HOPE FOR THE MAORI.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10967, 5 June 1903, Page 4

HOPE FOR THE MAORI.

One of the most up-to-date and progressives native Settlements bn v the "Wangariiii River is Koriniti, and not tlie least pleasing, characteristic ,cf£ jtfaci>«li ? i« the interest displayed by the natives in the education of the • young jieopl,^ The pupils themselves, some of whom, are well on in 'their teens, are most anxious ta take ' advantage of the educational privileges affbrded them, and thus equip, themselvesmore efficiently for the battle; of, liffe- Indeed, several of the young women attending the ' school have refused ' offers of ma rriage, J wisely preferring* to secure tangible 'educationjajs benefits, jn, preference. to the doubtful advantages" of married bliss in a Maori pah. ,The results of the recent' examination's prove alike' the interest and intelligence taken by the children in their school work and the "painstaking care and attention devoted to them by the popular schoolmaster, Mr C. -W. - Grace, and Ms assistant. At the examinations referred to the maximum nuinbVr of marks — 100 per cent — was obtained for examination and over 99 for 'inspection, , the two coming out at 99.8." In all'4G pupi's passed, including 18 through Standard V. and 14 through Standard IV. It will thus be se^n that there is a big percentage in the higher standards, and^aa'd (consequence the work has >been> harder on the, teachers. It may prove of interest "to teachers in our European schools to know that' at this school there is very little punishment of any kind, and corporaLpunishment is both unnecessary and unknown, a fact, that was mentioned by the Inspector last year in his report to the InepettorGefieral.' lii order to accomplish successfully the task of educating the Maoris" in' such a way as to raise "the tone of .the, " ordinary 'village community, > and -so -fit them for the simple 1 life of the pah and ejiable them, to perfqrnt-^jpliingJy iind in-* diligently the work that has to be done hi ! connection with their hom n s, more and more eii'pha'sis Is being placed upon the teaching of English a»id upon manual training. A way has been opened- up for giving a trial to a scheme proposed some three or four years ago for enabling the Maoris, after finishing their school- education, to find a field of action in which, that which they have acquired at school may be apuliod to the purposes of .ordinary life ; in which they may, in ■ fact, find tyc uses of the training they halve received by practising, in a Maori settlement conducted on European* lines the art of living in European' -fashion. The. Maoris at Koriniti have given, .tlie .necessary .land, and already, a la*r§e" workshop" has been crectedC'By^.Sftfc 1 ' .natives, and very soon various branches of \echsical instruction^-ctirp'eutry/^cabinet-making, and blacksmithing for the men,, and sewing, cooking, etc., for the women — will be in full swing. It Sa intended to make the settlement industrial, and as soon as possible self-supporting, pud the experiment- will be watched with' very preat interest by both natives and Europeans. ,