NATIVE SCHOOLS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1747, 30 August 1905, Page 17

NATIVE SCHOOLS

EDUCATION OF MAORI CHILDREN.

DIFFICULTY OF EMPLOYMENT. The number of Maori village schools in operation in the colony at the end of 1904 was 100. The number of children on the rolls of these schools at December 31st, 1904, was 3754, as against 3693 at the end of the preceding year. There is thus in the number of children a slight increase, which would have been considerablv greater had all the schools been working. The average attendance was 3084, as against 3012 in 1904, the regularity of the attendance being 81 -per cent., which may be considered satisfactory. In addition to the village schools there are the four mission schools that are usually examined and inspected by the department at the request of their controlling authorities. There are also five boarding-schools l established by the authorities of various churches in New Zealand, which furnish at present the only means available of affording higher education specially for Maori boys and girls. Satisfactory progress still continues to be made in handwork in native schools. Ihe workshops are, generally speak'ng, doing very satisfactory work, and aro (says the Secretary foi Education), much appreciated in the districts where they are located. Two boys who nad received tiaining in the workshop attached to the village school have since been apprenticed, and are giving every satisfaction to their masters.

The scheme for the establishment of a model kainga at Pamoana, Wanganui river, has been in abeyance during the year "owing to the occurence of unforeseen difficulties in connection with its working. The department has, during the year, taken measures to secure an extension or the arrangements made for the training of Maori girls as nurses. The authorities of Napier and Wellington Hospitals agreed to give their assistance in the matter, and there are now two probationers on the staff, cne at each hospital, besiles which the Napier Hospital trustees admit two pupils as day- ’cholars. The department still finds a certain, amount of difficulty in obtaining suitable openings for boys who prefer apprenticeship to a trade to the ordinary scholarship. This difficulty may gradually diminish as the efficiency of the workshop training afforded at tne village school increases ; in fact, it is desirable that greater effort shall be made ? n the direction of manual training in the schools. Especially does this seem necessary in the case of Maori girls, many of whom do not care to leave the kainga for the secondarv school, but. would benefit immensely fum a training in plain coolery and domestic economy. The qualifications for scholarships entitling Maori youths to secondary education, oi to enter upon industrial pursuits, are ihe passing of Standard IV. of a native school or Standard V. of a public school, the age-limit being fifteen years. Seven apprenticeship sholarships were held under these conditions during 1904.