NATIVE SCHOOLS.

Diet and Manner of Living. The boys of this School are allowed only two meals per day, which consist of potatoes. This allowance is not sufficient, as the boys are engaged in out-door labour throughout the greater part of the day. Tbe meals are eaten in the open air, or, in the case of rain, in the dormitory. Daily Routine of Business. From 6 to 8 a.m. work on farm. Breakfast at 8 a.m. „ 9to 11 „ „ „ 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in school. „ 1 to 3 p.m. outdoor labour. Dinner at 3 p.m. „ 4to sundown „ when school business is resumed for a couple of hours. It being harvest time when we visited this School, the hours devoted to field labour were prolonged beyond what is usual. School Estate. The land on which the boys' labour is employed is the property of the resident Native Missionary who farms it for the benefit of the School. From this and the contributions of the parents, the food has been supplied. The land is of very superior quality. This year there are under cultivation 7 acres of wheat, 2 of oats, and 9 of potatoes. We beg leave to append to our Report on this and the Karakarika School, a letter received from the Rev. A. Reid, to whom, as the recognized Manager of these Schools, we represented what we considered serious impediments to their efficiency and success. Waipa, February 14th, 1860. Gentlemen, — I deem it right to inform you that, after carefully pondering the remarks made by you respecting the Whata Whata and Katakarika Schools, I have determined to continue the experiment for six months longer, in order that the Managers of the Schools may have a fair opportunity of remedying the defects which you particularly noticed. It is my intention to supply them forthwith with the following articles : — For each school, —a table, which may be used for the double purpose of taking meals and writing ; and a black board. .Foi each scholat, —Two complete suits of clothing, similar to that worn by the children of this School, together with a canvas bag, in which to keep the suit net in wear; one tin plate, one spoon, and one pannikin. The first instalment of the above I am forwarding to Karakarika by your canoe. In addition to visiting the schools once a month, I purpose bringing the children and teachers up to this station to spend a week or fortnight once a quarter, so as to afford them an opportunity of seeing how things ought to be done. This will also seive as a healthy stimulant to all the scholars, by leading them to increased diligence in their studies, &c, so as to maintain the honour of their several schools. I have also thought of requesting Mr. Ferguson, of Whata Whata, to act as Superintendent of these schools, so that by stated weekly visits be may ascertain that proper attention is being paid to the formation of habits of industry and cleanliness. lam rather sanguine as to the successful issue of such an arrangement as the above. Should the result, however, prove me to be mistaken, I shall then feel that the abandonment of the enterprise involves no injustice to the managers, a reflection in which I could scarcely indulge, were I to break up the schools forthwith. 1 have hitherto refrained from supplying clothing, &c, except to a very limited extent, until the necessary buildings should be erected by the parents ; so that the fault of partial failure is to some extent mine. YVhen the above-mentioned articles shall have been supplied, the responsibility will then be transferred to the Managers and Parents, and it will be for them to prove themselves worthy or undeserving of tho assistance which the Government offers. In reply to your question as to how many sets of reading cards we have, I only enumerated those which are actually in u»e. We have in store an ample supply of Sheet-Lessons, consisting of " Varty's Graduated Series," some of those published by the British and Foreign School Society, together with '• Nelson's Step by Step," three sets. We have also of " Irish Books of Lessons," first and second, sufficient to last us for two years, and a three years' stock of copybooks. Of slates, a good supply for present use, and of Maori Lesson-sheets and books we possess a sufficient quantity. Allow me, in conclusion, to convey to you my sincere thanks fur the couiteous manner in which you have conducted the examination of these schools, and to express the hope, that while your visit to this district proves piofitable to us, it may not be wholly unproductive of gratification to yourselves. I am, Gentlemen, Yours very tiuly, Alexander Reid. To. H. Taylor and L. O'Brien, Esqi.

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