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No. 3. Mr. S. Yon Stunner, R.M., Hokianga, to the Under Secretary, Native Department. Sir, — Resident Magistrate's Office, Hokianga, 20th December, 1873. I have the honor, for the information of the Hon. the Native Minister, to inform you that, during the last few days, I have visited the three Native Schools in operation in this district. At Waima, though the day was showery, I found 50 pupils in school, of whom 3 were Europeans. The progress made in English and writing was most satisfactory. The children appeared neat and clean, and to pay great attention to their teacher (Mr. Moore). The average attendance of this school for the quarter will exceed 60 pupils. At Waitapu the attendance, owing to its being the last day of holding school prior to the Christmas holidays, was very small; but the proficiency of the pupils in geography, English (writing, reading, and speaking), and arithmetic was most striking,—in fact, far in advance of anything I had reason to expect. The average attendance of scholars during the past quarter was about 30. At Whirinaki I found school being conducted by Mr. Phillips, the teacher, in Mr. George Leefs house, 34 pupils being in attendance. The progress made by the children is most satisfactory, considering the short time the school has been in operation. The new schoolhouse lately completed at Waima is a commodious and handsome building, capable of accommodating about 100 pupils. The schoolhouse and teacher's residence is in course of erection at Whirinaki, and tenders have been accepted for the erection of similar buildings at Pakia and Rakau Para, the difficulty of getting sawn timber in this district being the cause of the delay in the erection of these buildings. The Committee of the Waitapu School have desired me to inform you that, if possible, they would be glad if Mr. Watkin's successor should be a married man. I have, &c, Spencer Yon Stunner, The Under Secretary, Native Office, Wellington. Resident Magistrate.

No. 4. Mr. S. Yon Stunner, R.M., Hokianga, to the Under Secretary, Native Department. Sir, — Resident Magistrate's Office, Hokianga, Bth June, 1874. I have the honor to forward herewith, for the information of the Government, report on the state of the Native Schools at present in operation in this district:— Waima School. —The average attendance at this school, during the past nine months, has been 47; the largest attendance 55, the smallest 31; the number of pupils on the roll being 59, of whom 5 are Europeans, 4 are half-castes, and 50 Natives. The general conduct of the pupils, as lam informed by the master, is good. I have visited this school several times during the past twelve months, and have on every occasion found that the school has been properly conducted, that the children were neat and clean in their appearance, and the school building clean and tidy. In May last I examined the children in reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic, and geography, in all of which I found they had made good progress. The maps supplied to this school seem to have been turned to good account, as the children had but little difficulty in pointing out to me the position of the various countries, &c., which I asked them to do; this was both in the map of the World and in the map of New Zealand. The success which has attended this school since its commencement is in a great measure owing to the steady and faithful discharge of his duties by the teacher (Mr. Moore), to whom great credit is due. Waitapu School. —This school not being so easy of access as the last named, I have not visited it as often as the Waima School, but still have done so several times during the past year. On every occasion I have found the school properly conducted, and the children neat and clean in their persons. There are 38 names on the roll, of whom 6 are half-castes, and 32 Natives; the largest attendance being 38, the smallest 15, and the general average 28. The conduct and health of the pupils are described by the master as being good. I examined the children in May last, in the same branches of education as at the Waima School. I found, as at Waima, that they had made great progress, more particularly in reading English, which very many of them did in a most distinct and correct manner. Mr. and Mrs. Hill, the teachers at this school, seem to be most anxious to discharge their duties in an efficient manner, and are deservedly very popular with the parents of the pupils and the children themselves. Whirinaki School. —This school has been in operation since the Ist of October last, and considering the circumstances of the teacher, having no proper school building—Mr. George Leefs house being used as a school—and no school books or material of any sort, except a few books and slates procured in Hokianga by the master at his own expense, the progress of the children has been good. During the past few weeks, owing to the causes named above, the school has not