TEACHING NATIVES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 3, 3 December 1931, Page 2

TEACHING NATIVES

PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED. WORK IN NEW HEBRIDES. , AUCKLAND, Dec. 2. Some of the problems encountered in endeavouring to instruct members of a primitive race in the elements of civilisation were outlined by Rev. D. Nicholson, principal of the Aore Training and Industrial School established by the Seventh Day Adventist Mission in the New Hebrides. Mr Nicholson, who is accompanied by Mrs Nicholson, was a through passenger to Sydney by the Alorinda. which arrived front the New Hebrides and Norfolk Island.

The school, which was established by the Seventh Day Adventist Mission five years ago, exists for the purpose of training natives, principally young men and women, in useful crafts, which they m turn could impart +o their friends when they returned to their native villages. Mr Nicholson said there was a plantation of about 2000 acres and the men and boys, whose ages ranged from 16 to 30. were taught the elements of agriculture, carpentry and engineering, while the women received instruction in household work, dressmaking and hygiene. In addition, all the pupils were given a certain amount of literary education, being taught to read and write their own language. Since the establishment of the schoal there had been a marked improvement in the standard of living of the natives, who had profited by the experience of pupils who had passed through the school and taught others. The average number of pupils was 60 to 80 and. they included natives from most of the islands in the_ group, including some from North-Western Malecula, where cannibalism still prevailed. The natives appeared to be of poorer intelligence than the average Melanesian and divided control under the condominium had not provided the strict discipline necessary, said Mr Nicholson. The staff of the school, however, received strong lasstistamoe from both the British and French Administrators.