Page 5 Advertisements Column 3

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 747, 11 June 1853, Page 5 (Supplement)

form a good choir at the Native Church attached to the mission station. This accomplishment is popular among the natives, and is found to act as an inducement to parents to send their children to the school. Schools for the female children, —whilst they are of essential importance with a view native people—are subject to this peculiar difficulty, that the labour of the children cannot readily be made to yield a profit in aid of the school funds. The efforts made by the heads of this institution to overcome this disadvantage are most praiseworthy, and deserve the fullest measure of success. The want of land availahle for a dairy has been hitherto a great drawback to this school. The personal and painstaking labours of the Rev. Mr. Ashwell and of Mrs. Ashwell. in teaching the children, and in the general care of the school, are most exemplary. OTAWHAO. Rlv. J. Morgan. This is a school for half-caste children of both sexes. The present school accommodation consists of a weather-boarded building, 44ft., Gin., by 19ft., 4in., to which another house is attached at right angles, 30ft., Oin., by 18ft., Gin. These form the school-room and dormitory for the boys. The larger is lined, the other is not. The height of the side walls is feet, with a covered ceiling. The Girls' School is not yet finished. It is designed so as to form two handsome wings to the present Mission-house. The eastern wing is nearly completed: it is 44ft. 9in., long, and 19ft. Gin., broad* and is ultimately intended to form one general dining-hall for the whole establishment, including the Mission family and both sehoo's. For the present it is to be divided into two parts, one to be used as a dining-hall, and the other as a dormitory for the girls. The western wing is to be used In connexion with the schools, is a house designed for weaving in, at present occupied bv the agricultural instructor. It is a framed house, shingled, but covered on the outside with raupo. The materials for a kitchen, 16ft. by 39ft., are on the ground, and the building is to be erected as soon as the Girls' School is finished. The accompanying plan gives the position of these buildings, and of others connected with the mission. The view shows one wing of the Girls' School, now nearly finished, at the side of the Mission-house. The number of boarders in October, 1852, was as follows : Boys 16 Giils 18 Two native teachers and their families (seven in all) are also supported on the funds of the school. The average numbers in former years were— In 1850 2G 1851 38 The dwelling-house and land belong to tin Church Missionary Society. institution has, from the beginning, devolved upon the resident missionary, the Rev. J. Morgan, and his wife. The boys have been regularly put to work on the farm belonging to the school, but we have no means of estimating the value of their labour. The payments received from some of the parents of the children up to the 30th June, 1852, amounted to £l9O 10s. Gd. The salary paid to the schoolmaster is £25 per annum, with rations, which are estimated at £2O per annum. The vearly cost of each boarder is about £5 ss. At the commencement of this school, in October, 1849, there were no suitable buildings on the ground. A single room, 18ft., by 30ft., was used as a common dining-hall, school-room, and girls' dormitory. In such a state of things, regularity of system could not be attained, and there was a lack of adequate means for securing order and discipline ; but the buildings now in progress will, when completed, afford the additional accommoda*