E.—3

of the school nursery. In connection with elementary agriculture and elementary science many of the schools have been supplied with science apparatus and material, and teachers are expected to make good use of this equipment. In some schools in districts where dairying is carried 011 elementary dairy science is taken. Elementary agriculture and elementary dairy science are two subjects which give teachers good scope in providing practical work for their pupils. Singing.—Very satisfactory attention is given to this subject in most of the schools, and the pupils look forward with great pleasure to the singing-periods. In those schools where the subject is well taught it is a real pleasure to listen to the singing of the pupils. In these schools the pupils are taught to understand the musical notation and to sing from it at sight. Voice-training exercises and eartraining exercises receive satisfactory attention. In a very considerable number of schools, however, the singing is of poor quality, and it is very evident that the teachers are not competent to deal with the subject in anything like an adequate manner. It is necessary to direct the attention of a number of teachers to the need for selecting suitable work in singing for the children of the preparatory division. Many books of action-songs, singing games, and marching-songs are procurable at a reasonable cost by teachers who are sufficiently interested in their work and are anxious to make singing a feature of the infant-class work. Physical Instruction. —This subject receives generally very satisfactory attention in the majority of the schools, and where the teachers appreciate the value, and are enthusiastic, very good work is done. In a number of schools, however, the work is of a perfunctory nature, and is as a consequence well-nigh valueless. A tendency has been noticed in some schools to take the exercises for fairly long periods once or twice a week, instead of the daily practice for shorter periods. There is no doubt that the latter practice leads to much better results, and the tendency referred to cannot be approved of. A very considerable number of schools are visited by the physical instructors, whose reports, it is satisfactory to note, indicate that their visits are welcomed by the teachers and pupils alike. Teachers are expected to take full advantage of these visits, and to make themselves *as proficient as possible in this branch of their school-work. Secondary Education. A form of secondary education, including training of a practical nature, is provided at the following private schools which have been established in different parts of the Dominion by various denominational bodies : Queen Victoria School for Maori Girls, Auckland ; Turakina Girls' School, near Wanganui; Hukarere Girls' School, Napier ; St. Joseph's Convent School, Napier; Te Waipounamu Girls' School, Christchurch ; St. Stephen's Boys' School, Auckland; Waerenga-a-hika College, Gisborne ; Te Aute College, Hawke's Bay ; Agricultural College (Latter-day Saints), Hastings ; Hikurangi College, Carterton ; and Otaki College, near Wellington. As far as Maori scholars are concerned, the form of education provided in these schools is regarded as more suitable than that provided in the ordinary public secondary school, and the. Government, therefore, in view of the fact that it has not established suitable secondary schools for Maoris, has arranged for a large number of scholarships or free places to be tenable at several of the Maori boarding-schools referred to above. By this means a secondary course of instruction is provided for Maori scholars from the Native village schools and public schools. Maori scholars who have gained certificates of proficiency have the option of attending the public secondary schools as ordinary free-place holders, and a small number do so. Further assistance in the direction of secondary education is made by the award of senior scholarships, by means of which the brighter scholars are enabled to qualify themselves for some particular profession that will prove of service to the Maori race. The girls' schools provide, in addition to the ordinary English subjects, instruction and practical training in needlework and dressmaking, cookery and domestic duties, first aid and nursing, hygiene, care and rearing of infants, and the preparation of food for infants and for the sick. The practical aspect of this instruction is distinctly prominent, and the girls take their share in the general domestic activities of the institutions. Exceptionally fine displays of the girls' handwork are available at the annual visit of the Inspector. In places where it is practicable the elder girls attend the cookery classes at a manual-training centre. The girls are well cared for in every respect, and the benefit they receive from their attendance at these schools is undoubted. At the boys' schools practical training also receives special attention, in the form of instruction in woodwork and agriculture particularly. In the latter subject good work is being done at Te Aute College, where the lads are encouraged as far as possible to take the agricultural course, including practical farming. The reports upon the work of the schools indicate that a high standard of work is attained. In the public examinations —the Intermediate, Public Service Entrance, and Matriculation Examinations —very satisfactory success is achieved by those who sit. In all the schools special attention is given to physical instruction and to organized games. At the end of the year 1925 the number of scholars on the rolls of the secondary schools was 311 boys and 225 girls—a total of 536 ; and of this number 140 pupils were holders of Government scholarships. Scholarships. In this section details are given of the scholarships which have been established by the Government in the interests of secondary education for Maoris. The types of scholarship are as follows : (1) Junior scholarships or free places ; (2) senior scholarships, taking the form of (a) industrial scholarships (apprenticeships), (6) agricultural scholarships, (c) nursing scholarships; (3) University scholarships. The junior scholarships are available for suitably qualified and accredited pupils from Native village schools and public primary schools, and are tenable for two years at several of the Maori boardingschools. The appreciation by the parents of the value and benefit of these scholarships is attested by the pronounced increase in the number of the applications for them. During the past year 140 junior scholarships were current.

6