THE MAORI GIRLS' SCHOOL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLVIII, Issue 12364, 2 December 1904, Page 7

THE MAORI GIRLS' SCHOOL.

S An important factor in the improvement 4^ the Maori race is sound practifcaii education. Of late years much lias 'b&eja accomplisihed by the Government echoed eetabvi&hed throughout New Zea-:ia-naVi ajid by such Echoc'is as Te Auto . and'Hukarere, and the more recent Victoria School, Auckland. Tho young j'Maoii movement, which has already ai- ' fected so much jmprovemeaiti in tlie pa. and tli© generai life of tho Maori, is one of tho results of the work done at ■To Aute. Tho Presbyterian Oiiurdh, recognising the necessity for a teh-coL as a :useful adjunct to missionary effort, is about up establish a boarding school for Maori girls at Turalrina. By teaching carefully the g irJi< of to-day, it is surely to bo expected that the mothers of the future will take an intelligent view of what is required of -them. The purpose [of the Turaldna school will be not on.y ■to teach the -g^is the subjects of the r3ii:ghea' standards of the public schools, but to give* them a thorough domestic '"■training, teaching them p:hys.>ology, sick nursing, hygiene cooking, dressmaking, etc. The object is not to 'make the girls imttoited to pa '.life, but to so train. /them that they will be able to make i the most of their present circumstances. A sound religous and moral education will: bo the basis of the ..teaching at the .school.

\ The Turakma manse, which was for 'many years used as a private boarding school, i'j the building that has been obtained. Its situation is most suitable, •beaig central for the Maori settlements between Foxton and Patca. It is also 'very convenient to the two main routes to the interior, viz., the Wanganui River and thel North Trunk line. The Stoker-• saliools are at Napier ;aaid Auckland, and Turakina .will be able to supply the :large West Coast district witho>ufc maleriaiiy .iiterfering with the others. The house itself is pleasantly situated, and will have ample .grounds to ■permit of an open air. life, which is so conducive to. health. While iosing some of the conveniences of the town, it will •iav raspecb of its open position 'have an advantage over other school:;. " It is FAjb mucli niC'ro than a year since tihe proposal was first made, but yet the money required fo-i> tho purchase and equipment of the schooij has practically bill >i>»tMi supplied by tho Presbyterian cniirchea of the colony. - Over £1500 lias been raised. The conrhiitte© in ciha.rgelj.avo bean fortunate in securing tih-a services of Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Hamilton as master and matron. Mr. Hamiltlon 'has been for some years in charge of tlie Maor; : school at Tokaanu, and from his past career it may safely be .predicted that a. suocesg wi'il be made of the new ' school ;at Turakiua. A fund for furniehmg was initiated by three Wanganui adies—Mesdames H. B. Webster, W. Gray, and P. Fcrlong, who with the assis;!n™ce of an influential comm'tteo have carried forAvard. the work. They have met with, liberal response to their appeals, and a large part of the fnrxri&hnig has been provided for. Pupils are beinf sought for by.the cliairman of tho committee, Rev. R. M. Ryburn,_up and down tho coast and in the iiitencir. The Educaiion Department have graaited five saholaa-ships to "the school, aadas largo a number of gii'ls as possible ivil'l reoeive fi>ce educatwn. Tenders wi'-l be ea.lled for sliorlf.y for the alteration and iHjj^rovemeint of tho building; and the laHbol avj:l- be ready to be opened next February. No doubt thir new venture will r3'ceivo adequate suppo-rt and^the school become'a credit to tho West Coast district and a powerful factor in the iinuiwement of the Mao-ri people.