E.-l

XXII

Standard. Reference to the Native schools code will show that the children may be taught up to the Sixth Standard of public schools, the requirements being practically the same, and, from the tables attached to the Inspector's report (printed in E.-2), it will be seen that during the past year 36 passed Standard VI. and 83 passed Standard V. It is quite possible that the passing of a standard of education higher than the Fourth may not be of much material benefit to the average Maori boy, but he may avail himself of the opportunity if he wishes to do so, and European children attending Native schools are under no disability. The advance in degree of efficiency of Native schools generally has rendered it imperative that, wherever possible, only persons having experience as teachers, or certificated teachers, shall be selected to fill vacancies. The difficulty of getting teachers so qualified led to the temporary closing of some of the Native schools, Whakarara and Whareponga being unfortunately closed for the whole year. These have now (1905) been reopened. Te Pupuke School, closed owing to the exodus of the parents and children to the gumfields, has also since been reopened at the request of the people, who have now returned to the kainga, and at the time of writing there are no vacant schools in the service. The school formerly erected at Tapuaeharuru, near Rotoiti, was removed to a more convenient site, and reopened at Wai-iti, by which name it is now known. The Te Rawhiti School at Kaingahoa, Bay of Islands, was opened in September quarter, and Oruanui, Taupo, was to begin its operations with the New Year. Of the other schools decided upon Mangorongo, King Country, and Waitahanui, Taupo, should be ready early in 1905, and Waimarama, Hawke's Bay, somewhat later. The Inspector's report contains a list of the applications for new schools, with a note where possible upon the situation of each case. Satisfactory progress still continues to be made in handwork in Native schools. The workshops are, generally speaking, doing very satisfactory work, and are much appreciated in the districts where they are located. Two boys who had received training in the workshop attached to the village school have since been apprenticed, and are giving every satisfaction to their masters. The scheme for the establishment of a model kainga at Pamoana, Wanganui River, has been in abeyance during the year owing to the occurrence of unforeseen difficulties in connection with its working. At the five boarding-schools, St. Stephen's and Te Aute for boys, and Hukarere, St. Joseph's, and Victoria Schools for girls, the Government offers 113 scholarships, tenable for two years, for children of predominantly Maori race who pass the Fourth Standard at the Maori village schools. At the end of the year 91 of these places were occupied, 36 by boys, and 55 by girls. Maori children attending public schools who pass the Fifth Standard before reaching the age of fifteen may obtain allowances of £20 a year to enable them to attend a secondary school or to enter upon industrial pursuits. There are seven scholars receiving higher education and two boys serving apprenticeships under these conditions. The Department has during the year taken measures to secure an extension of the arrangements made for the training of Maori girls as nurses. The authorities of Napier and Wellington hospitals agreed to give their assistance in the matter, and there are now two probationers on the staff, one at each hospital, besides which the Napier Hospital Trustees admit two pupils as day-scholars. University scholarships are also offered to Maori youths of marked ability in order that, after matriculating from Te Aute College, they may enter one or other of the university colleges. At present scholarships are held by one Maori youth in medicine and by another in law. The Department still finds a certain amount of difficulty in obtaining suitable openings for boys that prefer apprenticeship to a trade to the ordinary scholarship. This difficulty may gradually diminish as the efficiency of the workshop training afforded at the village schools increases ; in fact, it is desirable that greater effort shall be made in the direction of manual training in the schools. Especially does this seem necessary in the case of Maori girls, many of whom do not care to leave the kainga for the secondary school, but would benefit immensely from a training in plain cookery and domestic economy. The qualifications for scholarships