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The natives have given about 190 acres of very suitable land, of which seven acres are fenced in, but no use is made of the rest. The school will be begun again as soon as peace is established. This school used to receive Government assistance, at the rate of £10 for each child, no deduction bern" made by Bishop Pompallier, through whom the Government grant is made.

7. — Minor Schools.

Mr. Morgan gave me accounts of three Native schools that existed formerly. 1. At Arowhena, twenty-seven miles south of Otawhao, there was a Native School containing about twenty-five children. It lasted nearly two years, and was given up about 3 years a"o, owing to the marriage of the teacher. The Natives thought his new position unfitted him for keeping school, and removed their children. The man, who was educated at Otaki, and is a good teacher, still lives at Arowhena. Mr. Morgan thinks that he would be ready to begin school again, if he had a small salary secured to him. 2. At Rangiaowhia there was a school of thirty children, carried on by Natives, and afterwards by two Europeans. It was given up about three years ago, because a Native woman who acted as matron died. The children who attended this school lived at home, and were clothed when they came eaoh day to school. No funds were ever drawn from Government for this school. 3. At Maungatautari there was a school of thirty children, kept by a Native named Hape, who has has not been at any school himself. The school was given up last year in consequence of the war. Hape still lives at Maungatautari.

B.— Otawhao School.

This school is held at the residence of the Rev. J. Morgan, and is taught by Mr. Law. There are twenty children—fourteen boys and six girls—besides a Native teacher and his wife. Five boys were absent from inspection—one tending sheep, and four oil leave to visit their parents. A half-caste boy, the son of a settler in the neighbourhood, comes every day to be taught in the school. No payment is drawn from Government for this child, nor is any given by his father.

Good. Beginners. Reading Maori 9 8 The beginners have only lately come to school. Writing 6 4 Arithmetic 8 did a sum in addition,

5 „ ~ multiplication, 4 „ „ subtraction.

3 „ „ division. Two were able to do sums in practice, and two in compound multiplication. English. —The more advanced children read out of little English lesson books, and could tell the meanings of the words in Maori. Geography. —They all seemed well acquainted with the names of places on the map. Mr. Law has only been four months at the school. The school hours are from nine to one, but the time is much broken in upon for industrial pursuits. The school is very well supplied with everything except slates and copybooks. The usual complaint was made of the unsuitableness of the English school books. A globe is very much desired.

The girls have a large dormitory, with five bedsteads. There were formerly forty girls here, but nearly all have been taken away since the war began. Many were sent by their parents to bake bread for the war parties which went to Taranaki. The boys sleep in a boarded house, with four bedsteads ; no monitor sleeps with them, but the eldest boy, who is said to be a very steady lad, has charge; three sleep at the native teacher's house. They live on potatoes, flour, and milk, with pork occasionally. Each child has an unlimited supply of milk. The children are well dressed ; the boys make their own trousers, and all the girls are taught to sew.

There is a fine estate of 780 acres belonging to the school, at the distance of about a mile. The title is disputed by two different parties. There is a party which disputes the original right of the grantors, and the grantors themselves complain that the condition on which the land was given viz. that a school should be built upon it, has never been fulfilled. The week before my visit, Ngata a Kihikihi native, said to Mr. Morgan, " You think the school land is yours, we think it is ours ; it was given for a school ; where is the school ?" Mr. Morgan has for three years been sowing grass seed on the land, and has cut down trees, and exercised other rights of ownership without opposition from the natives. The land is not fenced, so that numbers of strange cattle and horses enjoy the run. The cost of fencing would be about £120. All the boys are taught farming. There is a flock of 700 sheep and lambs (830 ewes and 128 ewe lambs), and about twenty head of cattle. Many of the latter were seized at the beginning of the war, and have not yet been returned. The natives living in the neighbourhood are constantly receiving assistance in agriculture ; Rewi and W. King had both been borrowing ploughs and harrows, and the school bullocks were engaged in ploughing for Epiha at the time of my visit. Mr, Morgan has had many applications for admission from young men who are desirous of learning agriculture, but has no accommodation for them.

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REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF THE WAIKATO AND