cbesney could take tbe Kioohaka schools while Miss Hayes would find Oparau more comfortable and easier of access than Kinobaku. I believe both are willing. Kiritehere and Marokopa, Bor reasons expressed in tbe general report tbe itinerant system is not applicable. Tbe only two settlers who favoured it were Me P. Rose, a bachelor, and Mr Wouldes. Tbe latter has recanted, and in conjunction with tbe people has agreed to put up at Marokopa a temporary building in which an aided school can be established. Marokopa is at tbe mouth of a river navigable for seven ar eight miles by small craft, and is likely to develop into a place of some importance. I recommend that an aided school be established. The attendance may be anything from 10 to 15 and if tbe Maori children attend it may possibly be over 20. Of course a male teicher must be sent. This will suffice for Marokopa and Kiritehete.

Taharoa is a purely native settlement, 10 miles north ot Marokopa. I do not see how tbe Board can be expected to deal with this. At Te Maika, 16 or 17 miles north of Marokopa and situated on the Kawhia Harbour is one settler with six children of sobool age. These would have to travel about five miles to Kawhia by water and about three miles to the Kinobaku lending. Attendance at tbe latter school would depend on the tides. The father is a fisherman and if really anxious might secure some education for bis children either at Kawhia or Kinohaku landing. There ii no-room available for a household school. I explained lihis matter to him, also the matter ot a subsidy tor conveying tbe children. He talks of building s room for a school. When tbis is done tbe matter can be dealt with. Te Auga.—There are only two families now resident here, viz., Stanleys and Haylooks. They are respectively eight and 10 miles distant from tbe Kinohaku school and about five miles from each other. Tbsy have agreed to put up a small building about half way between them. There are six children of school age. The governess at present employed by Mr Stanley is quite capable of teaching tbis school. I examined tbe children in tbe Stanley family taught by her and both passed with ease. I recommend that an aided school be established. Otarcw*. —Tbare is a small buildlog hare io which a school can bo established. Tbe average attendance will probably be about six.- Miss C. Cowern offers her services as teacher. There nd road between thia place auu Kiordtaku which is tbs ntares l yohcql. Tbs distance by water ts five or six miles and eoinmunicati <n is dependent on the tides. 1 recommend that Miss Cowern bo appointed to carry oa the school.