E—No. 4

4.— Tamahere.

Until lately thpre was here a boarding-school for both sexes, kept by Philip Matewha, a Ngatil aua chief. The school-house is a very laroe raupo building, about a furlong from the village of Tamahere. Part of the floor is boarded. All the children were taken away fi< m the school by their parents in May last Philip said it was in constquence of the "trouble," and that he would not have them ngain. I was told by Vim. 'I hompson, that the cruse of the breaking up of the school was Philip's own " idle ness," for he was so long absent in Auckland, getting money from the Government, that when he came back the children were gone. On making further enquiries fiitri the Rev. J. Morgan, 1 learnt, that <n Feb 16-th. Philip applied to Mr. VcLean for a Government grant of £30, to buy clothing for his children ;on March 3<! th Mr. Morgan received a letter from the Native Office, directing him to spend £15 at his own discretion upon the school. On April 14th, Mr. Morgan went to Tamahere *o si c t1 c school ; Philip was at that time absent in AucUai d. and only seven children were left in the school. While Mr S J organ was sitting drinking lea, lie hard 1 hompson and others talking about the school, and '1 lirmpson said, " Piripi is very long away in Auckland, this man will not do for teacher for our school " On Atril lf-th, Mr. Morgan wrote to the Native Office, to recommend that no grant should be trade ; firstly, because the number of the children was so small ; and, secondly, because a Government grant was likely to do barm to the school. He got a reply from Mr. McLean to say tint before tie arrival of his letter, a giant of £8 had been made. The money was paid, and on Philip's return no children were to be found iv the school

5. — Matamata.

This is a boarding school for both sexes, under the patronage of Win. Thompson. It is situated on the plain of the Ti ames, about two miles below the new village of Peiia, and not far from the site of the (Id Matamata Pa. TI ere is a very large piece of land set apait for the school, in the angle between tsvo deep streams of tunning water, near the junction of which the school buildings are placed. The houses for hoys and gills are at a distance of about a furlong from each other, and both sexes have convenient bathing places. 'I here is one very good building, curtaining two rooms, with glazed windows, a t.ble mid a bedstead, designed for a European teacher. This school has suffered very much from the Taranaki war, tie number having been ieduced from 63 to 14. There are three teachers, Pialana, Ileinraka, and Ranieia ; the first is a chief of great rank. During part of the examination, seven giils and two young bojs only were present, the older boys were away at work ; but tinee of them made their aj penrance aftei wards. The order and discipline were excellent, The childien march in and out of school, and handle their books to a word of command, on the system pursued in infant schools. All the children read Maori perfectly. All wrote down Maori, dictated by the teacher, legibly and without any mistake. They wrote on slates. Their knowledge of arithmetic was most creditable, on the whole the best I have met with in any Maori school, They interned ihe multiplication and pence tails, end answered easily all the questions put on these subjects. All could write down figures for any number named, no one failed in a question in addition, and all but three succeeded in reducing a proposed number of ' twcpciiees' to pounds. All the arithmetic was done in Ei glish. They repented a number of little catechisms by rote, and answered questions in Scripture history well.

No geography is taught. The teacher said that even if he had maps he could only point to this place and that place and tell their names, and what wiser would the childien be. They have copy-books, but no ink, and no table to write at. They are all acquainted with the English litters, but cannot read. A strong wish is expressed to learn English, but tiiey have at present t.o opportunity. William 'I hompson and lis tribe have for years past been riving in every wa\ possible to get a European teacher for the school, but without success. The childien breakfast at eight, and have school till dinner time : after dinner they work till evening, and then have supper and evening school. They are very well fed bavin" pork every day. lam sorry to add that I came upon pits wheie putrid maize Lad been prepared. All were clean and neatly ditssed. The school has, for its present numbers, plenty of books, which were given by an English lady, and are most carefully pieterved : plenty of slates, of which I did in t find any cracked. Tiiev are preserved in a box, and carefully brought out by the teacher at the beginnii g of each lesson, and as carefully returned at the close. This school receives no Government aid ; it is supported by the produce of the land above mentioned, of which about 20 acres are this year sown with wheat. I found Thompson aud his eldest sou at work ploughing for the school

6. — Rangiaonhia.

There was a school at this place, under the superintendence of the Rev. Father Garaval It was given up in May, 1860. I was informed by Father Garaval, that there were at that time twenty four boys in the school They were suit away to vacation, and as the priest was removed from Rangiaowhia in consequence of the war, the school was given up. There are no school building!. The children lived ou potatoes, flour, and rice, with meat on Sundays and Thursdays. Some of the food was given by the parents, but all the clothing was provided by the managers of the school.

5

BAY OF ISLANDS NATIVE SCHOOLS, 1861.