E.—l.

XVIII

existing school buildings. During the year the sum of £5,056 3s. 6d. was expended on buildings, sites, fencing, and school furniture. Negotiations are in progress having for their object the obtaining of sites in several Native districts, including the " King-country," where schools have been asked for and are considered necessary The number of scholars on the books of the village schools in December, 1883, was 1,923, or 101 fewer than at the close of the preceding year The average attendance for the last quarter of 1883 was 1,542, or 32 less than in the corresponding quarter of 1882. The decrease in the attendance cannot be attributed to diminished interest in the schools on the part of the Native population, but rather to the prevalence of serious fever epidemics in some localities where there had been comparatively large attendances, and to a failure of the crops in other places, which necessitated the removal of the families elsewhere for a time. About 78 Maori children were maintained wholly or partly at the expense of the Government in the boarding-schools already mentioned the number of such boarders at the end of the year was 76. The principles which regulate the admission of children to these schools were stated m the report for 1880. The following table contains a summary of the race of the children who were attending the village schools at the close of 1883. The same particulars regarding each of the schools are contained m Table No. 5, page 21 of the Organizing Inspector's Beport:—

TABLE P.—Race of the Children attending the Native Village Schools.

In comparison with the corresponding period m 1882, the proportion of Maori scholars and those between Maori and half-caste had fallen from 74-16 to 71-81 per cent, during last year, the proportion of half-castes remained the same, and the percentage of European scholars and those between Europeans and halfcaste had risen from 15-56 to 17-89 Table A3, page iv of this report, shows the number of Maoris and children of mixed race that attended the public schools at the end of 1883. The number of teachers employed m the village schools in December, 1883, was as follows : — Schoolmasters 55 Schoolmistresses 7 Female assistants •• 1° Sewing mistresses • • 36 Total .. 116 The cost of the education of Native children and those of mixed race (exclusive of those that attended the public schools as shown at page iv ) was, for the year 1883, as follows :— 33 s. d. Village school salaries and allowances 9, 450 18 3 Boarding-schools, apprenticeship, and higher education 2,368 11 11 Inspection (including travelling) 720 17 5 Office salaries and clerical work (departmental) 31 10 0 School requisites and contingencies 1,199 5 3 Buildings, furniture, fencing, &c. 5,056 3 6 Total £18,827 6 4 Of the above amount, £549 were paid from Native reserves funds in the South Island, leaving a net expenditure by Government of £18,278 6s. 4d. The able and interesting report of the Organizing Inspector, and very full statistical information concerning the Native schools, are printed in a separate parliamentary paper (E.-2, 1884)

Percentage. Boys. Girls. Total. 1883. 1882. Maori, and between Maori and half-caste Half-caste Between half-caste and European, and European 785 99 168 596 99 176 1,381 198 344 71-81 10-30 17-89 74-16 10-28 15-56 Totals 1,052 871 1,923 100-00 100-00