G.—2

16

It is very much to be regretted that the Maoris are so ready to allow anything to interfere with school-work. The children are constantly encouraged by their parents to absent themselves on the most frivolous pretexts. The most trivial circumstance is sufficient to bring the older Maoris together, and whenever and wherever they congregate, they expect their children to be present. I waited a few days, hoping the people would return in time for me to examine the children; as they did not, I was obliged to come away without doing so. I am indebted to Mr. Curtis for the following statement of the attainments of the scholars : — Eeading : Ist Class : Number in class, 2. Book, sth Eoyal Eeader. Eead well. Spell well. Write fairly. Dictation for reading lesson. —2nd Class : Number in class, 3. Book, 3rd Eoyal Eeader. Eead well, spelling fairly.—3rd Class: Number in class, 2. Book, 2nd Eoyal Eeader. Can read and spell fairly. —4th Class : Number in class, 3. Commencing to read and write. Writing: Copybooks. Four very good, two good, one fair. Arithmetic: Two stated when examined that they had been doing sums in practice. They appeared to have forgotten the rule, and the earlier rules as well. Eive doing simple rules. Three just commencing to count. History: Two have a fair acquaintance with English History up to the reign of Queen Mary. Geography : Two have a good knowledge of the maps of Europe, Asia, England, and New Zealand. Four have a fair knowledge of the maps of the World and New Zealand. Molyneux Heads: Mistress, Miss Jones.- —Inspected 28th November, 1878. Eegisters carefully kept. Highest number on the books : Boys, 11; girls, 7 : total, 18. Present, 16. Eeading: Ist Class: Number in class, 2. Book, 3rd Eoyal Eeader. This class consisted of two girls over sixteen, too old to overcome the Maori twang. Knew meaning of words, but could not spell.—2nd Class: Number in class, 4. Book, 2ud Eoyal Eeader. Pronunciation not very distinct. Knew meaning of text, but could not spell.- —3rd Class : Number in class, 5. Book, Ist Eoyal Eeader. All read imperfectly; just commencing the book. Pronunciation defective.—4th Class : Number in class, 5. Alphabet. Arithmetic: Three knew weights and measures and money tables fairly. Want to practise multiplication table. Three doing simple multiplication and division fairly. Writing: Copybooks: One good, three fair. Exercise-books : Three good, five fair. Books clean, and work neatly set down. Drawing : Seven learning to draw, one fairly. Geography : The children were mostly familiar with the definition of geographical terms. Seven out of twelve answ 7ered readily questions asked about the geography of New Zealand and the map of the World. Music: Learning the notes. Sang a few hymns tolerably well. Sewing: Girls make their own clothes under Miss Jones's direction. Sewing very fair. Miss Jones holds a night school twice a week, from 7to 9. As it was a busy time of year, I had no opportunity of seeing those who attended it. The school is tolerably well supplied with the necessary school apparatus. The schoolroom is an ordinary Maori whare, 15 feet by 12 feet, with two windows and a chimney. The walls are wattle-and-daub, and the roof thatched with toetoe. The desks rest on uprights planted in the mud floor. The teacher complained of the building being cold and draughty. The Maoris present at the examination expressed a desire that I would recommend to the Government the erection of more suitable school buildings on an acre of land which they agreed to set apart as a site. One objection to the position of the present schoolroom is, that both teacher and children have to walk some distance to reach it, and in wet weather this occasions great discomfort. The erection of the present schoolroom at their own cost is highly creditable to the Natives of this little settlement, who have thus given proof that they are thoroughly in earnest about the education of their children. It is a fact worth recording that nine of the children attending this school belong to one family : the father is a Maori, and the mother a half-caste. The school having only been opened on the 26th February, 1878, the progress of the children may be regarded as tolerably satisfactory. Neck, Stewart Island: Master, Mr. Arthur Traill.—lnspected 10th March, 1879. Highest number on the books : Boys, 17 ; girls, 13 : total, 30. Present at inspection : Boys, 9; girls, 11: total, 20. Eeading: Ist Class : Number in class, 3. Book, sth Eoyal Eeader. Three good. Text understood. Spelling good. Dictation good. Mr. Traill makes the children in this class write original letters and essays, to accustom them to express their ideas in English. Many I examined were very neatly written and well expressed, and abounded in quaint and amusing passages. I recommend the adoption of this practice in other Native schools. —2nd Class: Number in class, 6. Book, 3rd, Irish Series. Four good, two fair. Meaning understood. Spelling good. Dictation, three good, three fair.— 3rd Class: Number in class, 3. Book, 3rd, Progressive Series. T\vo good, one fair. Spelling fair. Copied part of the reading lesson on their slates fairly.—4th Class: Number in class, 3. Primer. Eeading fairly.—sth Class : Number in class, 8. Learning alphabet and to form letters on their slates. Arithmetic: Compound proportion and practice, two, both worked well. Compound multiplication and division, five, fair. Simple multiplication and division, two, fair. The proportion of sums worked correctly out of the number set down was not sufficient. Greater accuracy and promptness required. Tables, and weights and measures, nine could answer any questions about them correctly. Writing : Copybooks. Writing throughout the school good. Books clean. Geography : Ten possessed a fair knowledge of the map of New Zealand and the map of the World, and readily pointed out any places named. Music: Children are taught singing by Mrs. Traill. Their progress at present is limited. Drill: Children march fairly. The discipline of the school is very good, and the progress of the scholars satisfactory on the whole. I was glad to see the children looking clean and well dressed. All wore shoes and stockings,