EDUCATION: NATIVE SCHOOLS. [In Continuation of E.-7, 1881.]

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1882 Session I, E-02

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1882. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: NATIVE SCHOOLS. [In Continuation of E.-7, 1881.]

Presented to "both Souses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

The Oeganizin& Inspector to the Inspectoe-Geneeal of Schools. Sib,— "Wellington, 31st March, 1882. In accordance with your instructions, I have the honour to forward my report on the Native schools of New Zealand for the year 1881-82. Sixty-eight schools have been in operation during the year, Of these, 60 are village schools, and 8 are boarding establishments. Only two of the latter are directly under the control of the department; the others are connected with religious bodies, but receiving larger or smaller subsidies from the Government. Schools Opened, Re-opened, ob Closed. During the year new schools have been opened at Omanaia, Whangape, Motukaraka, Te Teko, and Maungatapu, while old ones, that had been closed for some time, have been reopened at Waima and Pakowhai. To these might be added the school at Fort Galatea, which was reopened in the March quarter of 1881. The school at Pouto Point, Kaipara Heads, formerly under the Auckland Education Board, has been taken over by the department. None of our schools have been closed, but, unless the attendance at Paihia and Ngunguru should increase considerably, it will probably be necessary to discontinue the schools at those places. There is a very small attendance at Ruapuke, but only a small subsidy is paid to the school there. New schools have been erected, or are in course of erection, at Kaikohe, Maugamuka, Moari, and Otago Heads; authority has been given to build new schools at Ruataniwha and Ramoto, on the Wairoa, Hawke's Bay ; at Waimamaku, Hokianga ; and at Te Kao, Parengarenga". Waimamaku is a secluded Native village, about five miles from Hokianga Heads, with a considerable population. It is quite a permanent settlement, and has perhaps the prettiest little Native church in New Zealand. Small settlements in the neighbourhood will contribute their quota of children to the school. I think there is no reason to doubt that a good attendance can be secured there. Not far from the end of the strip of sandy desert that lies at the extreme north of New Zealand, and virtually cut off from the rest of the world, live the remnants of the brave and once powerful Aopouri, as fine a tribe as any in New Zealand. These Natives are, and have been for a long time, very anxious to get their children educated. They have shown their anxiety by taking the thing in hand themselves, by putting up a whare at Te Kao and paying a teauher. When 1 visited the place I found that forty-two young people were being taught in this whare (which would probably have accommodated fifteen or twenty properly), while many more would have been at school if by any meana they could have been squeezed into the building. The Natives generally showed the greatest enthusiasm about the school and its success. Tenders for suitable buildings have already been called for. There is reason to believe that this will, one day, be one of the best Native schools in New Zealand. New Schools Requibed. It is very desirable that the two schools at Waiapu and Kawakawa should be reopened. The Lower Waiapu district contains a very large Native population and only one school, that at Waiomatatini. This school fairly well satisfies the wants of the people on the right bank of the river. The Waiapu school would answer the purposes of the Maoris on the left bank. If the school at Kawakawa could be reopened, or a new one built at Te Rimu, some five miles further west, the educational needs of the district would be well provided for. At my last visit the Natives of all these places showed considerable interest in school matters, and it is not improbable that they will ask the Government to reopen the schools referred to. Should they do so, I think their wishes should be complied with. It is likely, too, that the Upper Waiapu Natives will ask for a school; if they do, Ramoto, a considerable Native village, some seven miles from Tuparoa, would be the proper place for it. I—E. 2.

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lam inclined to think that a school at Waioeka, five miles from Opotiki, would be successful. It is true that most of the Natives in the district could, if they wished to do so, attend the Board school at Opotiki. Unfortunately they will not do this. lam afraid that a properly equipped Native school is the only available means for educating these Natives, and think that, if the results of the inquiries now being made should be favourable to my view of the matter, a school should be established here. The Natives of Tangitiroria, on the Northern Wairoa, have petitioned for a school. The population of the district is large, but scattered. I believe that a school at Tangitiroria would be fairlysuccessful at any rate. If the Natives of the district were as energetic as they are in some parts of New Zealand an excellent attendance might be secured there. Arrangements have not yet been completed for establishing a school on the Thames, but there can be little doubt that a small school at Kirikiri, a village some five miles from Grahamstown, would be successful. It is intended to discontinue the school at Lower Waihou, and, if prospects continue favourable, to establish one at Whakarapa, some five miles inland. A fever epidemic swept off a large number of the Natives at Waihou about three years ago, and there is reason to believe that the place is permanently unhealthy. Any way the population is now very small. Whakarapa is a permanent settlement; the Natives there have adopted European methods of farming, and hold generally what, from the European standpoint, must be considered as advanced views. The prospects of a permanently good attendance at Waitetuna are sufficiently encouraging to warrant the erection of school-buildings there. The Natives of Te Ore Ore, near Masterton, have established a school in their kainga. A subsidy is now paid to the teacher, and something has been done in the way of providing better accommodation for the children than is afforded by a small low whare, without floor, forms, desks, or material. The Natives here are very industrious and orderly. If the experiment that is now being made be successful, permanent buildings should undoubtedly be erected. Native Schools in euel Operation. It will be convenient to deal with the schools in groups, using their geographical position as the basis of classification. fifongonui. —ln this district there are five schoools. Three of these are very good indeed, especially those at Peria and Pukepoto. The Kaitaia school is equal to the others in many respects, but the attendance has hitherto been small and is sometimes very irregular. Ahipara has yet to make a good reputation for itself. There have been four teachers there within quite a short period. Two of these, on being removed to other districts, have got on capitally. It is to be hoped that the present teacher will succeed where the others have failed, and avoid getting into the " hot water" that seems to be characteristic of the place. The Awanui school also has a new master; Mr. E. Matthews, an old and valued native-school teacher having resigned. This is a difficult school also. With one or two exceptions the Natives here are very apathetic ; while at Ahipara the people seem to take too much interest in the teacher and his affairs, here they take too little. There is no valid reason why there should not be a good attendance at this school for a considerable part of the year. The gum fields are the principal difficulty with which the teachers in this district have to contend. Often children are away gumdigging for months together. Of course, when they come back, they are found to have forgotten a great deal of what they had previously learnt, and to be as wild as unbroken colts. Mr. George Kelly, Clerk of the Court at Mongonui, kindly acts as Superintendent of this district; he also takes charge of the school at Te Kao. Hokianga. —There are nine schools at present in operation on the shores of Hokianga Harbour and its inlets; these are superintended by S. Yon Stiirmer, Esq., R.M., who may be considered as the founder of most of them,.and who still takes great interest in their success. The most thoroughly successful schools here at present are those at Waitapu and Upper Waihou ; the first of these schools especially was in a very satisfactory condition when I last visited it. Whirinaki school is also good in many respects, but it had only fair success at the standard examination, liakau Para is about to be closed : this school has done excellent work in its time, but the number of Maoris in the neighbourhood of the school is now very small, and there is a European school within a short distance. The new schools at Motukaraka, Omanaia, Whangape, and the reopened school at Waima, give fair promise of permanent success. The gum-digging difficulty referred to in connection with the Mongonui schools ia experienced in this district also. Between Hokianga and Auckland. —The schools in this district are not so satisfactory as those further north, except Mangakahia, which, considering its isolated position, is very good : not one of them is as successful as it should be. The cause of the shortcoming is, in nearly every case, the apathy of the Natives. The best schools are those. at Mangakahia, Waikare, Matakohe, and especially that at Otamatea, whose only striking fault is a small attendance. Te Ngaere has a new master, who has very uphill work to do in order to make his school even moderately successful. Ohaeawai, very good in 1880, failed to maintain its position in 1881, the attendance having been extremely irregular. Paihia will probably have to be closed through the Natives having left the district. Poroti has improved considerably, but the attendance is still small, Ngunguru is maintaining only a precarious existence. The school at Pouto has been examined only once; I think it will do well. Taumarere Native Girls' Boarding-school is in this district: it is about two miles from Kawakawa, Bay of Islands. I am sorry to say that there is considerable difficulty in getting girls that have finished their village-school course to go to this school. Ido not know what the reason is, but the difficulty is so serious that it may possibly be necessary, if the school is continued, to find some other method of obtaining scholars for it than that which is theoretically, and should be practically, the best. In the meantime 1. would recommend that a somewhat longer trial be given to the present system. At the standard examination held here in September, 1881, the passes obtained were —Standard IV., 4 ; Standard 111., 2 ; Standard 11., 4; Standard 1., 4. These results are satisfactory. There are two Maori boarding-schools in Auckland : one of these is St. Mary's, Ponsouby. There are 5 Maori girls here ; of these, 1 passed in Standard 111.,

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and lin Standard 11. The Native school at St. Stephen's is now an excellent institution, The Trustees have lately done a great deal in the way of perfecting the arrangements. Great improvements have been made in the buildings and especially in the dormitories; a singing master has been appointed ;in short, everything connected with the place is now very satisfactory. The literary work, too, is good. The results of the last examination showed that throughout the school the knowledge possessed by the boys was very sound and accurate. Thirty - two pupils are paid for by the Government. The passes obtained at the examination were —Standard IV., 4 ; Standard 111., 5 ; Standard 11., 9 ; Standard L, 8. The Sot Lakes District. —There are six schools in this district, if Te Teko and Fort Galatea be included in it. The schools at Te Wairoa and Eotoiti are very good. Ohinemutu and Te Awahou suffer from irregular attendance, and are likely to do so. The schoolhouse and residence at the latter place are quite unsuitable ; they have long been eyesores too. Visitors to the Lakes, on being told that these wretched hovels were a Native school, would, on the ex pede Herculem principle, receive a very unfavourable impression of the efforts of the Government to educate the Maoris. More suitable provision is about to be made for the wants of this district. The new school at Te Teko, and that recently reopened at Fort Galatea, are doing good work. The Bay of Plenty. —This district contains eight schools. H. W. Brabant, Esq., R.M., acts as District Superintendent. B>. S. Bush, Esq., R.M., Opotiki, kindly takes special oversight of the eastern part of the district. I note very great improvement in the Bay of Plenty schools. The three schools at Matata, Torere, and Whakatane are particularly good, and reflect great credit on their respective teachers. At Maketu the attendance is very irregular, but very fair progress has been made by the more regular attendants. Waiotahi and Omaio are both very fair. The new school at Maungatapu, near Tauranga, is achieving very remarkable success. The existence of a very orderly and respectable Native Teaingava. the immediate neighbourhood of a considerable town shows that it is quite possible for Maoris to live and thrive in close contact with a European population. Undoubtedly proper buildings should be erected at Maungatapu. There is no reason to doubt that a good school may be maintained there permanently. The school at Te Kaha, while showing excellence in one or two points, broke down in the standard examination. There is, however, reason to hope that it will do much better next year. In this district, and in the preceding, there is a "religious difficulty" that has a prejudical effect upon the attendance. Te Kooti has founded a religious sect, of which he is the high priest and, if I mistake not, the prophet. He denounces our schools, because he fears that the religious principles of the children of his followers may be injuriously affected if these children come into contact with pakeha masters and pakeha children. I hear also that he has declared that physical evils, such as disease and death, will overtake the children whose parents disobey his commands on this point. However this may be, Te Kooti's interference injuriously affects the attendance at many of the schools. The boarding-house at Tauranga is about to be closed. The system of boarding boys from the Native districts and sending them to the Board school at Tauranga is no longer successful. It answered well enough while it was considered necessary to select the sons of chiefs and give them advantages superior to those that could be obtained by the children of ordinary Maoris, but now that literary attainment alone is regarded as a qualification for admission to the school it is found that the plan does not work well. Some years must elapse before a sufficient number of advanced scholars could be obtained to keep the cost per head within reasonable limits. It is proposed, then, to send such boys as may be found qualified to St. Stephen's, Auckland, where they would get quite as good an education as they could obtain at Tauranga, and at a far lower cost. Hast Coast. —Captain Preece, E.M., acts as Superintendent of this district. One or two of the schools in this part of New Zealand are good, but the feeblest of all our schools are to be found here. It w rould be very difficult to find more unsatisfactory schools anywhere than those at Waihirere, on the Wairoa, and at TJawa, Tolago Bay. There are very many children that could attend at the latter place, but the schoolhouse is on the wrong side of the river ; local jealousy is called into play, and.the result is that the attendance is very small and extremely irregular. It might be worth while to try the experiment of removing the school to the south side of the river. The alternative is, I fear, to close it altogether. It would, however, be a matter of regret if a populous district like this were entirely without a school. At "Waihirere the schoolbuilding is in the wrong place, and is, besides, altogether unfit for the purpose for which it is used; the attainments of the children are hardly worth mentioning ; but little is known, and that little is not known well. I think the master may be expected to produce much better results when he is removed to the new school at Euataniwha. He will then have a fair chance :he has never had this at "Waihirere. "Waiomatatini is very good. Akuaku has a new master :it will probably be in good order after a little time. Tokomaru, formerly unsatisfactory, is very greatly improved, but the Natives are extremely apathetic. The school at Pakowhai, near Hastings, which has been lately reopened, was doing very well indeed when I last visited it. One of the principal causes of the weakness of the schools in this district is the removal of children from the neighbourhood of the schools to the boarding-schools at Napier. These boarding-schools could easily be filled with children from districts where there are no village schools. There are literally scores of small Icaingas along the East Coast and inland, the children from which could not possibly attend the village schools. These children could, if a little trouble were taken, be easily induced to go to the boarding-schools. Perhaps the Government would do well to decline to pay a subsidy to any institution that receives new pupils from any kainga within five miles of a Native school, unless such pupils are actually orphans, or-are sent to them as scholars by the Government. It seems to me that it is unwise to subsidize institutions that do very much in certain districts to render of little avail the efforts that are being made to diffuse education amongst the Maoris generally. In the Napier district there are four boarding-schools, at which much excellent work is being done. In my last report the question of the relative value of boarding- and village-schools was treated of pretty fully ; there is therefore no need to do more than say a few words about each of the four Napier schools. At St. Mary's, Meanee (PJ.C), eighteen boys are boarded and taught at the Government expense. The school is worked on the monitorial system :it is good of its kind. The discipline and organization are admirable. The passes obtained at the last examination were —Standard 111., 1; Standard, LI., 6 ; Standard, 1., 8. St. Joseph's Providence, Napier, is managed by the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions, The domestic arrangements are excellent;

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the literary attainments are not high as yet, but rapid improvement seems to be taking place. At the last examination 3 girls passed in Standard 111., 9in Standard 11., and lin Standard I. There are thirty-three Government scholars here. The Protestant Native Girls' School at Hukarere, Napier, is very good throughout. Of the 20 girls examined, 1 passed Standard IV., 4 Standard 111, 4 Standard 11., and 6 Standard I. There are 20 Government scholars here. At the Native College at Te Aute, Maori boys receive an excellent education, and are well looked after in every way. The upper part of the school is, relatively, considerably stronger than the lower. Any one that is inclined to think little of the intellectual capacity of the Maori should see the upper class of this school at work ; his opinion would probably be greatly modified. At the last examination the 10 Government scholars obtained passes as follows: Standard IV., 5; Standard 111., 3; 1 had previously passed Standard IV. ; 1 was absent. A rather difficult general paper on higher work was set for the boys belonging to the senior class. The answering was, on the whole, satisfactory; some of the boys did exceedingly well. Souih Island and Stewart Island. —There is no District Superintendent for the southern schools ; communication with most of them is so easy that the services of such an officer are not required. Of the South Island schools, those at Otago Heads, Waikouaiti, and Kaiapoi are the best. The school at the Neck, Stewart Island, is also very good indeed. Excellent results were obtained at Rapaki; there are, however, one or two things that require amendment there before it can be considered as one of the very best schools. Port Molyneux is very good. At all the other schools except three very fair progress had been made. The results obtained at Mangamaunu, Onuku, and Riverton are rather disappointing. Mangamaunu and Eiverton will almost certainly do better next year. Onuku suffered somewhat seriously through the new regulation that requires Europeans to pass a standard higher than the one with which they are credited, hecause they have the advantage of the Maoris in knowing English, which the Maoris of course have to learn. A great many of the children at Onuku are Europeans, and, consequently, the introduction of this regulation greatly lowered the number of passes. The new school at Colac Bay made a very creditable appearance. Wairau School is small, but it is doing good work. Waikawa suffered greatly through irregularity of attendance during a portion of the year ; but, in spite of this, came out very well at the examination. Owing to tempestuous weather I was unable to visit Ruapuke. As a whole the South Island schools are further advanced than those of the North. The fact that the knowledge of English possessed by the southern Natives is far greater than that of those in the North would lead us to expect that this would be the case. Nevertheless, some of the northern schools are really very good, and not far behind those in the South. Teachebs. At the end of 1881 there were employed as head-teachers in Native schools 54 masters and 6 mistresses. There were also 5 mistresses or assistants, and 47 sewing mistresses. Most of the teachers take great interest in their work, and show aptitude for teaching. There are, however, a few who ought to seek some more congenial employment. Unless a teacher has really friendly feelings for the Natives, and takes a strong professional interest in teaching their children, his work must be extremely dreary and irksome. In this connection I would point out that it is very desirable that a regulation should be made which would render it possible to dispense with a native-school teacher's services on the mere ground that he is not successful, and to do so without inflicting injustice or unnecessary hardship upon him. When a man becomes a native-school teacher he places himself in a very bad position for obtaining employment in any other capacity if he should unfortunately prove to be a failure as a teacher. He is to a large extent shut out from the world. He loses such business connections as might be the means of getting him new employment if he went into and failed at any other occupation. Besides this, the peculiar kind of life that a native-school teacher has to lead unfits him to a certain extent for diiferent work. Tet it is much to be regretted that a school should go on languishing year after year under an unsuccessful teacher, when a man quite fit for the work and anxious to take it could easily be obtained. The difficulty would be got over, I think, if a teacher in such circumstances received three months' notice that his services would be no longer required, and were paid two months' salary for every year of service up to three years, and one month's salary for every year's service beyond three years. Committees. Twenty-seven of the schools have really good hard-working Committees. In other districts the Committees vary from pretty fair to totally useless. As a rule, to which there are some exceptions, where there is a good Committee there is a good school. Perhaps the most efficient Committees are to be found at Waiomatatini and Peria. These two Committees have for several years been untiring in their efforts to promote the success of their schools. In many other districts, however, the Committees have rendered very valuable assistance. I think it is very desirable that a little more power should be given to Committees. I find that in many districts the Natives are entirely in favour of having Maori education made compulsory. Of course special legislation would be necessary for this. As in the case of European schools, the introduction of compulsory regulations should be placed in the hands of the Committees. It might also be necessary to make the collection of fines, &c, part of their business. I sometime ago forwarded a rough draft of a Bill that would, in my opinion, deal with the whole matter satisfactorily. Recoeds. The teachers have now got pretty thoroughly into the way of keeping the different registers ; serious errors in these are rarely found. In some cases a little more attention to neatness would nob be quite thrown away. Attendance. In some few schools the attendance is extremely irregular ; in all the others it is fairly satisfactory. The giving of regular-attendance prizes is having a very salutary effect now that the children know that the prizes are given strictly according to rule, and that they may depend on getting them if they earn them. In order to come to a just conclusion with regard to the attendance at Native schools, it has to be borne in. mind that most Maori children have to work for their own living, and that at planting

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and harvest seasons the attendance generally diminishes somewhat; that a tangihanga, or a large meeting, presents almost irresistible attractions to Maori children; that the holding of a Land Court in the neighbourhood unsettles the children very much and renders them extremely anxious to go away from school and see the fun ; that the whaling season acts injuriously upon the attendance in some of the Native school districts ; that in the far North many children have to goto the gum fields to earn money to buy clothes with ; that in the Lake Districts the well-meant but ill-judged liberality of tourists in getting up foot-races, diving-matches, &c, often tempts the school-children to forsake the school for days together. When all these things are considered, it is rather to be wondered at that the attendance is as good as it really is. The number of children belonging to the village schools at the end of the year was 2,010, while the working average was no less than 1,526. It must be remembered, too, that Maori parents, as a rule, exercise but little control over their children, and let them do pretty much as they like. If a Maori boy's experience leads him to conclude that going to school is not a rational employment for a lad of sense, and sets his face against having his mind improved, his parents would not think of opposing their wishes to his. In my opinion the fact that the working average is more than threefourths of the number of the roll speaks well for the docility of Maori children on the one hand, and for the powers possessed by our teachers of rendering their schools and school-work attractive to the children on the other. It is gratifying to find that, while there were only 1,623 children on the roll at the end of 1880, there were 2,010 at the end of 1881; and also that, while the average attendance for the last quarter of 1879 was 1,042, and 1,277 for the last quarter of 1880, the strict average for the corresponding quarter of 1881 was 1,454. The working average for the whole of 1881 was 1,56225. The attendance at board-ing-schools is not taken into account in these results. It may be here mentioned that, while the cost of educating the Maori children is still high, as might be expected, it is £1 4s. 4d. per head less than it was last year. State of Buildings as begakds Tidiness and Cleanliness. There is now seldom any ground for complaint on this score. Our schools would compare favourably with European schools in this respect, Many of the buildings, however, present a very bare and barn-like appearance on the inside. It would greatly improve these buildings to line them up to the cross-beams, ceil them, and paint them white. Besides the improvement in neatness and cleanliness, the not inconsiderable advantages of greater strength in the buildings and freedom from draught and cold in winter would be secured. State of Kepaik op Buildings. Nearly all school premises are in good order, or very soon will be. There is now, in but very few instances, good ground for thinking that any church-like building in the neighbourhood of a Maori kainga is probably a Native school, if it presents a peculiarly dingy and tumble-down appearance. GrAEDENS, ETC. Many teachers have good gardens with useful and ornamental trees, flowers, &c, in them. The effect on the Natives is good; in many cases they are induced by the example to strive to make their own cultivations neater and more like European farms ; in some cases they even grow flowers, and, generally, make their plantations look more like permanent homesteads than places that they intend to desert as soon as they have gathered in their crops. Considerable progress has been made in the work of getting, school sites fenced. Besides being of great use to the teacher, a good fence around a school property is very desirable on other grounds. It prevents disputes with the Natives, who, while they are well pleased to see the teacher getting all the good that he can out of the piece of land, that they have given for a school site, very naturally object to his running horses and cows at large on their land, and so diminishing their own means of subsistence. It is nearly always desirable that the teacher should not have more stock than his own piece of land will carry. Many misunderstandings, disastrous to the interests of schools, have had their origin in school-teachers adding the business of graziers and stock-farmers to their proper occupation. Perhaps the department would not be stepping beyond its province if it insisted on teachers confining their operations in this direction within reasonable limits. Plaxgbounds. A majority of the schools have, in their immediate neighbourhood, ground suitable for such games as cricket and football. It would, I think, be a great boon to the Natives if simple and inexpensive gymnastic apparatus were supplied to the schools. Horizontal bars, parallels, and circular swings would not cost very much, and would afford constant amusement and a certain amount of much needed "physical education" to the Native children. Organization. The organization of the schools is steadily improving. The standards have, of course, a natural tendency to improve the classification. In many schools there are workable time-tables, simple but not unskilfully drawn up; in many cases these are strictly adhered to. The principle defect in organization is the imperfect provision made for the instruction of the junior classes. This is certainly a very difficult matter to deal with. Probably the best way of getting over the difficulty is to follow the principle that in a small school all oral lessons should be given to as many children as may be expected to derive benefit from them, and to contrive that special standard-work shall be, as far as possible, silent work. As a rule, it will be found possible to work a school that is preparing for four standards in some such way as this: Suppose that the children working for Standard 111. are drawing a map of New Zealand on their slates, and that the pupils for Standard IV. are writing out a piece of composition that they have previously gone over with the master, Standards 11. and I. may simultaneously be getting a collective lesson from the teacher in English, spelling, and pronunciation. During the next half-hour the third and fourth classes may be reading together under the master, while the second

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and first classes respectively are transcribing from the primer, and writing words and figures from the black-board. This kind of arrangement can be carried on throughout the day, except when the pupils in Standard 11. are reading ; then it is necessary to provide separate silent work for three classes instead of two. It should be remembered that the lower classes, and especially the lowest, require very frequent supervision while doing silent work. The two senior classes may often be left almost to themselves until their silent work is finished, but the little ones should never be allowed to go on entirely alone for more than eight or ten minutes at the very outside ; if they are, the result will be that they will become listless and inattentive and probably disorderly. Discipline and Methods. Last year's report contained rather lengthy remarks on these subjects ; there is little to add this year. It is but seldom that I have to report that the discipline of a school i 3 unsatisfactory. In many of our schools it is very good indeed. Peria, Upper Waihou, Maketu, Eotoiti, Kaiapoi, Waikouaiti, Otago Heads, Colac, Whirinaki, and Waitapu, are all very satisfactory, and there are many others that are almost as good. The best discipline, including both order and tone, is to be found at Whakatane, which is in this respect a model school. At schools where the " look-and-say " method of teaching reading has been adopted, expression and pronunciation have been greatly improved. In one or two cases, however, the teachers have not supplemented the instruction in reading by spelling lessons, and have not been careful to make the children know the words by sight In these cases it appears to have been supposed that because a child can rattle off a sentence that he has heard repeated many times he can read it—an immenso non sequitur (his, as every teacher ought to know. The result has been that the First Standard pupils of these teachers have failed in reading at the standard examinations. Those teachers that have used this method with ordinary care and intelligence have had every reason to be satisfied with the results. Instbuction. Table No. 3 in the Appendix shows the examination results of the instruction given in the Native schools during the year. The results for 1881, compared with those of 1880, are as follows:— 1880. 1881. Number of children examined ... ... ... ... 1,320 1,489 Passed Standard I. ... ... ... ... ... 412 241 Passed Standard II ... ... ... 195 161 Passed Standard 111. ... ... .. ... ... 70 65 Passed Standard IV. ... ... ... ... ... 13 25 Total passes ... ... ... ... 690 492 Total failures ... ... ... ... ... 630 997 But little importance, however, can be attached to this comparison, seeing that the results were obtained under very different circumstances. The results for 1880 represent, so to speak, the whole of the knowledge of the standard subjects possessed by the children at the time of the examination, a knowledge that in many cases it had taken several years to accumulate ; those for 1881 show, as a rule, the amount of progress made in a single year. The case will be different next year, the results for 1882 compared with those for 1881 will show whether progress or retrogression is taking place. A few remarks may be made with reference to the results obtained in each subject. Heading. —Considerable improvement has taken place in the fluency and pronunciation of the reading. This is especially noticeable in the case of the younger children. Several teachers, too, have succeeded in teaching their pupils to read with expression; but generally there has not been enough effort put forth to do away with that monotony that is so characteristic of the reading in nearly all sorts and conditions of schools. This monotony is most offensive in the two lower classes. It is surely quite as easy to get children to say " This' is a cat' "as to drawl out" This' is' a' cat." Many teachers, however, seem to prefer the drawl, and allow their children to accustom themselves to use a jargon that they will have by-and-by, when they begin to learn to read English, to unlearn most carefully. Now, why should this be so ? There is nothing that I know of to prevent the reading of Standard I. children from being as good of its kind as the reading of those in Standard IV. Children going up for the First Standard should, if they have been well taught, read nearly as well as those going up for Standard IV.; the only difference being that the elder pupils should be able to read a difficult book, while the little ones are expected only to read very easy sentences. In a few schools it is necessary that a great deal more attention should be bestowed on spelling than is now given to it. Comprehension continues to be very well taught in a few of the schools, and very fairly in nearly all the others. Writing. —There is a vast difference between the writing in the best and in the worst of our schools, but the results in this subject have been on the whole very fair. They should have been excellent. Maoris have great natural aptitude for writing and drawing ; a very little good teaching will nearly always make them write extremely well. Great harm is done by allowing the little ones to do what is called writing on their slates without any effective supervision, and letting them get into bad habits that it is almost impossible afterwards to get rid of. I would again advise teachers to read and lay to heart the instructions given in Vere Foster's copy-books. English. —There has been very decided improvement in the teaching of this most important subject at nearly every school. The results have been very encouraging. I feel sure that it will be found that the boys and girls that go step by step through the Native school course will be able when they leave school to speak English, and that the " piki pakeha" of old times will soon be almost a lost dialect. Arithmetic. —Here, too, decided improvement is very manifest, especially in the work of the juniors. The mental work of Standards I. aud 11. has often been found to be excellent. There is still room for improvement in the " easy-problem " work of Standard IV., and in the mental arithmelic for Standard 111.

7

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Geography. —ln not a few schools this subject is very well taught, in many very fairly. In perhaps a dozen of the schools the masters cannot teach New Zealand geography, because they do not know it themselves. No doubt they will find it necessary to get the defect remedied before the next examination. Sewing:- —ln a few schools this subject is dealt with in a perfunctory way ; in most instances, however, the work is very good ; in a few there is nothing more to be desired, liukarere and Mangakahia, perhaps, stand first amongst the schools for excellence in needlework. I think that in future all girls that are not fully up to the very moderate standard requirements in this subject should be sent back, no matter how well their other work may have been done. Singing. —Maoris can be taught to sing English songs very well indeed : their own music, though generally not particularly pleasing to the unaccustomed European ear, contains very minute intervals, which are taken with surprising accuracy. It is seldom, therefore, that Maoris sing out of tune. In some of the schools the singing is wonderfully good. It is quite a musical treat to hear the boys at Te Aute, or the girls at St. Joseph's Providence, or liukarere, sing. The singing is also very good at Lower Waihou, Waikare, Ohaeawai, Kaiapoi, and Port Molyneux. At Pukepoto the children have made very creditable progress both in the theory and the practice of this art. Drawing. —But little has been done in this subject as yet. Drill. —In many schools drill is fairly well done. Torere stands first in this subject; next to this Bay of Plenty School, but after a long interval, comes Kaiapoi. Miscellaneous. Proposed Alterations in the Standards. —I think the following alterations should be made in the next edition of the standards, and that they should be in force for the examinations of 1883 : Add to Standard 1., easy set sums in addition, added to present requirements; to Standard 11., easy set suma in subtraction; to Standard 111., easy set sums in compound addition and compound subtraction ; very easy problems, involving the use of the first four simple rules : dictation, from the " First Royal Header:" and to Standard IV. (for boys only), weights and measures, easy questions in simple rule of three, and in simple interest. Illustrated Papers. —Much good is done in many districts by the papers supplied by the department. The Natives look forward to their arrival as a great treat. This is the case, however, only where the masters are willing to explain the pictures to the Maoris. It is desirable that all masters should do this. It is plain that it must be very advantageous to the school for the Natives generally to be induced to take an interest in anything connected with it. Night-schools. —In some districts night-schools have been established. These are generally very short-lived, but they do much good while they last. The rapidity with which elderly Maoris pick up writing and the elements of arithmetic is truly astonishing. It is but seldom that one hears of a European past middle age learning to write, but it is by no means uncommon to see Maoris, fifty or sixty years of age, attending a night-school for three or four months, learning in that time to write Maori very fairly, and picking up enough arithmetic to be of great use to them for the rest of their lives. My experience in this matter has led me to believe that a master wishing to do night-school work should form his class as soon as the crops are all gathered in ; that he should make each member of the class pay his fee for a whole term, which should not last longer than three or four months; that he should decide on a regular course of instruction, and carefully explain to his pupils what this is to be. When the term is ended, he should discontinue the class as a matter of course, no matter how successful it may have been, or how much the Maoris may desire to have it continued. If this plan were adopted, it is probable that a winter class might be carried on year after year with very beneficial results. If, on the contrary, a night-school is allowed to drag on until it dies a natural death, the Natives will probably get the conviction sooner or later that the whole thing is a bore, and will never desire to see the school reopened. If a cessation of work takes place while their appetite for learning is still unsatiated, they will be almost certain to ask for more the next year. Teachers' Knowledge of Maori. —lt is sometimes supposed that it is necessary that a teacher in a Native school should be a good Maori scholar. My own observation has led me to conclude that it really matters very little whether the teacher knows Maori or not. Several of our most successful teachers know hardly more than a few words of the language ; others again, equally good teachers, are thoroughly acquainted with the language. If one went through the whole of the staff and classified all the teachers first with reference to their success as teachers, and then according to their knowledge of Maori, he would find the same principle hold good. I think a native-school teacher's knowledge of Maori may be advantageous to him or disadvantageous. The case stands thus : A man that speaks the language can always make his children understand exactly what he means without difficulty. One that is ignorant of it has to make himself understood by the children sooner or later. It is not easy to do it ; it is very difficult; but it can be done, and the way in which it is done affords very good training to the children. As English is the only language available, it is by means of it that he has to make himself understood. Every successful attempt of his, then, to make himself understood is a valuable lesson in English. The children very soon get a small stock of words and phrases with their meaning ; this stock is added to rapidly day by day, and the children acquire a fair understanding of ordinary English phrases and become able to use them. As a matter of fact I find that children learn to talk English much sooner under a teacher that knows no Maori, than under one that is a good Maori linguist. On the other hand, the Maori scholar has for a time a very great advantage in teaching other subjects. He can begin at once to instruct his pupils successfully in any of the subjects in the course ; only, unfortunately, if he does this, English, by far the most important of all the nativeschool subjects, is being neglected. The best of all native-school teachers would be one who, knowing Maori thoroughly, had sufficient self-control never to use it in conversing with the children or in anj other way than as a language for translation into English. A knowledge of Maori is of great use to a teacher in his intercourse with the Natives; Ido not think he gains their respect by being able to talk their language (it is often rather a case of ignotwn pro magnifico), but he is certainly more likely to

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8

gain their affection, which is always worth something. On the other hand, a knowledge of Maori often gets a teacher into squabbles with the Natives, through his being able to take part in their discussions on matters involving tribal jealousies ; ignorance of the Maori language would have a tendency to keep him clear of all troubles of this kind. DIFFEEENCE BETWEEN MAOEI AND EITBOPEAN EDUCATION ExPENDITTTEE. I may point out, in conclusion, that there will be an important difference in the future between Maori and European education in respect of the demands that are likely to be made by them on the public purse. I may also call attention to the necessity for doing, as soon as possible, whatever is to be done in the way of educating the Maoris. The European population is increasing with great rapidity; year by year larger and larger sums will be required to satisfy their educational wants. The Maori population is at the best stationary. A few more schools, perhaps twenty in all,* will supply the wants of the Natives for good and for all. When these schools have been established there will be no further demand for money for schoolhouses or residences, and the charges for maintenance and repairs will bear a smaller ratio year by year to the sums required for European education. It would seem, then, that there is little ground for complaint if the building of Maori schools is pushed on with considerable rapidity. There is a certain definite work to be done ; when that is completed there will be an end of the matter. It is quite certain, too, that whatever good is to be done to the Maori in the way of educating him must be done soon. In a few years it will be too late to give him any effective help. Tangihangas, altered in character as they are now that getting drunk forms an important part of the proceedings; the demoralizing surroundings of the Land Courts ; the disastrous consequences resulting from the sudden acquisition of considerable sums of money from sales of land by Natives who are entirely unversed in European habits of thrift and economy, and to whom the idea of looking out for a rainy day is altogether unfamiliar ;—these things, together with the bush publichouses and grog-shops, will have done their work, and there will be no Maoris to educate in districts where there have been no schools.f It would of course be futile to say that schools are a panacea for the ills that Maori flesh is heir to. In a few cases indeed Native schools have been found to be very disappointing, but no one that has had any extensive experience in the matter can doubt that on the whole these schools are one of the most effective agencies for preventing the Natives from being an easy prey to the vices and allurements that have in past times found them too ready victims. It has once or twice happened that I have heard from persons, who had formerly been accustomed to find Maori ignorance of European business matters rather convenient than otherwise, that to educate the Maoris is a mistake, that it spoils them. From the point of view of these persons this statement is perfectly correct. As a rule it is very hard indeed to get the better of an educated Maori in a bargain. The same principle holds good in almost everything : when Maoris have been armed, so to speak, by means of education, with some degree of familiarity with European ideas, they are, as a rule, far less liable to become the victims of European vices. The Maori is naturally so intelligent that if he can get anything like a fair chance, if he can once be put into a position that will enable him to get a moderately clear conception of the real nature of the dangers that he has to avoid, he will manage to avoid them ; or, at the worst, if he considers his own case hopeless, he will do what he can to assist his children and his race to do so. Of course there are some Maoris, as there are some Europeans, quite "past praying for." I think, however, that few who fairly understand the Maori character will be inclined to doubt the correctness of the statement I have made as applied to the Maoris as a whole. I have, &c, The Inspector-General of Schools. James H. Pope.

* It is of course impossible to say exactly bow many more Native scbools will be needed, but I think that, with those mentioned in the body of the report, and, -with a school in each of the fifteen localities mentioned below, the need for Maori Echools would be supplied. If petitions for schools at any of the under-mentioned places are sent in, I think they should receive very favourable consideration : Moeraki, Otago ; Arowhenua, Canterbury ; Mokau, North Taranaki; Parihaka, South Taranaki; Waimana, Ureweras; Huatoki, Ureweras; Ruatahuna, Ureweras; Upper Wanganui; Tahoraite, Wellington ; Te Waotu, Waikato ; Kawhia, King Country ;Te Kuiti, King Country ; Tokano, Taupo ; Mahia, Hawke's Bay ; Petane, Hawke's Bay. t Perhaps I may be permitted to call attention here to one of the most potent causes of Maori decay in districts where the Natives are totally uneducated. The cause to which I allude is debt. In many districts Maoris are allowed by storekeepers and others to run up accounts of £20 or £30, and even more. Why it should be so I cannot undertake to say, but in a large number of instances that have come under my own observation Maoris have had no difficulty whatever in obtaining credit, while poor Europeans in the same districts would not have been trusted to the extent of ss. Perhaps this facility in obtaining credit depends on the fact that a Maori belonging to a certain locality can always be got at sooner or later. He may leave the locality, but he is sure to come back before very long. The Maoris have generally claims on land in the district where the credit is obtained, they have many relatives there, and so forth. Uneducated Maoris are seldom able to resist the temptation which is offered them of obtaining things now for which they will not be called upon to pay till by-and-by. If they get deeply into debt, they are practically done for. They feel, justly or unjustly, that they have been induced to place themselves in a false position, and that any efforts they may make to free themselves will be quite ineffectual. They then become utterly careless and indifferent, and are without beneficial aim or purpose of any kind. It might be worth considering whether it would not be well to pass a law making all debts incurred by Maoris after a certain date irrecoverable by process of law. I feel quite sure that if such a law came into operation both the Maori and the storekeeper, who is most frequently his creditor, would be greatly benefited by it. The Maori would no longer have the opportunity of crippling himself for life by getting into debt, and the European storekeeper would not, as he often does now, find the whole of his means taking the undesirable form of Maori book-debts.

9

E.—2

TABLE No. 1. List of the Native Village Schools, Boarding-schools, and other Schools attended by Native Children, maintained by or receiving Aid from the Government of New Zealand, with the Expenditure on each and on General Management, during the Year 1881; and the Names, Status, and Emoluments of the Teachers as in December, 1881.

2—E. 2,

897h f6 5634897 564

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10

TABLE No. 1— continued. Expenditure, &c., on Native Schools, for Year 1881.

Expi ENDITUEE DTTBraG 1881o PM Salaries and Allowances for Instruction. Buildings, Sites, „ . general E ep ai rs,Vencing, Furniture. Oonti^en cies . Teachers of Village Schools at the End of the Year. County or Borough. School. Eemarks. Boar ding-school Charges. Total. Kaikohe ... Waikare ... Matakohe £ s. d. £ s. a. £ 8. d. 322 17 6 3° 5 ° 38 15 ° £ a. d. £ s. d. 322 17 6 '4° 3 9 177 6 o £ Bay of Islands — continued. Hobson 104 10 o 1.35 5 ° 5 8 9 360 Horsley, Mrs. Ovens, <T. Ovens, Mrs.... Haszard, B. ... Haszard, Mrs. Mason, A. H. Mason, Mrs. Grace, J. M. Grace, Mrs. ... Allen, Miss ... M M M M S no 120 Not open during year. Eodney Otamatea ... iS7 '7 6 280 164 15 6 20 4 10 o •45 20 IOO Whangarei Ngunguru 117 o o 1 11 6 280 120 19 6 Taken over from Education Board December quarter. Boarding-school. B oardin g- school. Poroti 104 o o n 16 o 11 36 126 19 6 2O 80 2O Hobson Pouto Point 23 18 6 416 28 o o IOO Eden ... Parnell [B] Baglan ... Tauranga St. Mary's (B. C. Girls') St. Stephen's (Ch. Eng. Boys') Waitetuna Tauranga ... Maketu ... 109 10 o 108 ij o 800 1 10 230 12 2 34 '5 6 37 4 6 24 10 o i i 12 n 8 14 2 o 37 17 7 3 8 o 108 15 o 812 13 6 158 7 6 3°5 '4 3 171 15 6 Hooper, Mrs. i ! 120 Kotoiti Te Awahou '43 '7 6 Pinker, A. ... Pinker, Mrs. Wood, J. J. ... Bobinson, J. T. Eobinson, Mrs. Parker, J. B. C. Parker, Mrs. Haszard, C. A. Haszard, Miss Duffus, J. W. Duffus, Mrs. Masters, G. Masters, Mrs. Leech, W. A. Leech, Mrs. ... Woods, G. E. Woods, Mrs. Parker, S. A. Parker, Mrs. A.vent, J. Grahame, J. L. Grahame, Mrs. Nicholson, M. Nicholson, Mrs. Levert, E. ... Leyert, Mrs. M S M M M M M M M M S M M M M M S 135 20 Boarding establishment; cliib dren attend public school. '34 7 6 120 15 o 72 o o I 4 5 3 7 6 11 2 10 2 213 14 5 127 10 s '45 IOO 20 Ohinemutu '37 o o 39 11 5 176 11 s no Tarawera ... 163 15 o 33 5 o 20 15 12 1 212 12 I 20 80 Maungatapu 49 3 10 900 11 19 10 7° 3 8 Opened September quarter. OTiakatane Matata TeTeko ... 189 18 4 197 12 o j 6 13 o [ 7 '5 ° 26 9 10 395 5 4 74 16 2 20 35 80 20 Opened September quarter. 4' 13 4 Fort Galatea 142 10 o 20 2 6 92 19 o 255 " 6 i.3° 20 '35 35 60 Whakatane 158 2 6 99 12 6 4 4° 261 19 o Subsidized school. Waiotahi ... Torere ... 57 o o 128 o o 69 o o 3 4 9 3 4 8 60 4 9 200 4 8 no 20 Omaio 127 1 o 41 o o 690 174 10 o 90 20 Te Kalia ... 160 12 6 57 2 6 3 3° 220 18 o iS5 20

E.—2.

11

Cook Waiomatatini 158 2 6 25 o o 44 12 1 227 14 7 Creeke, W. ... Creeke, Mrs. Nicholls, 0. ... Nicholls, Mrs. Warner, R. ... Warner, Mrs. Stewart, R. O. McKoberts, R. T. Browne, W. F. Browne, Mrs. M M M M M M S '35 20 100 Akuaku ..." '37 I2 6 92 11 3 j o 10 o 230 13 9 Wairoa... Hawke's Bay j Tokomavu... 146 2 6 52 o o 198 3 6 20 '35 20 100 Tologa Bay Wairoa (Waihirere) Pakowhai... 104 o o 112 12 6 82 10 o 21 15 o ... 76 9 3 1 19 o 2 12 6 34 1 8 127 14 o "5 5° 193 on "5 "45 20 Napier [B] Hawke's Bay St. Joseph's (R. 0. Girls') ... St. Mary's (R. C. Boys') Te Aute College Protestant Girls' St. Joseph's (R. C. Girls') ... Waikawa ... 634 7 2 433 i8 3 250 o o 400 o o II 17 I 700 634 7 2 433 18 3 257 o o 400 o o II 17 I 191 14 6 Old school reopened September quarter. Boarding-school. Boarding-school. Boarding-school. Boarding-school. Boarding-school. Wellington [B] ... Marlborough 165 2 6 13 10 6 13 * 6 Nickless, H. W. Nickless, Mrs. Hosking, J. T. Hosking, Mrs. Danaher, T. J. Daanher, Mrs. Reeves, H. J. Reeves, Mrs. Herlihy, P. Herlihy, Mrs. Curling, J. Curling, Mrs. Hamilton, A. G. Hamilton, Mrs. Green, F. A. Green, Mrs. Lucas, W. S. Russell, Mi<<s Dick, Mrs. Jones, Miss Ireland, J. Ireland, Miss Lindsay, R. J. Lindsay, Mrs. Wohlers.Rev. J.F.H.... Traill, A. W. Traill, Mrs. M M M S F M M M M F M AF S F M M M M S 155 20 Kaikoura Wairau 58 2 6 6 5 6 202 66 8 2 5° 10 ") Same salaries from Native j Reserves Funds. Mangamaunu 130 10 o 114 13 2 3 '4 6 248 17 8 110 Ashley ... Akaroa ... ! Kaiapoi ! Rapaki 182 2 6 25 o o 8 2 10 215 5 4 20 35 150 20 '57 ° ° 300 5 7 9 165 7 9 ■ I Little River (Wairewa) 144 7 6 080 1 19 8 146 15 2 J45 20 Waikouaiti Onuku 133 o ° 111 134 1 1 120 Peninsula Waikouaiti Otago Heads 171 17 7 216 1 6 320 58 4 6 6 17 4 233 4 1 20 165 35 195 20 250 225 3 10 Clutha ... Wallace Port Molyneux Riverton ... in o o 118 14 2 o 18 6 2100 2176 113 10 o 122 10 2 20 120 "5 20 80 Stewart Island ... Oraka (Colac Bay) ...* 76 17 1 31 8 2 108 s 3 Ruapuke ... The Neck... 50 o o 146 12 6 300 5 14 4 5 n " 53 o ° 158 2 9 20 40 "45 20 Subsidized school. 1 Educating and appr Native chiefs Salaries and clerical Inspection ... General school requi Subsidy to Te Arai ] ■enticing sons and daughters of 7,559 '2 9 3.313 II 6 4.379 7 5 981 8 6 16,234 ° 2 work (departmental) 272 I 7 272 1 7 213 19 10 759 5 4 95 1 J5 3 50 o o 213 19 IO 498 15 o 260 10 4 890 17 o isites and sundries Public School 50 o o 60 18 3 ... Toti als ... ... ... 8,322 7 7 3.585 13 I 4,44° 5 8* 2,132 15 10 18,481 2 2 8,325 * Exclusive of £218 7s. 3d, charged upon the Hokonui Native Reserve Fund.

E.—2.

TABLE No. 2. List of the Native Village Schools, with the Attendance of the Pupils, for the Year 1881, and the Staff at the End of the Year.

12

564897 64897 324987 2167

&B*l.

TABLE No. 3. Results of Inspection, 1881.

TABLE No. 4. Ages of the Children on the Books of the Native Village Schools at 31st December, 1881.

13

247 564897 564897

o i ■ i j Age. E '' f ■' . Boys. Girls. Total, Percentage* Inder five years ... 'ive and under ten years;.. 'en and under fifteen years 'ifteen years and upwards Totals 53 595 4i7 93 1,158 42 460 294 I 95 i.°SS 711 149 473 52'49 3S"37 7-4i 852 2,OIO IOO'OO

E.—2.

TABLE No 5. Race of the Children attending the Native Village Schools on the 31st December, 1881.

Summary of the above Table.

By Authority: Geobge Didsbuey, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB2.

14

294 I 95 i.°SS 711 149 473 52'49 3S"37 7-4i 852 2,OIO IOO

Boys. Girls. Total. Percentage. faori, and between Maori and half-caste [alf-caste ietween half-caste and European, and European Totals 895 102 161 1,158 648 IOI 103 i,S43 76-77 203 io-io 264 13-13 2,010 ioo-oo 852