Native Office Wellington November 2nd. 1870. My Lord, Adverting to our conversation during your late visit to Wellington, on the subject of affording additional aid to the Native School at Motueka, and to the necessity that exists for promoting education amongst the natives in other localities within your Diocese in a similar way, I have now the honour to communicate to your Lordship, reviews of the Government upon the subject. The Government, in consideration of the inadequacy of the means at your command, will agree to contribute from the Native Reserve Fund, a sum of, say, One Hundred pounds (£100) out of the Native Reserve Fund, for the erection of a small building at Motueka to serve as an evening school, as it is understood that the present school is too distant to admit of the whole of the native children attending it conveniently. It may, however, be found possible to rent a suitable building at a moderate sum per annum for this purpose; and it would be advisable that this course should be first tried, the cost to be defrayed out of the Native Reserve Fund. If this plan be found practicable, it might be extended to other places. There has been a movement on foot lately amongst the natives of Motupipi, and Takaka, to obtain a school in their neighbourhood, and I believe they have promised your Lordship to contribute towards the erection of a school house; and if they are still in earnest in the matter, the Government would sanction a contribution out of the Native Reserve Fund towards the erection of a suitable building, and to render them further assistance under the terms of that Act, Should this course be adopted, the proportion of the expenditure paid out of the proceeds of the Native Reserve Fund towards the erection of the building, would be accepted as an equivalent for their share of the expenditure. If, from any cause, it is found impossible to engage the services of a competent person as a Master for this school, it would seem advisable that arrangements should be made with the Master of the local school, to teach the children in the evening after his ordinary school hours are over. This probably would be the most satisfactory arrangement to make in the first place, until the daily attendance should warrant the employment of a regular teacher. An attempt should be made to bring education within reach of the native children residing on the shores of Queen Charlotte Sound, and in the Wairau; who are represented as numbering fifty-five, of all ages. The most central spot would be at Waikawa, and the Government would be willing to erect a building to serve both as a Chapel and school, in place of the Church originally erected there. The future maintenance of the school will have to be provided for in a similar manner to that proposed for the Motupipi school. The only assistance that can be afforded in this way at present, to the natives of Kaikoura, will be to furnish them with a small supply of books, to be distributed as your Lordship may direct. These natives having no interest in the Native Reserve Fund, cannot be aided from that source. They can, however, if they feel disposed, obtain assistance under the "Native School Act, 1887", by conforming to the provisions of the Act. I have the honour to be My Lord, Your obedient servant (unsigned) To:- His Bordship The Bishop of NelsonNelson.