NATIVE SCHOOLS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 300, 21 August 1875, Page 2

NATIVE SCHOOLS.

The following reports to the Government relate to schools in this district. Mr. R. J. Gill writes : — ■ GISBORNE SCHOOL. This school has been closed since 31st December. I do not recommend it being again opened. The Natives formerly living at Turanganui have nearly all removed to Waerenga-a-hika, only two or three families remaining. Before leaving Gisborne, I arranged that the children should attend the Provincial School, the Government paying at the rate of £1 a quarter for each boy so attending. WHAKATO SCHOOL. This school is but poorly attended. On the day of my visit there were only 5 boys and 3 girls. It is difficult to understand the cause of the falling off of the attendance here. The villages of Muriwai, Pakirikiri, Tapitahi, and Oweta are all within easy distance. The chairman of the school committee, Major Westrup, has taken much interest in the school’s progress. Oue reason assigned for the children not attending regularly is that the school is too far from their homes, and that if some whares were built near the school-house for them they would attend regularly, and return home only once a week. As an experiment this might be tried, the Government to contribute say £3O, and the Natives a like sum, to build a sleeping and cooking house; the children to be watched over by the master and mistress (Mr. and Mrs. Carrington.) There being more than an average Native population in the district, it would be a pity did this school break down for want of some small assistance. TOLOGA BAY. This school is under charge of Mr. and Mrs. Parker. The attendance during the March quarter averaged 5 boys and 7 girls. The number of children on the school register is 21. The attendance at the school has been as high as 60 children. The cause of failure here is perhaps exceptional—the burning, by accident of the master’s house, and the erection of a new school house on the north side of the river. It is intended, I understand, to erect a building adjoining the school house, in which the children from the south side of the river can reside during the week. This, I think, will greatly increase the attendance. The school is well kept, and the master and mistress indefatigable in their duties. I was much pleased at the order and cleanliness of the school. TOKOMARU SCHOOL. My inspection here was a dissapointment, the average attendance during the March quarter being only 5 boys and five girls, the causes urged for the falling off being the want of food, and the great distance the children have to travel from their homes. The chief, Henare Potae, has done much to help the school. Mr. Arthur, a resident in the Bay, also takes an interest in its success : last Christmas

he gave prizes and clothing to the children to the amount of £5. One reason why so few children have attended the school since January may be, that most of the Natives, men and women, were attending a sitting of the Native Land Court at Gisborne. AKUAKU SCHOOL. This school is under the charge Of Mr. and Mrs. Brown. The average attendance during March quarter was 31 boys and 29 girls, in all 60. On

my visit, sth April, the attendance was 37 boys and 28 girls. The children are taught reading, arithmetic, geography, grammar, and writing, and the girls sewing, &c. Their general knowledge of what is taught them was much in advance of other schools on the East Coast. The master and mistress are careful and attentive; the schoolroom and all around it clean and in good order. I would recommend here that two of the children, a boy and a girl, be appointed pupil teachers, at a small salary. WAIAPU SCHOOL. The average attendance of children at this school for the March quarter was 12 boys and 8 girls ; the number would be greater but for the diffiof the children crossing the river. The master, Mr. Hay, is attentive in his duties. He complained much of the difficulty he had in getting the children to attend regularly. One great check to the cause of Maori education is, that on every occasion on which the parent finds it necessary to labour, whether in his cultivation or otherwise, the children are supposed to assist. This to some extent is wearing off: still 'the complaint of irregular attendance is one urged by all schoolmasters. The parents of the children exercise but little general control over them ; hence the necessity of finding some amusement of a class different from what they have had at home. I would recommend the putting up at Tologa Bay, Tokomaru, Akuaku, and Waiapu, rope swings, and horizontal bars, and also encourage other games, such as football, &c. These games, under eare, would soon become more attractive to the boys than the idleness found in their homes.