The Wairoa Bell, AND Hobson County Gazette. FRIDAY, JULY 8th

Wairoa Bell, Volume IV, Issue 153, 8 July 1892, Page 4

The Wairoa Bell, AND Hobson County Gazette. FRIDAY, JULY Bth

From the many rumours that are circulated from time to time there is reason to believe that the administration of Native schools affairs is very far from satisfactory. Mr. Houston in his election addresses referred to instances of great waste of public money in this respect. As far as we remember he spoke of a so called teacher of

a Native school who regularly drew his salary but who did not ouen his school for months together. Our Maropiu correspondent a short time ago a,.so stated that in his neighbourhood there was a Native school and a paid teacher and yet the school had not been opened for a considerable period. It seems strange that such a state of things should have been possible in these days of retrenchment and especially after Mr. Houston succeeded in gaining admission to the House, and it behoves the Minister under whose control these schools are placed to set his House in order. No doubt it is a matter of some difficulty to exercise proper supervision over schools placed in such out of the way districts as most Native schools are, and the .Natives themselves are hardly the one 3 to properly supervise the economical working of the schools as is done by our ordinary school committees. The Education Department endeavoured to place these schools under the control of the District Boards but the latter seem disinclined to accept the responsibility. This we think is to be regretted for some change is urgently needed, and we see no reason why Native schools should be treated in any different way as to management than others, except that Commision—ers might be appointed to act in place of Committees, We are glad to see by the Parliamentary news that the Natives themselves are moying in the matter, and we hope that their action may lead to a reform of the whole system. The Natives are seeking to enforce compulsory attendance at these schools and in so doing acting wisely, and it is to he hoped that this desire for the better education of their children will lead to the placing of these schools on an altogether more satisfactory footing.