E.—B

4

scholarships. These scholarships have proved very satisfactory, a number of Maori girls having qualified as nurses and now being at work in the field. At the end of 1923 two scholarship-holders were in training. University scholarships are awarded to promising Maori youths who have matriculated, and are intended to enable them to take up a profession which will eventually prove of service and benefit to the Maori race. Six such scholarships were current at the end of last year, the holders studying medicine, law, and engineering (four scholars) respectively. Cost. The total payments made by the Department for Native schools during the year ended the 31st March, 1924, amounted to £72,495, being £2,864 more than in the previous year. The chief items of expenditure were salaries and allowances, £54,924 ; new buildings and additions, £3,692 ; maintenance of buildings, repairs, &c, £3,476 ; secondary education, £4,484 ; conveyance and board of children, £2,368 ; books and school requisites, £1,581.

No. 2. REPOET OF THE SENIOR INSPECTOR OF NATIVE SCHOOLS. Sib, — I have the honour to submit for your information the following report upon the general work of the Native village schools, the Native mission schools, and the secondary schools for Maoris during the year 1923. Other relevant matters are also included in the report. New Schools, Schools closed or transferred. During the year under review a new school was opened at Matahiwi, on the Wanganui River. At this place the Maoris erected a very creditable building to serve the purposes of a schoolroom, and a i'esident;e for tin; teacher. Two schools, Karakanui, Kaipara Harbour, and Rakaunui, Kawhia Harbour, were not open, the former owing to the lack of accommodation for a teacher, and the latter on account of the resignation of the teacher. Mangamaunu School, Kaikoura, ceased work as a Native school, as a school erected by the Canterbury Education Board in a central locality provided adequately for the educational requirements of the district. The Oparure School, King-country, which had become predominantly European in character, was transferred to the Auckland Education Board in accordance with the policy of the Department. The schools in operation at the end. of the year 1923 thus numbered 124, a decrease of three on the corresponding number for the year"l 922. New Buildings, Additions, etc. At Waiohau, Galatea, where unsatisfactory buildings had served as a school and residence for several years, up-to-date buildings were erected during the year. Additional accommodation was also provided at the following schools: Te Teko and Poroporo, Bay'of Plenty, and also at Nuhaka, Hawke's Bay. It is expected that other urgent works will be put in hand during the current year. The proposal to remove the Owhataiti School, Bay of Plenty, to a more central site was approved. Increased, attendance at a comparatively large number of schools is resulting in overcrowding, and in the consequent need for additional accommodation. Application for Schools. Applications for schools were received from the following places during the year: Maraehara, East Coast; Tc Tii, Bay of Islands ; Wharerakau, Hokianga ; Tokala, East Coast. With regard to Maraehara, the inquiries made showed the prospects of a satisfactory school were not sufficiently promising to warrant further action. The application from Te Tii was a renewal of an application which has frequently been made to the Department; the number of children is, however, small. No opportunity for visiting the place, presented itself after the receipt of the application, and consequently the necessary visit was postponed until an Inspector is in the district. The applications from Tokala and Wharerakau will be investigated during the visits of the Inspectors to the districts in the early part of the current year. Attendance, etc. (1.) Native Village Schools. The number of pupils on the roll of the village; schools at the end of 1922 was 0,161 ; at; the end of 1923 the roll number was 6,186. Notwithstanding deductions from the roll number owing to schools closed or transferred, the number of pupils in attendance at the end of December, 1923, represented an increase for the year. The average weekly roll number for the past year was 6,268, and the average attendance was 5,586, the average percentage of regularity being 89. Information regarding the attendance of individual schools is furnished in Table 112, which shows that of the 124 schools in