G.—6

IV

Zealand, by four grants dated the 10th day of June, 1857; the 10th day of June, 1857; the 7th day of July, 1857; and the 28th day of November, 1866, upon the trusts therein declared. In two of the grants —viz., those dated the 10th June, 1857 —the trust is as follows: " Upon trust as an endowment for a school to be maintained at Te Aute, in the district of Ahuriri, for the benefit of the aboriginal inhabitants of New Zealand." In the remaining grants —viz., those dated the 7th July, 1857, and the 28th November, 1866, the trust is in these words: "Upon trust as an endowment for a school to be maintained in the district of Ahuriri for the education of children of our subjects of both races." The lands included in the four grants form practically one block, the income from which has been applied towards the maintenance of a school (known as the Te Aute College) which has been built thereon, in which Maori boys and a few European boys from all parts of the colony have been and are being educated. As mentioned in the evidence and accounts, a portion of the income from the endowments is devoted to the maintenance of a school at Hukarere, in Napier, in which Maori girls are being educated. The land on which the Hukarere School is built formerly belonged to the first Bishop of Waiapu, who transferred the same, with the buildings thereon, to the trustees of the Te Aute endowments " upon trust as a site for a school to be maintained for the education of Native girls in connection with the Te Aute College trust, and for no other purpose." (See declaration of trust, Exhibit No. 34.) On the 13th May, 1862, the Bishop of New Zealand, in exercise of the power in that behalf given to him by " The Bishop of New Zealand Trusts Act, 1858," No. 17, conveyed the Te Aute and other endowments to trustees appointed by the General Synod of the Church of England. As stated in the evidence, the trustees have on two occasions exchanged small portions of the endowments for other lands, and in our opinion such exchanges were most beneficial to the trust. The endowments (with the exception of the school grounds) are now held by the Venerable Archdeacon Williams under a lease for twelve years from August, 1903, at the annual rental of £2,200. With regard to the recital in Your Excellency's Commission, " And whereas it is alleged that the lands have not been let by public tender or otherwise to the best advantage," we made a searching inquiry into the circumstances under which the various leases to the Venerable Archdeacon Williams were granted. It is true that the trustees did not call for tenders, but it has been established to our entire satisfaction that the estate has always been let to the best advantage, and in all the transactions between the Archdeacon and the trustees all parties were actuated by the sole desire to benefit the trust. The evidence which covers the period between the last inquiry and the present abundantly establishes that the endowments have been administered to the best advantage. To put it concretely, the endowments are earning as much as possible, are leased to an excellent tenant, who takes a deep interest in the school, whose farming is of the highest quality, and who, when his lease expires, will doubtless leave the property in the highest condition for any system of settlement which may then be considered most remunerative. The trustees have, in our opinion, had the good fortune to secure in Archdeacon Williams, first a manager, and later a tenant, who has always been deeply interested in the welfare of the school, and pledged to see the objects of the trust fulfilled. The Archdeacon's personal influence and control have, in our opinion, been exceedingly beneficial; and under the able management of Mr. Thornton, the headmaster, the school has flourished and borne good fruit. The best fruit of the Te Aute College is undoubtedly " The Young Maori Association," which was founded by ex-pupils. At present this is the only association wholly devoted to the practical salvation of the Maori race. The evidence shows that Archdeacon Williams admits that the flock of sheep (6,000-odd) on the estate when he first became tenant to the trustees belonged to the trust. Subject to our recommendations, as hereafter set forth, we are of opinion that the lands, and the revenue derived therefrom, have, as far as practicable, been so administered as to substantially fulfil the trusts thereof. Annual accounts (as set forth in the exhibits) of the receipts and disbursements have been rendered by the trustees to the General Synod, and some of the accounts have been laid on the table of the Legislative Council. Recommendations. We respectfully recommend, — 1. That the Te Aute Boys' College and the Hukarere Girls' School be maintained as secondary schools of the colony for Maoris, though not necessarily exclusive of pupils of European origin. -. 2. That, having regard to the circumstances of the Maoris, as owners of considerable areas of suitable agricultural and pastoral land, it is necessary to give prominence in the curriculum to manual and technical instruction in agriculture.