NATIVE SCHOOLS IN THE BAY OF PLENTY DISTRICT.

Waka Maori, Volume 12, Issue 4, 22 February 1876, Page 44

NATIVE SCHOOLS IN THE BAY OF PLENTY DISTRICT.

The following is from a report by H. N. Brabant, Esq., District Inspector of Native Schools, Opotiki, addressed to the Hon. the Native Minister in the month of January last, on the Native schools in the Bay of Plenty and Lake Districts:— I. Te KjlHa School. This is a new school opened on the 26th April. 1875. When! visited Te Kaha in October last, I examined the children,, and found that they had already made considerable progress in elementary education. I was unable to make a formal halfyearly inspection this month, on account of the teacher suddenly resigning on account of illness. A new master will, I hope, commence residence in a few weeks. 11. Omarumuttj School. I visited this school on the 3rd December, when';! found only nine children present out of twenty-eight on. the books. Ifive of these toys read fairly from an-easy book, did easy dictation, knew a little gee-

graphy, tables and weights and measures. They had made considerable progress in arithmetic, and wrote well. They were also able to say the Ten Commandments by rote. There has not been as much progress made at this school as I should like to see. I attribute this to the irregular attendance and to the apathy of the parents, which I have been unable to overcome. 111. "WnAKATANE SCHOOL. This is the largest school under my inspection, and consists of sixty-nine children, of whom sixty-one attended when I inspected it on the 13th December. The first class, consisting of fifteen boys and girls, most of them as old as fifteen years or oyer, were examined in reading, repeating poetry, writing, English dictation and translating it into Maori, geography of England and New Zealand, tables, and weights and measures. This class had made perceptible improvement since my last inspection, but the younger children in the scliool did not show as much progress as they ought. The arithmetic of the whole school was creditable to a varying degree. I found that singing had been taught, but not needlework, the sewing mistress stating that the Natives themselves would not help by providing materials. IT. Matata School. There are at present twenty-nine children on the books of this school. I found twenty-six there when I visited it on the 14th December. I examined the senior pupils in reading, English and Maori, spelling, English dictation and translating into Maori,repeating poetry, general tables, elementary grammar, geography, and arithmetic, in which they showed very marked improvement, especially in colloquial English and in appreciation of the meaning of their English studies. Nine other children had made some progress in reading, English and Maori, from easy books, and the eleven others were little children who were commencing. The elder children had been taught to say the Church Catechism, and the girls sewing and ladies' fancy work. The teachers at this school have always appeared to me to take great pains with the instruction of the children committed to their charge; but notwithstanding my knowledge of this, I was surprised at the progress made lately at this school, which should be seen by any one who doubts the ability of Native children to learn if carefully taught. I believe the attendance has been much more regular lately, which is to be attributed in a measure to the return to the district of Te Wikiriwhi, the chairman of the School Committee. This chief accompanied me at my inspection, and evidently takes great interest in the subject of education. He informed me that he had heard great satisfaction expressed by the Natives at the reports on Maori schools being printed in the Walca Maori, and that he hoped the practice would be continued.

Y. Maketu School. I visited this school on the 15th December. There were twenty-four children present out of thirty-seven on the roll. The four senior children were examined in reading, spelling, and dictation, and translation of English into Maori, in which they appeared to nave made a little progress since my last visit. Their geography and arithmetic I cannot say so much for. With the exception of these four children, no progress whatever had been made. The teacher attributes this to irregular attendance, which no doubt he has to contend with in common with others. The girls had been taught sewing. VI. "Whabeeoa School (Tatjeanga). There are twenty-nine children receiving instruction at the Whareroa School; the number that attended on the occasion of mv visi* <-m +"ko it+l, t»~„—t—

phmemutu, who, as you are aware, feel great interest m the education of the Natives. They have promised to communicate with me when the amount is in hand which they expect will be very shortly. The Natives have already set apart a site for a school, which has been approved of by Mr. Hamlin, R.M. IX. Eotoiti School. When I was at Eotoiti on the 21st December, I found that Major Wood, formerly teacher here, but who had been removed to the north, had now, at the special request of Te Wata and his tribe, returned to this school. This I believe to be a wise step, as I find that the success of native schools so much depends on the cordiality or otherwise which exists between the teacher and the parents of the children. As Major Wood had only been here a few days, his school could not be expected to be in working order; but some of the children had already commenced attendance, and I found that although the school had been shut for some time, the pupils had not forgotten all they had learnt. X. Ohtwa. School. T lTlflTlPofofl <~lUitTr« fiy>l> AA I -Li- - nn T TV n

of 24,895 tons, to which may be added 3 vessels arriving from London coastwise, giving an additional 3,191 tons. Thirteen vessels have arrived from Glasgow, including three steamers (the "Hawea," "Taupo," and "Taiaroa,") equal to 11,946 tons. Nine vessels, with an aggregate tonnage of 3,775tons, have arrived from China; while the trade from Mauritius has been represented by five vessels, equal to 1,379 tons. The United States of America, Puget Sound, and the adjacent coast have contributed a total of 7,832 tons, represented by 16 vessels; and the sister colonies of Australasia have sent 16 sailing vessels, with 7,832 tons.— Evening Post. Sharks, we hear, are very plentiful in the harbour just now, and bathers should be very cautious in keeping a good look-out. On Wednesday, a retriever. dog belonging to Mr. Otton was attacked by a shark within a few yards of the shore, and had his leg badly torn. The dog was sent to fetch a piece of pumicestone which his master had thrown into the water, and was apparently enjoying the sport, when he caught sight of the shark just ahead of him, and made rapidly towards land, which he reached just in time to save his life, but considerably damaged by the encounter. — HawJce's Bay Herald. A correspondent of the Hawlce's Bay Herald says: —"Happening to visit the Eesident Magistrate's Court the other day (at Wairoa) during the hearing of some Maori cases, I was glad to see Toha Rahurahu (well known in Napier) occupying a seat on the bench in the quality of Native Assessor. The Government have exercised, I think, great discrimination in the selection of this chief as a successor of the late Paora Apatu, he being generally respected by the Natives, and recognized by the Europeans of the district as a man of very superior ability." Destruction by Grasshoppers in America: The Secretary oi the State of Minnesota reports the following statistics of damage done by grasshoppers this year:—Acres of wheat damaged or destroyed, 240,417; bushels of wheat lost, 2,646,802; acres of oats damaged or destroyed, 52,125 ; bushels of oats lost, 1,186,733; acres of corn damaged or destroyed, 34,139 ; bushels of corn lost, 738.415. Weekly News.