5

E.—2

Group VIII. — East Coast, Gisborne. The East Coast schools are Wharekahika, Te Araroa, Rangitukia, Tikitiki, Waiomatatini, Reporua, Tuparoa, Hiruharama, Whareponga, Tokomaru Bay, Whangara, Nuhaka, and Tuhara. Reporua School was opened in September quarter, and has fully justified its existence, the attendance being good and the interest of the parents well maintained. Its establishment has to some extent relieved the pressure at Tuparoa. The new buildings for Tuhara School, which has meanwhile been conducted at considerable disadvantage in temporary buildings, will be available early this year. These schools were inspected in June, and were found to be in good working order. The attendance has been on the whole very good indeed, and the accommodation is in nearly all of them fully taxed. The people continue to show their interest in, and their appreciation of the schools. The order and discipline were, with one exception, all that could be desired, and the schools as a whole were kept clean and tidy. Good methods of instruction are* in use, and the results of the examinations were very good indeed, those at Whangara again being excellent. I was very much disappointed on finding that in spite of repeated advice and illustration the instruction of the lower classes in one school was proceeding on lines that are quite out of date. It is not surprising to find in such circumstances that, the whole fabric of the preparatory instruction being without substance, the progress of the standard classes is seriously affected. At some of the schools European children are attending, and inquiries I made personally from their parents show that they are well satisfied with the instruction given and with the management of the schools. I regret to have to record the loss from the schools on the East Coast of Mr. H. C. Sigley, of Tokomaru Bay, whose death occurred early in this year. Group IX. — Hawke's Bay, Taupo, Wanganui, Taranaki, and Wairarapa. The schools in these districts are Tangoio, Te Haroto, Oruanui, Waitahanui, Tokaanu, Karioi, Pipiriki, Pamoana, Puniho, Waimarama, and Okautete (Kaiwhata). The small aided school at Turanganui, Wairarapa, was closed during the year owing to there not being enough children to warrant its being maintained. The fact that the European children now form a preponderating majority of those in attendance at Puniho has led the Department to transfer the school to the jurisdiction of the Taranaki Education Board. Most of these schools are characterized by good tone, and are well supported by the parents. In one school exception could be taken to the appearance of the children as regards cleanliness, but in the others it was very satisfactory. There is still to be. found a considerable weakness in the teaching of the first steps in arithmetic in the infant classes, and the system of teaching reading is yet open to improvement. The schools at Te Haroto, Oruanui, Waitahanui, and Tokaanu are doing well, the last-named being in many respects a model school. Oruanui affords an excellent example of the civilising agency of a Native school. It has wrought a change in the lives not only of the children but also of the people, who have built houses after European fashion in close proximity to the school. The night-school attended by the adults is still successfully conducted here. Karioi and Pipiriki have shown increased vigour during the year and are in good working order, the relations between the teachers and people being of a cordial nature. The small school at Okautete (formerly called Kaiwhata) has also proved very successful. Waimarama School, which was built in 1906 after a long delay, has suffered considerably through the troubles arising from the division of the lands, and the attendance is not large, many of the people having removed elsewhere. Group X. — South Island Schools. The Native schools in the South Island are Waikawa, Wairau, Mangamaunu, Kaiapoi, Rapaki, Little River, Arowhenua, Waikouaiti, The Neck, and Ruapuke. During the year Wairau and Waikawa Schools have ceased to exist as Native schools, the former being transferred to the control of the Marlborough Education Board and the latter being closed in the meantime. It seems unlikely that the latter will be carried on, owing to the small number of children available. The Maoris of the schools in the North Canterbury District are practically European in habits of life and thought, and it seems that there is no real reason for the separate existence of Native schools there. The Department has therefore decided that the Native schools at Kaiapoi, Rapaki, and Little River shall be transferred at an early date to the North Canterbury Board of Education. The time is not far distant when the other schools in the South Island must follow the same course. These schools were inspected during the year, and with one exception were all found to be in good working order. The results of the examinations in these schools varied considerably : in two, they were very poor indeed; in the others, they might be regarded as satisfactory. , Mission Schools. The following are the Native mission schools which were inspected and examined at the requestor 'their controlling authorities': Maori Mission School, Otaki; The Mission School, Putiki, Wanganui; Matata Convent School, Bay of Plenty; Waerenga-a-hika Mission School, Gisborne; Tokaanu Roman Catholic Mission School, Tokaanu ; and Te Ilauke Mission School, Hawke's Bay. The instruction given in these schools is similar in all respects to that given in the ordinary Native school, with, of course, the addition of religious teaching which is determined by the