ANNUAL EXAMINATION OF MAORI STUDENTS AT THREE KINGS INSTITUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6253, 1 December 1881, Page 5

ANNUAL EXAMINATION OF MAORI STUDENTS AT THREE KINGS INSTITUTE.

THE annual examination of Jfaori students attending the Thiee Kings Wesliyan Institute was held there yesterday, and the day's proceedings passed off in a moat satisfactory manner. A general invitation had been issued to the members of the Church to attend the eximina tionand to a pic-nic on the grounds attiched to the Institute. This kind invitation was fieely taken advantage of, and at ten o'clock three large omnibus loids of visitors left l'ittstreet Church for the Kings. There was Aio a large number of persons who drove there in private carriages. The examination of thu students commenced ehorcly after 11 o'clock. and was held in the large school-room, which had been tastefully decorated with flowers and evergreens for the occasion. The room was fully occupied by the large number of visitors which had gathered together. There was a full attendance uf the minister" and laymen, who were in town on district meeting duty, and amongst these present wero the Kev. J. Jbtoberaton (Congregation*!), l.Vv. T. Hodgson (Free Methodist), R>;v. J. Guy (Piiniitiv.j Methodist), and Kev. Mr. Ligun f -.f the Arnwrican Board of Foreign Miseiuns). Xbs proceedings were opened with piaver by Rev. J. Kobertaon. The Rev. Wilii.im tfurl-y theu made a few introductory remailo, in he referred to the importance of the work accomplished by the institution. He \)ao stated th-it the examination would be somewh.it different this year, inasmuch as the students had previously passed a written examination in some subjects. There were nine native students, of a fine intellectual and healthy appearance, who presented themselves for examiu-aion. The Kev. H. R. Oewsbury exercised them in reading- They road in tura in English a portion of the 27ch Chapter of .Matthew in a moat correct and expressive manner, and answers |to the examiner showed that they clearly understood the meaning of what they had read. The Rev. H. Bull questioned them on Scripture history, and in most case: elicited very satisfactory anewers. The Kev. G. Bond put to them a number of questions on the 11. Catechism, and in their replies they displayed a thorough acquaintance with the doctrinal truth j contained therein. The Rev. W. Watkin, iu a humorous atyle, put them through their facings in English grammar, and they parsed aivl analysed a sentence which he give them i" very sreditob'.s 3V;nner. Between the exiir.n it : .~-a~ n>i tho t'if'ir-rtt subjects the students, u-v-v ;•!« !• ,ife;\tip if <he Rev. J. Dollow, - o:. »icri)iui>:(i.ied fa tiir. Liirmonium by Miss Bu(U'e, saag srvera' choruses, and. a e?ng, '" ?.if Aw*y," wai I'.iso veil rendered by one of tl-eiUj Graham Tawhai. The Rev. W. U. Oliver, who, m oonjnnotion with Mr. V'i-liim Thorne, csi l wt tho pnpar for the written examination, then read the report of the results and the number of marks assigned to each student in the following subjects : —Euclid, algebra, arithmetic, English history, and geography. Be stated this was the first time tho students had undergone an examination by written papers, and expressed himself well satisfied with the amount of knowledge which the students had displayed. Mr.ffm, Thorne also bore out what Mr. Oliver had said aart remarked on the exact manner in whisr. tho students ha.' worked out the problfc.'iif if. :!iithemcitic3. }j'u «1.-o aaid that the qee.ttioua put were equal *.r. a Civi! Hervice standard. The Rev. Shirley Biker (of Tong.) was then called upon to addr&ss the meeting. He said that he was highly pleased with the results of the day's examinations. They had a collego at Tonga similar to the Tnree Kings Institute, and in some respects surpassed, but in others fell short of that institution. The Maoris were ahead of the Tongan etu tents in their progress in the English language, and he intended to send up a number of lads from Tonga in order to perfect them in this branch of study. He also thought the Maoris sang with greater taste than the Tongese. He believed that such institutions, which had the elevation of the native race in viow, uhould receive the hearty support of the Government. Ks also remarked that he believed the mission work would have had a greater measure of success in New Zealand if native teachers had been more extensively employed in carrrying the Gospel to their countrymen, which had been the system adopted in Tonga. Kev. \V. Morley said, ou the conclusion of R=v. Mr. Baker's address, that if members of the Church who had the means would, by founding scholarships, &0., aid tho institution, their support would be more appreciated thin that of the Government of the country. The Kev. Shirley Baker then, in his position as Premier of Tonga, promised, on behalf of tho Government of that country, a scholarship of £5 a-yesr for the beat echolar in the English l»ngii.ge among the native students of the Throe Kings' College, to commence with the present ye.»r. Th? Rer. William Gittos, of Kaipara, then gave a short address, in which he said that he was especially interested in the examination, as a number of Maori lads who had been sent to the institute from his circuit bad taken part in it, and he made special allusion to the care which had been observed by the Prinoipa!—the Rev. T. Buddie—in developing and stimulating their spiritual life. The Itev. Mr. Logan, a missionary from Micronesia, delivered an interesting speech, in the course of which he expressed Ms delight at being present, and dwelt upon the suooess of mission work generally. He said that people were apt to disparage the results which had been attained, without thinking of the steep hill of civilisation which had to be ascended before those who were heathens but yesterday could even reach approximately the standard which had been attained after nineteen centuripi of Christian en'tr.rc. One of the Tongan princes, who had accompanied the Rev. 8. Baker to Auckland, and was ! present at the meeting, was requested to say a j few words. He spoke in his own language, : which was interpreted by the Rev. S. Bi'ter. i He said he was glad that some of hi? countrymen were coming to reside et the Thro.« H.'.r.gi, and hoped they would be kindly received. He alao made a request that the scholarship should be called the " tJgi Scholarship," in remembrance of his father, Tevita Uga, the lute Ci'own Prinoe ef Tonga, who died nearly two years since while on a visit to Auckland. The Rev. Thomas Buddie then thanked the friends for the sympathy they had shown iu the work of the institution by their attendance, tie had always given great attention to the study of English among the native students, and ho was pleased at the success of that day's examination. In reference to the employment of native preachers, he stated that in New irnl immigration, and the introduction of English civilisation, such as it was, had interfered to a great extent with the large employment of Maori preaohers among their countrymen. The proceedings were brought to a conclusion about 1 o'clock by the Rev. J. Guy offering prayer. Alter this the visitors went off in different parties to seek suitable places on the grassy sw., ul, whero they might partake of their luncheon. The afternoon was most agreeably spent according to the various likings of the individuals. An exciting cricket match waa played between the Maori students and an eleven composed of some of the ministers and visitors, which resulted in a victory for the former. A number contented themselves with strolling about admiring the magnificent scenery ; a fjw of the more venturesome made an exploration of the oaves. About 4or 5 o'clock the visitors, after enjoying a pleasant day, began gradually to <?!s----perse, and seek their way home again iu the several conveyances which had brought them there.