E—No. 4.

Cyphering. —They did an addition sum on the blackboard, all helping. Most of them knew the figures for numbers below a hundred. They did subtraction and multiplication sums also in the same way.

Object Lessons. —They are taught the names of different 'orms and colours, and the general properties of various objects contained in a box of miscellaneous specimens. They appeared very JsjEuch interested in this kind of teaching. l Writing.- -Two very good, two fair, eight bad. English Reading. —Five read words of one syllable well ; six can read little words of one syllable ; six know the English alphabet. They are taught singing by Mary Newton, and perform very well. (3.) I he girls'school, consisting of eighteen girls frnm the age of twelve to twenty, is entirely taught by Mrs. Maunsell. Maori Reading. —All perfect. Writing. —Twelve write in copy-books very well : on slates, one writes well, two fairly, and three badly. Arithmetic —lst class. Two women. Did sums in practice and proportion quite correctly. 2nd class. Two girls. Did sums in compound multiplication and division quite correctly. 3rd class. Eight girls. 7 did a sum in division, 7 „ ~ compound addition, 3 „ ~ compound subtraction, 1 „ „ reduction. 4th class. Six girls. 6 „ „ addition, 4 „ „ subtraction. All failed in multiplication. Mental Arithmetic —Very fair. English Reading. — Ist class. Five girls All read very well, but only one has a good pronunciation. They translated excellently. Some questions in grammar were very fairly answered. 2nd class. Ten girls. Read the lessons published by the Melanesian mission. Eight read well, but not with a good pronunciation. They translate very well. 3nd class. Three girls. Read very easy words of one syllable, which they are able to spell and translate.

English Dictation —Ist and 2nd classes. Four good, thirteen fair, one bad. Geography. —They were examined upon the Map of England, and appeared to know all the names of the towns, rivers, &c

The discipline and attention of the girls were excellent. Object l^essons. —They are all taught the properties of objects. They were examined on the subject of salt, and answered well. Besides the children above mentioned, there are four monitors, one young man, a monitor's wife, and two matrons maintained in the establishment. The total number, at the time of my visit, was sixty-two. The girls and infants' sleeping rooms are in Archdeacon Maunsell's own house. There are three rooms, all large and lofty. In the first are four beds, in which five women and a little boy sleep, In the second eight beds, in which twelve girls and a little boy sleep ; and six other girls sleep on the floor of the room. In the third are eight beds, for one woman, two girls, and twelve young boys ; and there are four more children on the floor. There are troughs for washing, in the passage outside. All find their own blankets ; but the mattrasses and quilts, which are very neat, are furnished by the school.

All the children have their meals in a large common hall. They have breakfast—wheat-meal, porridge, usually with milk and bread; dinner—potatoes, pork, and some vegetables ; supper —tea or porridge, with bread and sugar. The school estate consists of 750 acres, all enclosed. It contains three swamps. One of 30 acres has been drained at an expense of £70, another is partially drained, and the third and largest is now being drained. There are twenty head of cattle, 800 (?) sheep and lambs, and ninety taken on terms from Walter Kukutai, of which the school gets the wool The children have, for a long time, suffered from a troublesome eruption on the skin, which has occasioned a considerable reduction of numbers.

14.— Waimate, Bay of Islands.

I have also, by Mr. Fox's direction, inspected the school at the Waimate, Bay of Islands. The school had been in existence only for 4 months at the time of my visit. Mr. Ireland is the teacher. There were 23 children in the school, 17 boys and 6 girls. There had been as many as 41 but the number had been diminished in consequence of whooping-cough breaking out in the school. Two of the children have a European father and a half-caste mother, the man has been absent from his wife for some time, he corresponds with her but does not assist her ; the mother is employed as an assistant teacher in the school.

Maori Reading. —lst Class. 12 children. Only two, a boy and a girl were able to read; the boy has learnt since the school began, the girl was taught by her mother at the Maori village. 2nd Class. 7 children. They were being taught to read out of the Maori Bible, there being no lesson cards.

English Reading. —lst. Class. They are taught on a plan similar to that pursued by Mr. Reid. None can read alone yet, nor can any understand English.

9

BAY OF ISLANDS NATIVE SHOOLS, 1861.