E.—No. 9

The Church of England School at Kohanga, inspected June 18th, 1862, has declined considerably in numbers and somewhat in efficiency from former years. The want of an able Teacher, and the partial loss of Mr. Maunsell's valuable assistance in the School-room, was apparent. The Native -Minister, on my recommendation, Tas pleased to authorise the appointment of Mr. Ritchie as Teacher. Owing to the disturbed state of the Waikato district I have been prevented from ascertaining the result of his labours. The school is now dispersed. Thirty-one scholars were in attendance on the date of my visit, since then there has been some slight increase. I was satisfied with the attainments and the internal management of the pupils. The buildings were in good preservation ; the School Estate slightly remunerative. The discipline not over-stringent, but effectual. The health of the children reported to be good. The provisions, both as to quantity and quality, satisfactory. The Bangawhfc Roman Catholic School had been re-established only five weeks previous to my visit in May, 1862. It had been closed for nearly twelve months preceding. There were fifteen pupils in the School under the superintendence of the Eev. Lawrence Vinay, whose paternal care of the children was to be highly commended. As many of the pupils were but new comers, much could not be expected from them, but the order, regularity, and discipline which Father Vinay had succeeded in establishing amongst them in so short a time was marvellous. I anticipated much pleasure and satisfaction from a visit to this School, in the hope of witnessing a successful result to educational enterprize auspiciously commenced, but on passing through the district on two subsequent occasions, the opportunity was not afforded me in consequence of the temporary absence of the scholars. The attendance, from returns last furnished, has increased by two. Henry Tayloe, Inspector of Native Schools.

APPENDIX. NATIVE EDUCATION SCHEME, BY GEOEGE CLARKE, ESQ., CIVIL COMMISSIONER, BAY OF ISLANDS DISTRICT. Civil Commissioner's Office, Waimate, December 20th, 1862. Sir, — In submitting the present proposed School organisation of this District for the consideration of the Government, I purpose being as brief as possible. The subject has, with me, been one of long and anxious solicitude for its adoption. I had the honor of bringing my proposed plan of Education under the notice of Mr. Fox, late Colonial Secretary, soon after I received my appointment ; and again under that of Mr. Taylor, the Inspector of Native Schools, in May last, giving him in full my ideas upon this subject. And one principal object in my late visit to Auckland was to confer with the Government in maturing some system upon which School operations might be at once commenced, impressed with the conviction that any comprehensive plan of ceneral education would have their full concurrence and approval when brought before them. I am aware that there is already in existence a Board of Education in Auckland, but from all I can learn of their system, their efforts are confined to a few central Schools exceedingly limited, leaving the bulk of the population untouched and uneducated. Whether from limited means or the want of a more comprehensive system, thousands of children are left by it to grow up in ignorance, and are becoming more vicious than their heathen forefathers, and for want of this educated training, are adopting the vices of civilization, without being able duly to appreciate and embrace it in its better phases. With all due respect and deference to the Board of Education, I submit that their system must be, probably for the want of means, in some points defective. 1. It leaves the mass of Native children in total neglect. 2. It has r.ot the sympathy, and therefore cannot have the hearty co-operation of the Natives. 3. It is far too expensive for general adoption. 4. It requires a machinery in the way of Teachers and their Assistants, which the Board has not and cannot have at command. 5. It admits and gives elementary instruction instead of confining itself to the higher branches of Education.

16

NATIVE SCHOOLS.