PAPEES RELATING TO NATIVE SCHOOLS.

3..—N.0 5.

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Masters informs me, promised £50 towards the cost of erecting a proper school-house, that lent by Timothy Busby being quite unfit for the present number of scholars. The General Government has also contributed £40 a year to Mr. Masters' salary, and £10 a year ' for books and stationery. He is, therefore, now in receipt of £100 a year from Government, besides £20 a year from the Natives, which last, however, is furnished by Timothy Busby, in addition to his supplying the present school-house, and chiefly supporting the scholars, whose parents are said to be too poor to contribute. He has further made over as a site for the new school about to be erected, twelve acres of land, near the present schoolhouse. As he is by no means well off, Mr. Masters is anxious to relieve him from the future contribution of £20 a year towards the Master's salary, and with that view requests the General Government to increase its contribution of £40 a year, to the sum now given by the Provincial Government, viz., £60 a year, by which means his salary would remain as at present, but Timothy Busby would be relieved to that extent. The only objections that I see to this are, Ist.—That it is a departure from the general principle, which I am happy to say I find universally approved by those who have been engaged in the education of the Natives, that they should contribute to, and take part in the education of their own children according to their ability ; and, 2nd.—That it would give Mr. Masters a larger Government salary than other masters receiving aid from the General Government, though not, he assures me, as large as some given by the Provincial Government. Mr. Masters also asks for a contribution of £50 from the General Government towards the erection of a new school-house, which I should have felt myself at liberty to promise at once, but for the following reason: —The Provincial Government, has been very liberal in its support of the school, and has taken interest in it, causing it to be inspected ; and the twelve acres set apart by Timothy Busby have been, or are being conveyed, not to Trustees appointed by the Governor, as required by " The Native Schools Act, 1867," but to the Superintendent of Auckland. Now, the 4th Clause of "The Native Schools Act, 1871," provides that before any money be granted for the erection of schools, &c, the site shall be vested in two or more trustees, to be nominated by the Governor. I did not therefore feel authorised to sanction any outlay for a new school until I had received your instructions. I imagine the Provincial Government would willingly make over the school to the General Government, if relieved from its present annual contribution. As the hew school, however, is urgently required, and as no time should be lost in its erection, I should feel obliged by your early decision upon this subject. As regards the numbers, appearance, and progress of the scholars, I found about thirty present in all, chiefly boys, of from seven to fifteen years of age. They were generally clean and healthy in appearance, and decently clad, though some of the younger children were rather deficient in clothing. They were generally able to converse in English, in which all their instruction is carried on. The older scholars were well advanced in reading, spelling, writing, cyphering, and geography, much more so than could have been anticipated from the time the school has been in operation. The master, however, is quite an enthusaist, and keeps them at work from five to six hours a day, to which they do not seem averse. He was anxious to obtain permission to send his four most forward scholars to St. Stephen's, Auckland, next Christmas, as a reward for diligence, and an incentive to the other boys; but the fact is, his own school is more forward than that of St. Stephen's, though I hope on my return to Auckland, to be able to make some arrangements with the Rev. Mr. Burrowes, by which St. Stephen's may be made a sort of college, from which the most intelligent youths may, when sufficiently educated, pass into the Government or other services. Upon this subject, I will report upon my return to Auckland. Tou will be good enough to observe that, for the reasons stated, Pukepoto is not a school constituted under the Native Schools Acts, but has rather been carried on by the Provincial Government, though assisted by the General Government. I have, <fee, A. H. Russell.

No. 10. The Hon.' the Native Ministeb to the Inspectoe of Schools. Sib,— Auckland, 25th April, 1872. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your report of the 14th ult. respecting the Pukepoto school, which is most interesting, and shows how much can be done by a zealous and enthusiastic person towards promoting education among the Natives. I consider that the young chief Timothy Busby has behaved so well from the beginning in forwarding the school movement, that he should be relieved from his yearly contribution of twenty pounds as salary to the master, especially as he not only feeds and clothes many of the children who attend the school, but has also given an endowment in land. I consider, also, that a departure from the strict letter of the Native Schools Acts of 1867 and 1871, may, in this instance, be made by also granting a sum of fifty pounds for school buildings. I notice your objection on account of the land not being vested in accordance with tho Acts; but in matters of this kind the education of the Native children is the primary point, and if it can be carried out by co-operating with Provincial authorities, no opportunity should be lost of taking advantage of such a chance and of encouraging the progress of education. I have, <_c, ______ m ______^__^^____ i Donald M'Lean, 4