HAWKE'S BAY HERALD.

Wananga, Volume 1, Issue 10, 24 December 1874, Page 56

HAWKE'S BAY HERALD.

November 18th 1874. The Native School Act, of 1867, after so many years of trial, has proved successful, and is now bearing good fruit. Many who took a superficial veiw of the Native character predicted that the scheme contemplated by the Act would be a failure. They instanced the fondness of the Natives to indulge in one kind of mania for a time, and then to drop it and take up another, like children with toys. The fancy for education would, it was said, go the way of all other fancies which the Maoris had entertained for a time, and then changed for something else; to-day the rage was for horses and saddles, next day for boats, another time for farming implements, and so on, —to one thing constant never. That the Missionary Schools were a failure was a fact, and this was instanced as supporting this view of the case. It was no wonder, however, that the Mission Schools failed, and was no proof that the Natives could not appreciate to a considerable extent the value of education. The fact was that the Maoris, who are no fools, seized upon one of the leading and weak features of the Missionary Schools system. They said it was "all "work and very little teaching," and there was much truth in the assertion as regarded the system pursued at many of these Schools which appeared to be conducted after the model of "Dotheboys' Hall," where Mr. Squeers first made a boy spell "botany," (or the Squeers equivalent for the word) then made him go and weed the garden, or having elicited- the information that certain letters spelt

Xi Sent Jt e £? pil off to rab dbwn & e animal ithe stable. The Natives saw through this in the same way that they saw the inconsistency of a preacher telling them to look upwards towards E w ?• hj& W f S »» bb£ n« a * the Land beneath their ieet It is really no wonder, therefore, that the system failed, and furnishes ho proof that the Native could not see for himself how useful a thing it was to possess a little of the Pakeha's learning. From th<* motives of purest self interest the Natives could ■ h Ss dl^ t , heir shrewdness, be insensible altogether to the advantages of education. There can be no doubt that, as a. rule, the Maoris do value education, and that many of them have made very great progress in the, to us, familiar arts of readinwriting and arithmetic, and in speaking our language e if th ® most in the world to acquire. Ihe older Natives at the present time see the advantage which their juniors possess who can talk the i'akeha s tongue, even so far as to be able to answer easy questions, and it is no uncommon thing to' see hoary-headed chiefs receiving instruction from boys and girls better taught than themselves. Whoever says that the do not, to a great extent appreciate the value of education, knows little of the character of that shrewd and intelligont race. Comparative data between the returns relating to Native Schools during the years 1867, 1869., and 18 <3, may be useful, showing, as they do, the great success attending the working of the Native Schools Act, consequent on the peaceful relations between the Natives and ourselves. In 1867 the number of bchoolj receiving aid from the Government was 16 Ut these, only one was really a School established under the Act (Maketu.) The others received a capitation allowance per. head on the children's attendance. These 16 Schools were attended by 315 children, and the cost to the Government was £1697 7s. lid. In 1869 the number of Schools open for the education or the Natives was only 9, the pupils numbering 227. The cost that year was £2432 3s. 7d Onthe 30th June, 1874, from a return laid before Parliament, it was shown that the Government contributed to the support of 64 Schools. Of these 41 are villago Schools, established under the Native Schools Act, and 23 are Schools supplemented-by capitation or other allowances. The number of children attending these Schools was. 1017 boys and 4<o girls—total, 1487. The 41 village Schools are under the care, in each instance, of a qualified master, ■ and in Schools whero the number of girls exceed six,' a mistress is also appointed to teach sewing and other domestic duties. The amount expended by the Government during the year in salaries, erection of buildings, School furniture, &c, was £9431 18s. 6d. In the very able and exhaustive speech made by Sir Donald McLean on the occasion of the banquet given to him here on the 10th inst., he dwelt forcibly upon this question, in relation to Native affairs. Sir Donald then stated—and he is no mean authority on the point—that "he looked upon the education of the Native youth, as a matter of the most urgent importance, and upon their instruction in the English language as the surest means of bridging over the difficulties between the two races. It had beea

clearly and forcibly pointed out by Lord Macaulay in a celebrated minute on the education of the Native youth in India, that the only method by which it could be hoped to bring together with a common bond of union the hundred thousands belonging to different nationalities in Hindostan, was to give them one language, and that language the English, rather than perpetuate the Sanskrit and Arabic languages and thus retain ancient superstition which should be exploded. Lord Macaulay insisted on the necessity ° p ,® nm 3 U P &**& avenues of thought, and of unfolding to the Eastern World the advanced civilization and science of the West; and, although that eminent historian was outvoted in the Education Board, events had since proved him correct, and his recommendations has been carried out." That herein lies the true solution of the "Native difficulty," and that by this means alone the two races may be brought together, few can doubt. The wisdom of the present Native policy in this direction, at all events, is patriotic and statesmanlike, and eventually its success is certain. Some of the Schools now in existence are well endowed, notably that at Omahu by the Natives themselves, which is now in receipt of an income of £750 a year from rental of Land recently submitted at auction to public competition, and. purchased for that amount by Mr. R. D. Maney. There is every reason to believe that the next generation of Maoris will be able to speak and read English with facility, and that in twenty years there will scarcely be an exception to this rule. Every day the School master is more and more abroad in the remote and Outlying districts, and the Uriweras at Ruatahuna may be cited amongst the number who are stirring in the cause of education for the Maori. There is another fact in connection with the question which may at first sight seem small, but is nevertheless the Maori boys are evincing a fondness for English games, and not long ago a challenge was sent from Native lads at Tauranga to play a cricket match with another Native team at Maketu. Formerly a challenge from Tauranga to Maketu, or vice versa, meant something verv different. & J Upon the whole, the present position of Native affairs is most satisfactory, and in no respect more so than in the progress which has been made under the Native Schools Act.