AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 578, 15 February 1851, Page 4

AUCKLAND.

[From the Neiv Zealander.'} St. Stephen’s Native Girls’ School. The establishment is called “St. Stephen’s Native Girls’ School,” because it is situated on the same block of land—in fact, it adjoins and even stands on a part of the land (near the residences of the Chief Justice and the Attorney-General,) occupied formerly by St. Stephen’s Chapel, which, with its buryingground, was consecrated at the time when Kororarika was destroyed.

The “Native Girls’ School” may be said to date its origin from the commencement of the Rev. G. A. Kissling’s labours in New Zealand, at Hicks’s Bay. Mr. Kissling did not come as a novice to the work of training an aboriginal race. He had passed fourteen years on the western coast of Africa ; and—at Fourth Bay, in Sierra Leone—he had for seven years superintended a similar undertaking. From the Institution for the advancement of Christian instruction of which he there had charge, a large number of native teachers and schoolmasters went forth prepared to labour amongst 3000 or 4000 children in that colony ; and four of those who were formerly his scholars have since been fully ordained, and are now preaching the Gospel to their own countrymen in the centre of Africa —producing we trust, by the Divine blessing, happy illustrations of a principle of the validity oi which we have long been convinced namely, that, however indispensable European aid may be in the first instance, Native labour is that which alone will work out the real and general Christianization of deeply-wronged Africa. ° struggling against the depressing influence of shattered health, Mr, Kissling engaged in the comparatively easier task of conducting a Female School in New Zealand. But he was not unsupported in the work. He had an help-meet for him,” who, long accustomed to tuition, bore more than an ordinary share in the effort. A serious illness, however, tore Mr. Kissling away from his interesting sphere of labour on the eastern coast of New Zealand. He came to Auckland for medical aid ; but when he did so, a number of the Kawa - kawa female pupils, sympathizing with bis affliction, affectionately clung to and accompanied him and Mrs. Kissling. Having settled down at Rohimarama, on the Bishop’s premises, the number of scholars, small at first, soon increased. Meantime’ Mr. Kissling’s health was gradually restored, and all seemed to promise well. Butin 1848* another trial came. While he and the inmates of his house were at church in a native village in the neighbourhood, his whole establishment was destroyed by fire, and he and his household were left houseless and destitute. They were not forsaken, however, either of God or man ; and out of this seeming calamity, arose the present St. Stephen’s School. Aid towards its formation was afforded from several quarters. Mr. Chief Justice Martin was, we believe, one of its earliest benefactors, giving a valuable portion of land for its purposes,—the earnest of the active and benevolent assistance which he has since steadily rendered it. The Bishop purchased an adjoining piece of land, and the Governor-in-Chief granted a still larger portion, making ‘.a-„ a t ggregate a k° ut 80 acres,—the whole Ox watch property is now legally settled for the support of a Native Girls’ School, the pupils to which are admissible from all parts of New Zealand, and frorri the Islands of the Pacific Ocean generally. i With a view to tbfe erection of suitable buildings, the Govern *tent grants allotted to

the school were permitted to accumulate for several years ; and the Governor- in-Chief by various official and private acts of kindness urged on and fostered the undertaking. In Mr. Kissling’s words (on Monday) “I'aith still held firmly the tree of promise in her hand ; the little birds still hovered around to nestle under its branches; Charity assisted Faith : Faith and Charity brought forth Patience : and Patience prepared the way for St. Stephen’s Native Girls’ School.’’ lhe issue has been the construction of the present buildings, of which the following is a brief description. The entire length is 120 feet, with two wings each 56 feet long. In the middle it is 17 feet wide, and in the wings 15 feet. In the centre of the building is the principal room called “ The Hall,” and adjoining and connected with it by a moveable partition, is the school-room. On the other side of the hall is the kitchen. The East wing is appropriated as the residence of Mr. Kissling’s family ; and in the West wing are the dormitories. In the rear of the main buildings, at a distance of about 60 feet from them, are the laundry, bakehouse, &c., which, however, are not yet completed. In walking through the different apartments, we were much struck by their admirable proportions and general arrangements, and by the effective manner in which thorough ventilation is secured. In everything connected with its architectural plan and execution, the institution is deeply indebted to the skill and zeal of the Rev. Frederick Thatcher, under whose superintendence the whole was devised and constructed. The number of Girls in the school in the year 1849, was thirty-five, when a debt was incurred amounting to £lll. The embarrassment which might thus have been produced was happily relieved by the liberality of Sir George Grey, who placed at Mr. Kissling’s disposal a private donation of £lOO, and did so, we are informed, “ in a manner not less handsome than the gift itself.” During the yearlBso, the average numberof girls has been twenty-one : —the expenses, £l4B ; —the income £l2O ; leaving the school at present in debt, £2B.

The formal opening on Monday last will, w r e cannot doubt, give a salutary impulse to the progress of the Institution. The number and respectability of the parties present on the occasion afforded strong evidence of the interest excited by it. The Bishop of New Zealand himself conducted the proceedings, the order of which was arranged nearly as follows. —The Bishop, in the first instance, read the regular Church service for the evening, in the course of which, a maori hymn was delightfully sung. At the conclusion of the service, his Lordship called the girls of the school by name one after another, nresenting to each a prayer book. Archdeacon W. Williams then briefly addressed the scholars in their native language, impressing upon them that —however sound the form of words contained in those books might be—it was essential in order to their praying aright, that they should engage in their devotions with sincerity, and from the heart. After this, an interval elapsed, during which the agreeable episode of a substantial dinner was given to the natives present on the occasion. On the re-assembling of the company, a very interesting, and rather amusing scene took place. Several of the lads from St. John’s College, presented offerings as tokens of regard to the girls Oi St. Stephen s school. For instance, the printers and bookbinders presented to each girl a copy of the College Almanack for the ensuing year ; and the -spinners and weavers presented a large piece of cloth of a veiy substantial fabric ; and little fellows who had nothing else to give, brought nosegays ; and, in short, all did what they could, and the result seemed mutual and entire satisfaction. Next came a vocal performance in which the young maories sung a number of pieces, more than pleasingly, enunciating the English words with marked distinctness, and affording a new confutation of the libel that the natives have not an ear and a taste for music. Considering that most of the singers have been only a short time under instruction, and that from unavoidable circumstances, their instruction has been given without thatlegularitv which European teachers declare to be essential to progress, the performance was not merely gratifying, but almost surprising, A high meed of praise is due in this particular to the Kev. G. A. Purchas, whose taste, ability and assiduity have produced such musical effects, as we, with many others, enjoyed and appreciated on Monday.