EDUCATION: NATIVE SCHOOLS.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1880 Session I, H-01f

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1880. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: NATIVE SCHOOLS.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by command of His Excellency.

THE NATIVE SCHOOLS CODE. This code of Rules and Regulations is published for the guidance of .Native School Teachers, and of others concerned in the education of the Maori race. I.—THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW SCHOOLS. (1.) If at least ten Maoris, actually residing in any locality, petition the Minister for Education for a Native School, and if they, or any of them, offer to give at least two acres of land suitable for a school site, and promise, further, to make such contribution in money or in kind towards the cost of school buildings as the Minister may require, the Government may establish a school in that locality ; provided that (1) the Organizing Inspector of Native Schools report favourably on the site offered ; (2) that the Natives give the Government a proper title to the site ; and (3) that they satisfy the Government that the district will keep up an average attendance of thirty at the school. (2.) When the preliminaries have been satisfactorily settled, the Government will provide a schoolhouse and a teacher's residence suited to the wants of the district. The whole of the land will be properly fenced in, and a plot of ground about one quarter of an acre in extent will be enclosed with a neat picket fence for a garden. The teacher will be expected to keep this constantly in good order, and to make it, if possible, the model garden of the village. lI.—TEACHERS. (1.) Suitable persons will be selected to take charge of the schools. As a rule the Government will appoint a married couple, the husband to act as master of the school, and the wife as sewing mistress. The master will be expected to teach the native children to read and write the English language, and to speak it. He will, further, instruct them in the rudiments of arithmetic and of geography, and, generally, endeavour to give them such culture as may fit them to become good citizens. (2.) It is not intended that the duties of the teacher should be confined to the mere school instruction of the Maori children. On the contrary, it is expected that the teachers will by their kindness, their diligence, and their probity, exercise a beneficial influence on all the natives in their district. (A circular dealing more fully with this matter than it can be dealt with in a code of regulations has been sent to all the teachers of Native Schools.) (3.) It is not necessary thac teachers should, at the time of their appointment, be acquainted with the Maori tongue. In all cases English is to ,be used by the teacher when he is instructing the senior classes. In the junior classes the Maori language maybe used for the purpose of making the children acquainted with the meanings o± English words and sentences. The aim of the teacher, however, should be to dispense with the use of Maori as soon as possible. (4.) In all cases teachei's will be expected to live in the houses provided for them, unless their residing elsewhere has been sanctioned by the Department. lII.—CONDUCT OF THE SCHOOL. (1.) In every Native School there shall be a time table used. This document is to be hung up in a conspicuous position in the school-room, and its directions are to be always strictly followed. Every item of school work shall begin and end exactly at the time indicated in the time table. If the teacher find that he cannot work by the table, he should alter it, and continue to do so until the precepts of the document and the actual work done are in thorough accord. (2.) The master shall keep the school register correctly, and shall post his quarterly returns within fourteen days after the end of each quarter. Any infringment of this rule will be very strictly dealt with. No salary will be paid to any teacher if and so long as his returns are more than one month in arrear. (3.) Teachers will be required to instruct the children in the subjects mentioned in the Standards set forth in the 4th section of this code. Teachers should endeavour to make the instruction as thorough as possible. Quality rather than quantity is the thing required. Especially while giving their English lessons should teachers bear this in mind. No reading lesson should be looked upon as finally disposed of until all the children thoroughly know the meaning of every sentence and word in it, and, in the case of senior

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classes, are able to reproduce the substance of the entire lesson. The children should be able, too, to pronounce every word accurately, and to spell it, or write it from dictation. IV.—NATIVE SCHOOL STANDARDS OF EDUCATION. Standard I. Heading. —To read English sentences made up of easy words of one syllable. Spelling. —To spell easy words of one syllable. Writing. —To copy on slates easy words from the black-board, to transcribe from the wall-cards, and to form figures neatly. English. —To know the meanings of such easy English words as go, bad, run, dog, sky, father; also, to know the English names of familiar objects—such as the school furniture, parts of the body, articles of dress ; and to be able to name these when taken singly, or in twos or threes ; (e.g., one eye, two eyes ; one man, two men ; one child, two children, three children.) Arithmetic. —To know the addition tables, to count up to 100, and to read, from the black-board, numbers up to 999. Sewing. —Girls to thread needles and to hem. Standard 11. Heading. —To read sentences made up of words of one syllable, and very easy words of two syllables. Spelling —To spell the words in the reading lesson. Writing. —To transcribe from the Primer neatly (on slates), and to write neatly in an elementary copy-book. English. —To translate Maori words such as rere, tai, tenei, po, manu, into English, and to know the meaning of very easy English sentences, such as, "He laughs," " I see you." Also, to know the names of things represented in the wall-pictures, and of the parts of these things; (in the case of the picture of a fish, for instance, the children should know the names of the head, the tail, the fins, and the gills.) Arithmetic. —To know the subtraction tables, and the multiplication table up to six times; to do numeration and notation up to 1,000,000, and to work sums in addition, and very easy sums in multiplication. Geography. —To know the definitions, and to point out the cardinal and the four intermediate points, both on the map and on the horizon. Sewing. —Girls to fell, and to fix a hem. Standard 111. Beading. —To read and understand the " Second Eoyal Reader," and to give in English the meanings of the words and the sentences. Spelling. —To write correctly from dictation sentences taken from the Primer. Writing. —To write small-hand neatly in a copy-book. English. —To be able to describe familiar objects or actions. (Eor example, the examiner holds up a little piece of pencil, and asks what it is. The pupil should be able to say—"That is a short pencil." The examiner raises his hand and asks what he has done. The pupil replies—" You raised your hand, sir.") Also, to understand clearly the difference between such expressions as " This boy," " That boy," " These boys," " Those boys." Composition. —To translate sentences into English from " Ko te A-nui a Wi." Arithmetic. —Subtraction, long multiplication, short division, long division. Mental Arithmetic. —The first four rules and the money tables. Geography. —To know the map of New Zealand, and to answer very easy questions on the physical and political geography of the Colony. The pupil should be able to answer such questions as these : — " Which is the largest of the towns in the Bay of Plenty 1" " Why do go many of the New Zealand steamers go to Russell, although it is but a very small town ?" " Why is the climate of Hokianga warmer than that of Stewart Island?" " Why are the,rivers on the East Coast of the South Island longer than those on the West Coast ¥'• Sewing. —Girls to stitch, to sew on strings, and to be learning to fix all work up to this stage. Standard IV. Heading. —To read the " Third Royal Reader" with proper expression, and to thoroughly comprehend the meaning of what is read. Spelling. —To write from dictation a short paragraph from the "Second Royal Reader." Writing. —To write a good, plain round hand. English. —To speak and to understand English fairly well, and to clearly understand the difference between such expressions as I see, I saw, I shall see, I had seen, I may see, &c. Composition. —To reproduce the substance of a short fable or story, or to write a letter on some familiar subject. Arithmetic. —To know the compound rules and reduction, and to work problems involving the use of these and the more elementary rules. Geography. —To know the map of the world, and to answer easy questions on political and on physical geography. The pupil should be able to answer such questions as these :—" Into what sea does the Danube fall?" " Why do white people living in India require to have all hard work done for them by the Natives 1" "If a ship came to Auckland from Mauritius, what would her cargo probably be V "If this vessel sailed from Auckland for England, what would she take with her ?" " When the wind is blowing strongly from the S.W. it is generally cold; why is this ?" Sewing. —To fix all work required for Standard 111, to do button-holing, to sew on buttons, to darn stockings, and to be learning to knit stockings.

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Extra Subjects. All the classes will be examined in singing and drill, and the two upper classes in elementary drawing. V.—SCHOLARSHIPS, PRIZES, &p. (1.) The Government has in contemplation the drawing up of a scheme under which Maori children may receive scholarships to enable them to prosecute their studies after leaving the village schools. Whatever plan may be finally adopted, one of its chief features will be, that the scholarships will be given to the most proficient of the children who have regularly passed all the Native School Standards. (2.) Prizes for regular attendance shall be given to the children'belonging to Native Schools. The allowance shall be at the rate of 3s. per child (on the strict average attendance for the year.) The prizes shall consist of useful articles of clothing. No child that has been absent from school for more than one-tenth of the whole school time shall be entitled to a prize. (3.) Every child passing the examination for the Third or for the Fourth Standard shall receive from the Inspector a certificate of his having so passed. This certificate shall be pasted on the inside of the cover of a strongly bound book of tales or fables such as are likely to be interesting to young Maoris. The book shall be called a " Reward Book," and shall be the property of the child. (4.) The Government will give a subsidy of £1 for £1 to a reasonable amount, for the purpose of providing the material for such games as cricket, quoits, foot-ball, croquet, and lawn-tennis. This material is to be used by the scholars only. The master will be expected to take charge of it and to see th at it get fair usage. (5.) Books and material that are no longer fit for use in school may be condemned in the presence of some Government officer. They may then be stamped, and distributed among the children for use at home. (6.) It is desirable that Maori children should learn singing and acquire a taste for music generally. The Government will therefore grant a subsidy of £1 for £1 to districts in which the Maoris subscribe money for the j)urchase of an harmonium. VI.—MATERIAL FOR SEWING. (1.) The Government will send to every sewing mistress a stock of material, such as calico, prints, wincey, flannel, and dungaree, and of implements such as needles, thimbles, scissors, &c. This material shall be made up into useful articles of dress by the girls at their sewing lessons. These articles shall then be sold to the Maoris, for cash, at the cost price of the materials. The sewing mistress of each school will be required to keep a Dr. and Cr. account of materials received and articles sold. At the end of the year this account must be closed, and the value of the balance of materials on hand must be carried forward to the next year's account. VII.—GIRLS MAY BOARD WITH TEACHERS. (1.) Married teachers may receive into their houses, one by one, the girls belonging to their schools, if the Department is satisfied that proper arrangements are made for their reception. Girls so received into a teacher's house shall learn to do the work of the house, but shall attend school regularly, and shall be treated as boarders and not as servants. They shall remain in the house for thi*ee months each, and the teacher will receive from the Department an allowance of £2 for the board and lodging of a girl for that period. In special cases the time may be extended to six months, and the allowance to £4. VIIL—PERIODICALS SUPPLIED. (1.) The Department will be prepared to supply to any Native School the " Illustrated London News," the " Graphic," or " Harper's Weekly." The papers are to be kept at the school for one month for the use of the children. They are then to be handed over to the Chief of the district in order that the Maoris in the settlement may have an opportunity of seeing them. The Chief will return them before receiving a fresh supply. These periodicals wfll be forwarded regularly to the Masters that send in applications for them. The papers must be cut and stitched as soon as they arrive at the school. TX.—CLASSIFICATION OF TEACHERS. (1.) The Teachers of Native Schools shall be divided into five classes, viz.:—Uncertificated Teachers; Fourth Class, Third Class, Second Class, and First Class Certificated Teachers. (2.) Teachers already employed by the Department will be classified according to their efficiency as gauged by their past success. Any such teacher objecting to the classification offered Mm may undergo an examination and try to gain a higher position. In the event of his being unsuccessful, he will in no case lose the position already assigned to him. (3.) Teachers wishing to be examined may at any time give notice to the Department to that effect. Arrangements will be made for holding the examination within six months after the date of such notice. (4.) The subjects of examination with the marks assigned to each subject are the following : — Reading. —To read a passage from an English author with proper emphasis and ex- Marks, pression, and to give the meanings of the words and sentences therein contained... 200 Writing, Spelling, and Composition. —To write a neat legible hand, to spell correctly from dictation, and to write a short essay on a familiar subject ... ... ... 200 Arithmetic —The Simple and the Compound Rules, and Reduction; Fractions, vulgar and decimal; Practice, Interest, and Proportion, with easy problems founded on these rules ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ..., ... ... 200

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Geography. —To know the Map of the World and the Map of New Zealand, to have Marks. a fair general knowledge of political and of physical geography, and to be able to draw from memory a sketch map of New Zealand... ... ... 200 Maori. —To know Williams's •' First Lessons in Maori ;" to translate a passage from the Maori Bible, and to translate into Maori sentences from "Ko te A-nui aWi," Parts! and II 400 New Zealand History, dec. —The history of the discovery of New Zealand; Maori traditions; indigenous productions and their uses; Maori customs; physical peculiarities of New Zealand ; the history of the New Zealand wars ... ... 400 The following works are referred to as indicating the lines which the examination in this subject will take : —Sir G. Grey's Maori books, " Old New Zealand," Buller's " Forty Years in New Zealand," Gudgeon's " History of the War," Wells's " History of Taranaki," " Cook's Voyages," Taylor's " Te Ika o Maui." Much useful knowledge may be gained from papers in the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute. The Art of Teaching. —Questions will be set on the subject generally, and on the practical management of Maori Schools .. ... ... ... ... 400 Total 2000 (5.) In order to pass in any class candidates will have to satisfy the examiner in reading, writing, spelling, composition, and arithmetic. In order to pass in the 2nd or the Ist Class candidates must satisfy the examiner in New Zealand history, and in the Art of Teaching. (6.) Candidates who gain 400 marks will rank as 4th Class Teachers. 600 „ „ 3rd 800 „ „ 2nd „ 1000 „ „ Ist (7.) Teachers will be further classified with reference to the length of time they have been engaged in teaching in Native Schools. A Master that has served less than two years will be a " Probationer ;" one that has served more than two and less than five years will be a " Junior j" a master that has served more than five years will be a " Senior," provided that his school has received favourable reports during the whole of that time. Thus, a Junior Third Class Native School Teacher would be a master that had obtained 600 marks at the examination, and had been master of a Native School for more than two years and less than five. X.—SALARIES OF TEACHERS. (1.) The head Teacher in every Native School shall receive a fixed salary of £80 per annum and be provided with a free house. In addition to this he shall receive increment to his salary as follows : — (a.) For holding rank as Senior Teacher ... ... ... ... ... £25 per annum. „ „ ~ Junior Teacher... ... ... ... £10 per annum. „ „ „ Probationer ... ... ... ... ... Nil. (6.) For an average attendance of more than 20 but not more than 30 the teacher shall receive £10 30 „ „ 40 „ „ 20 40 „ „ 50 „ „ 30 „ „ ~ 50 ... ... ... ~ „ 40 These increments will be given for the working average. Ordinarily, the allowance for average attendance will be calculated on the basis of the attendance during the preceding calendar year, but will be subject to revision in case of any marked change during the year for which the allowance is made, (c.) If three-fourths of the children on the roll that have attended school for two years, have passed Standard 1., the teacher shall receive ... ... ... ... £10 If one-third of the children on the roll, that have attended school for two years, have passed Standard 11. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 If one-fifth of the children on the roll, that have attended school for two years, have passed Standard 111. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 If one-eighth of the children on the roll, that have attended school for two years, have passed Standard IV. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. 10 Whenever the number of children who have passed any standard happens to be the lower of two consecutive numbers, of which the higher would have given more than the number of passes required to secure an increment to the teacher, the Inspector shall decide whether the teacher ought to receive the increment or not. (For example : —Twenty-one children are qualified to be sent up for examination in Standard 111. If four of these children pass and the others fail, the teacher is not entitled to any increment. If, however, the children that have failed to pass have answered pretty fairly, the Inspector may, at his discretion, recommend that the teacher receive the increment.) In schools that have been in operation less than two years, only half the number of passes will be required, but all the children will be counted. Thus, in a new school of twenty-eight children, five Second Standard passes would give the teacher the allowance for that Standard. At least two children must pass in any Standard to entitle the teacher to receive the increment for passes in that Standard. (d.) If the Teacher hold a 4th Class Certificate he shall receive the sum of ... £10 3rd „ „ „ 20 2nd „ „ „ 30 ~ ~ Ist „ ~ „ ... ... 40 (It will be seen that the salaries will range from £80 to £225. Thus, the master of a school of 35 children, holding a 3rd Class Certificate, having served four years, and passing his school in Standards I and 111., would be entitled to a salary of £150 per annum.)

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(2.) When such an arrangement can be made, the wife or daxighter of the teacher shall be sewing mistress of the school at an annual salary of £20. She shall devote two hours three times a week to the work of teaching the girls sewing and knitting. (3.) If the average attendance at a school is more than 30, the sewing mistress may be appointed mistress on the recommendation of the Inspector. In that case it will be her duty to attend school every afternoon, and, should occasion arise, at other times also ; and to assist the master with the literary work of the school as well as to take charge of the sewing. Her salary shall then be at the rate of .£35 per annum. (4.) When the average attendance at a school is more than 35, and the sewing mistress is unable or unwilling to undertake literary work in the school, a female junior assistant may be appointed at a salary not greater than £20 per annum. (5.) No pupil teachers shall in future be appointed in Maori schools. XI.—SCHOOL REGISTER. (1.) The attendance of the scholars in each school shall be registered every morning and every afternoon, at a convenient time within the school hours, in a form which shall be furnished by the Education Department. (2.) The average daily attendance shall be ascertained by dividing the total number of morning and afternoon attendances taken together, by the total number of times, (mornings and afternoons reckoned separately), that the school has been open during the period for which the computation is made. The school shall be held to be open if any child be present before the first half-hour of the school time has passed. But in order that the increment to teachers' salaries for average attendance may not be unduly affected by bad weather, epidemics, or any unusual occurrence, a second computation of average shall be made, by throwing out of account the mornings and the afternoons on which the attendance was less than one half of the number of children thus belonging to the school. XII.—THE USE OF THE SCHOOL ROOM. (1.) The school-room is to be used as a school-room only. The teacher shall not allow it to be put to any other purpose whatsoever. If the people in the district wish religious services to be held in it, they must make application to the Minister for Education and obtain his sanction. In cases in which this has been obtained and service has been held in the school, the room must always be properly cleaned and set in order for the school work of the following day, at the cost of the persons that have had the use of the school. XIII.—TEXT BOOKS AND MATERIAL. (1.) Books, appliances, and material other than those enumerated in the following list are not to be used without the express permission of the Department :— Royal Reader Wall Cards. Thimbles. Royal Reader Primers. Scissors. Royal Readers, I to 111. Wool. All the Sequels to these books. Knitting Needles for Stockings. Vere Foster's Copy-books. Ball Frame. Plain-ruled Exercise books. Pens. Irish small Arithmetic. Pen Holders. Bett's Portable Globe. Ink Powder. Large Map of the World in Hemispheres. Illk Wells, (metallic covers). Map of New Zealand. Log Book. Map of the Pacific Ocean. Blotting Paper. Black-boards. Foolscap do. Easels. Prepared Chalk. Willies First English Book, Parts I and 11, Lead Pencils. Petrie's Table books. Drawing do. Hutton's Drawing Books, Parts-1 and 11. Colored do. Modulator. Slate do. Calico. 0.P.5.0. Envelopes. Prints. Natural History Cards and other Pictures. Flannel. Clock. Dungaree. Hand-bell. Cotton. Rubber Stamp. Thread. Wash-basins. Hooks and Eyes. Soap. Buttons. Towels. Needles. (2.) The following books will be supplied for the use oi teachers :— Williams's First Lessons in Maori. ~ New Zealand Dictionary. Clyde's Larger Geography. Petrie's New Zealand Geography. Lake's Object Lessons. Gladman's School Method. (3.) The following articles for school cleaning will be supplied to every school:— American Brooms. Galvanized Iron Buckets. Hand Scrubbing Brushes. House Flannel. Dusters.

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(4.) Requisitions for books and materials are to be carefully prepared by the teacher and given to the Organizing Inspector at his second visit in eacli year. [Note. — The Department intends to have drawn up, shortly, a set of Wall Cards and of Reading Hooks for special use in Maori schools.] XIV.—HOLIDAYS. (1.) The following shall be observed as close holidays in all Native Schools :—All Saturdays and Sundays, Good Friday, Easter Monday, the 24th of May, the 9th of November, the week following the last Sunday in June, and the six weeks following the 15th of December. On all other days of the year the schools shall be opened, and the masters shall be present at their duty. In the case of the illness of the master, the sewing mistress shall, if possible, take his place temporarily. (2.) It shall be the duty of the master to make a record in a book (to be called the " Log Book ") of every instance in which this rule is transgressed, and to state the reason for the transgression. (3.) Under certain circumstances leave of absence may be granted to the master. This can be obtained only with the direct sanction of the Department. XV.—SCHOOL HOURS. The net time devoted to school work shall be four hours daily, viz.:—from 10 to 12 and from 1 to 3 There are to be no " intervals " either at morning or at afternoon school. XVI.—SCHOOL COMMITTEES. (1.) In every district there shall be a committee of five persons, elected annually by the parents of the children in the district. The committee-men shall all be Maoris or half-castes, unless it be otherwise allowed by the Government. (2.) The principal duty of the committee is to see that a proper average attendance is maintained at the school. (3.) The members of the committee shall assemble once a month for the purpose of deliberating as to the best means of keeping up the attendance at the school. (4.) The committee shall see that there is a proper supply of firewood for the use of the school, and shall arrange matters so that the schoolroom may be cleaned every night, and scrubbed out at least once a month. (5.) The school committee may, should occasion arise, forward to the District Superintendent any complaint they may have to make with regard to the school. The District Superintendent will transmit the complaint to the Department, if the matter complained of be of sufficient moment. It is no part of the duty of the committee to interfere with the teacher personally in any way. That officer has the sole charge of the schoolhouse, the residence, and the grounds, and is responsible to the Department alone for the general management of the school. XVII.—FALLING-OFF IN THE ATTENDANCE. (1.) If the attendance at a school should from any cause suddenly decrease considerably, or if after vacation the children should not at once assemble, the master shall at once rejiort the fact to the District Superintendent, who will endeavour to ascertain the cause of the falling-off in order that he may report the same to the Department. (2.) When the attendance at the school of a high-class master shall fall off, and it is found that such decrease has not taken place through the fault of the teacher, he will be removed to a better school as soon as possible, and his place taken by a teacher of lower rank. (3.) Should the average attendance at any school fall below 15, the Government may at its discretion close the school. XVIIL—NATIVE SCHOOLS MAY BECOME BOARD SCHOOLS. As soon as the Organizing Inspector shall report that all the children in a native school district have made sufficient progress in English to enable them to work for the " Standards of Education " with advantage, the Native School in that district may be transferred to the Board of the Education District in which the school is situated. XIX.—EUROPEAN CHILDREN AT NATIVE SCHOOLS. (1.) Where the parents desire it, there is no objection to the children of Europeans attending a Native School. In such cases, however, the master will bear in mind that the object for which his school has been established is the instruction of Maori children. He will let nothing interfere injuriously with this his proper work. (2.) In a mixed school the records of the attendances of. Maoris and Europeans are to be kept separate. XX.—FENCING. The Department will entertain favourably all proposals for the complete fencing-in of Native School sites, if the titles have been secured to the Government. XXL—INSPECTOR. The Organizing Inspector shall visit every native school twice yearly—once to examine the school and report upon it, and once for the purpose of organizing and improving it. In cases in which tha ■ school is difficult of access, the second visit may immediately follow the inspection. At least four weeks notice of an approaching visit of inspection shall be given. XXIL—DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT. (1.) A District Superintendent may be appointed to exercise supervision over several schools. The District Superintendent will visit each school twice yearly. At these visits he will take note

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of the attendance at the school, and of the repairs and additions that the buildings may require. He shall be at liberty to give the Inspector information of anything connected with the schools that it may appear to be desirable for him to know. (2.) The committee and teacher of every school will be informed of the name of the Superintendent of the District in which the school is situated. (3.) The correspondence between any school and the Education Department shall pass through the hands of the District Superintendent. (4.) If in any district there be no District Superintendent, the committee and teachers will be instructed as to the channel through which correspondence is to be carried on. XXIII. -WHO ARE TO BE CONSIDERED " NATIVES." The word " Natives " in this code shall be taken to mean Maoris and half-castes. XXIV—CODE COMES INTO FORCE. This code shall come into operation on the Ist August, 1880, but the regulations affecting the salaries of teachers shall not be in force until Ist April, 1881. Wm. Rolleston.

DIRECTIONS FOR TEACHERS OF NATIVE SCHOOLS.

Circular Memorandum for Teachers of Native Schools. I am directed by the Minister for Education t > send you the circular referred to in Section 11. sub-section 2 of the Native Schools Code. Information gathered from various' sources enables the Department to say that the more closely you conform to the directions here given as to the relations that should subsist between the teacher and the Maoris, the greater will be your success as a Master of a Native School. Besides giving due attention to the school instruction of the children, teachers will be expected to exercise a beneficial influence on the Natives, old and young; to show by their own conduct that it is possible to live a useful and blameless life, and in smaller matters, by their dress, in their houses, and by their manners and habits at home and abroad, to set the Maoris an example that they may advantageously imitate. The Department would especially call your attention to the fact that it is extremely advisable that teachers should always keep their houses and gardens neat and tidy. In this matter the natives are, as a rule, very careless. It is highly necessary that teachers should be on their guard against allowing their own habits to degenerate under the influence of surrounding negligence. They ought rather to exert a steady influence tending to the elevation of the people among whom they live. You are particularly cautioned against entering into close personal alliance with any clique or party of the Natives. Still less should you ever permit yourself to assume a hostile attitude towards any individual or party in the district in which your work lies. The Government will not allow teachers to trade with the Natives, or in any way to endeavour to gain pecuniary advantage from them. The discipline in a Maori School should be mild and firm. Maori children when in school are so easily managed that you should hardly ever have much difficulty in dealing with them. You should, if possible, avoid inflicting corpoi-al punishment. If you should ever have to resort to it, you will record the fact in your Log Book. In not a few districts teachers have found themselves able to fulfil all these requirements, positive and negative. It is the wish of the Government that all Native School teachers should at any rate strive ±o reach the standard here set before them. John Hislop, Secretary. Education Department, Wellington, 4th June, 1880.

Authority : Geokge Didsbtjby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBBo.