E.—3

1937. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION OF NATIVE CHILDREN (In continuation of E.-3, 1936).

Presented to loth Houses of the General Assembly by Command of .His Excellency.

CONTENTS.

PAGE No. I.—Report of Inspector of Native Schools .. 1 No. 2.—Detailed Tables : — Table H 1. Number of Native Schools classified according to Grade, &c. . . 8 H2. Attendance at Schools .. .. 8 H 3. Rolls of Maori Mission and Maori Boarding Schools . . .. 8 H 4. Number of Maori Pupils attending Maori Secondary Schools, &c. .. 9

PAGE No. 2.—Detailed Tables —continued. Table H5. Maori Children at Public Schools .. 9 H 6. Proficiency Results .. 10 H 7. Classification of Maori Children at Public Schools .. 10 HB. Ages and Standards .. . • 11 H 9. Certificates held by Teachers in Native Schools .. .. 12

No. 1. (REPORT OP THE INSPECTOR OF NATIVE SCHOOLS.) I have the honour to present the, following report on the Native Schools for the year 1936 : 1. The Scope of Native Education. During the last few years a determined effort has been made to broaden the scope and to increase the value and service of the Native schools to the Maori community. Certain avenues of approach were apparent to the casual glance ; others have been disclosed as the work advanced. Prom the seclusion of the class-room we have, with increasing confidence, essayed the difficult task of social reconstruction. Maori health and sanitation are unsatisfactory, housing accommodation is poor, economic opportunities are limited, social coherence weak, and provision for recreation and leisure inadequate. The life of the Maori is restricted within too narrow a compass. Because the individual has not known how to participate in a multiplicity of cultural activities, even his leisure has been unprofitable. The amelioration of these distressing conditions is a responsibility that must be shared not only by many social agencies, including education, but also by the Maori himself. Those engaged in Native education are conscious of the vast field of service spread out before them and of their responsibility m assisting the Maori to reach the stage of taking fully an adequate place within the larger community of New Zealand. . , Physical welfare is the first essential. With regard to health and sanitation, therefore, strong co-operation has been maintained between the Health Department and the Native schools service. For three months, Miss Kaa, a fully qualified Maori nurse, with special training m crafts and m social service, was employed in conducting health weeks in carefully selected Native schools. Duiing each health week the usual school programme was suspended, and the children and entire community were actively I—E. 3.