PAPERS RELATING TO NATIVE SCHOOLS.

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generous emulation, but I feel that I shall meet with general concurrence when I say that many of our greatest, best, and most learned men have devoted the best years of their lives to the education and civilization of the Maori. The Natives have not themselves been backward in endowing with land and giving their best personal assistance to the schools which were established in their neighbourhoods, and although such endowments have not yet, as a rule, proved of any great actual value, I believe that fact arises rather from the unsettled state of the country during the last twelve years, the deficiency of capital with which to improve them, and possibly from feeble and untaught management, than from any want of intrinsic value in the lands so given. I shall have to allude further to those endowments before I close this Eeport. The system of education which had been pursued from the foundation of the Colony until the utter collapse of nearly all effort in 1867, was that of imparting instruction to tho Natives in their own language, in establishments where great numbers of all ages were congregated, and where they were not only educated, but were also housed, fed, and clothed. Such establishments were necessarily large and expensive, some of them containing more than a hundred Natives, and the cost was seldom, lam informed, less than £20 per head per annum. That amount is still granted to one or more establishments, to which I shall further allude; and I was lately informed by the Principal of St. Stephen's Institution, at Auckland, that the actual cost of each pupil is little under £25 a-year. It was often argued that it must be practically impossible to educate a whole race upon so expensive a system, but it was urged that unless the children were removed from the demoralizing influence of their own. kaingas, no permanent civilizing effect could be produced. I believe, however, that the system was unsound in most respects, that it was not only so expensive and exhausting as to overtax the energies and resources of all connected with it, but also that tho congregation of large numbers of both sexes produced, notwithstanding all the precautions of its administrators, no less amount of immorality than it sought to restrain ; that the separation of the children from their parents was calculated to weaken the relations which should subsist between them'; that the youths brought up in comparative comfort and physical idleness, returned to their homes listless and discontented, whilst the girls, much improved by habits of cleanliness and by education, were averse to return to the discomforts of the kainga, and frequently resorted to the towns in preference; finally, that any gain which might possibly have been obtained by the children from dissociation with their parents, was more than counterbalanced by the loss of civilizing influence which the whole people would have received from their constant witness of the orderly good conduct practised by their children whilst pupils iv well-conducted village schools. In 1867, the Native Schools Act was passed, but before it could be brought into effectual operation the North Island again became involved in war, and it was not until last Session, when the amended Native Schools Act was passed, that a strenuous effort could be made to construct a workable system of Native education. This Act having provided for the appointment of an Inspector, you were pleased to request me to undertake the office. I gathered from careful consideration of tho Native Schools Acts, of the discussion which had taken place upon the subject in the General Assembly, by frequent conversations with yourself, and from my letter of appointment, that the objects desired by the Legislature and by yourself were : — Eirstly. The establishment of village schools wherever a sufficient Native population and other circumstances rendered it possible. Secondly. The instruction of the Natives in tho English language only, except in cases where the location of an English teacher might be found impossible. Thirdly. The working of the village schools through the agency of the Natives themselves, associated with and aided by such Europeans as might be willing to work with them in School Committees. Fourthly. The contribution by the Natives of such proportion of the expense of school buildings and of schoolmaster's salary, as might be in each case agreed upon. Fifthly. The careful inspection and supervision of all schools receiving Government aid, with other minor points which I need not here dwell upon. Bearing those objects in view, I have from time to time submitted for your information, very detailed reports of my proceedings, and will now proceed to give such a condensed report as I -conceive you may desire to lay before the General Assembly, and will supplement it with such papers, giving greater details as may seem necessary. I have visited the greater part of the North Island lying between Napier and North Cape, commencing at Napier. Here I found arrangements had been already made by your directions for the establishment of Native schools at Pakowhai and Omahu. A committee had been elected, a chairman (S. Locke, Esq., E.M-) appointed, land set aside for school sites, and buildings for the accomodation of the masters, and school accomodation for fifty pupils in each school, were in course of erection. The school at Pakowhai was opened on the 9th of January, when Mr. Bissel was nominated as master by the committee and approved by me on tho part of Government, with a salary of £100 a year. It has since continued in full operation, and I will report upon its progress before I conclude this paper. The school-house at Omahu is nearly completed, and the master, Mr. Tennant, nominated by the committee and approved by me, also with a salary of £100 a year, but some delay has arisen in opening the school, caused by the want of suitable timber. It may however be expected to be in immediate operation. I visited the school estate at To Aute, but finding that the offer of further aid from Government (upon condition that the requirements of the Native Schools Acts should be complied with) had been declined, I am not in a position to report further than that I consider this school estate to be one of several to which I will further allude, that should without delay be brought under the control of the Legislature. St. Josephs' Providence. —This is a boarding school for Native girls. I inspected it without giving previous notice and found everything conaected with the health, clothing, boarding, and education of tho pupils in perfect order. I feel it my duty, however, to call your attention to the great expense of this small establishment (as I shall have to do in other cases as I proceed with this report), and to annex a letter dated 30th December last, in which I have entered more fully upon the subject.