The White Man’s Burden.

Northland Age, 20 September 1904, Page 3

The White Man’s Burden.

Education Amongst Maoris. The Twenty-seventh Annual Report of the Minister of Education contains some interesting information. The number of Maori village schools in full operation at the end of 1903 was 101, two more than the number open at the end of 1902. The number of children on the rolls of these schools at the 31st December, 1903, was 3,693, as against 3,742 at the end of the preceding year. This falling-off is doubtless due in the main to epidemics of measles, whooping-cough, and scarlet fever that have occurred in various localities in the North. The average attendance, nevertheless, has been fully maintained, being 3,012, as against 3,005 in 1902. In addition to the village schools, there are the four mission schools and the five boarding or secondary schools that are examined and inspected by the Department at the request of their controlling authoritieo. These bring the total number of Native schools to 110. The total expenditure on Native sohools for the year was £28,719, which includes £134 paid from Native reserves funds and £136 paid from other funds for Native purposes. Deducting £4O recoveries from various sources, the result is a net cost of £28,679, as against £26,946 for the year 1902. Included in this sum is expenditure on new buildings and additions, £5,6(6; on (secondary education ihes for

The staff of the village schools included 76 masters, 19 mistresses in charge, 81 assistants, and 12 sewingteachers. The masters received salaries ranging from £284 2/8 to £94 0/10, tho headmistresses from £lßl 4/5 to £9O 8/9, the assistants from £SO to £7 3/-, and the sewing-teachers from £lB 150- to £7. In one school the master and mistress work conjointly, the total salary being £264 8/1. It must be understood in the ease of the assistants and sewing-teachers that they are generally members of the ' teacher’s family who give assistance for some part of the day’s work. Of the 3,693 children attending Native schools, 81-32 were Maori or nearly Maori, 8-98 were half-castes, and 9‘7 were European, or nearly so. Of the 3,209 children of Maori or mhtod race attending the public schools, 56-96 were Maori, 6'92 were of mixed race living as Maoris, and 36-12 were of mixed race living as Europeans. Mr. Bird (who inspected the Nativo schools throughout the North) reported favourably on the tone and discipline ruling in the majority of the schools inspected. The Pamapuria School was adversely commented upon. Mr. Bird in his report says tho whole ahua of this school can only be described as most unsatisfactory —attendance irregular, school tone bad, and relations between master and people considerably strained. The examination results were poor, there being only two passes.