E—No. 8

NATIVE SCHOOLS.

injustice thus done- to the country schools, and for the following reasons :—Schools established in the country can be maintained at nearly half the cost of town schools ; their central position among the Native population affords greater facility for effecting good ; while their greater economy permits of the blessings of education being extended to a larger number than could be compassed in the town. Again, valuable estates are attached to nearly all the country schools;—by applying a portion of the annual grant received from Government to their improvement, these properties might, in a few years, be brought into such a state of cultivation that the schools could not but fail to become self-supporting, and so perpetuate the blessipgs of education without additional expense to the Government. We would therefore offer the suggestion that the payments be made directly to the patron or manager of each school, or, as this might in some cases be unadvisable, that at all events the general Committee should be required to expend on each school its specified grant, and not be allowed, as at present, to distribute the general fund "in such proportions, as to such persons or body may seem desirable, amongst such schools." t We may here make the remark, that the school-registers are not generally kept with that degree of regularity which documents of such a character demand. In some instances this arises from an inadequate supply, in others from carelessness or neglect. In drawing up our report upon the several schools, in obedience to your instructions verbally communicated, we have adhered as closely as possible to the system pursued by Colonel Russell, our predecessor in office. We cannot conclude our remarks without expressing our grateful sense of the courtesy and kindness of the Missionaries and other School-managers with whom we have been brought in contact, and of their friendly co-operation in facilitating the discharge of our official duties. We have, &c, Henry Taylor, L. O'Brien. The Honorable The Colonial Treasurer, Auckland. Koiianga School (Church of England), inspected on the 16th and 17th March, 1860. This School is under the immediate supervision of the Archdeacon of Waikato and Mrs. Maunsell, assisted by Mr. George Maunsell, who has charge of the boys, and Mr. Palmer, who instructs the girls and infants. Mrs. Millar officiates as Matron to the Institution. Number of Pupils. On the Roll, 96. Present at inspection, 89. In average attendance during last quarter, 88. Classification of Pupils, according to Race, Sex, and Age. Maories. Half-castes. Total. Boys, 35 Boys, 5 Boys, 40 Girls, 32 Girls, 4 Girls, 36 Aduls—Male, 9 Females 4 89 Absent from ill health, 1 Man and Wife, 4 Boys, and 1 Girl.—Total 7 96 The adults (male) act in the capacity of monitors during the week, and on Sundays officiate as preachers of the Gospel throughout the neighbouring native settlements. Their education is for the most part directed to their preparation for this latter office. There are four married couples in the Institute. The ages of the pupils vary from 25 to 2 years.

Subjects of Instruction — Judgments awarded — Observations. Scale of Judgments (1st Class, Boys.)

9

Reading Spelling Grammar Very good. 1 ». I 3 .. I 1 Good. 4 2 Fair. 3. a Bad. 2. • • Failure, i i. 1 Total. 1 1 5 Arithmetic 2 2 1 1 1 Writing Geography 2 2 1 3 2 2