G.—2,

4

attendance has fallen off considerably, though the Committee lead mo to believe that a larger number will join this school after the holidays, giving as a reason for the small attendance during the last quarter the scarcity of food at this season of the ypar, and also that many of the children have been engaged with their parents assisting to plant potatoes, kumaras, and corn. The total number of children attending the schools in this district during the past quarter was 204. I have to acknowledge the receipt from the Government of a very handsome present of cricket bats, &c.,for the use of the Whirinaki School, which are a great source of amusement to the pupils. I need hardly inform the Government that these things get destroyed and worn out, and that an occasional present of croquet or cricket material, and skipping ropes for the girls, will at all times be mcjst thankfully received, and as much care taken of them as possible. Our little Maori children arc as full of fun as those of Europeans, and are becoming quite English in their love of cricket. I have, &c, Spencee yon Stuemee, The Under-Secretary, Native Office, Wellington. Resident Magistrate.

No. 3. Mr. H. W. Beabant, E.M., Opotiki, to the Hon. the Native Minister. Sib, — Opotiki, Ist March, 1875. I have the honor to lay before you the following as the report of my half-yearly inspection of schools in the Bay of Plenty and Lake District. You may perhaps remember that, in consequence of my being employed by Government on other duty, at Whakatane, in December last, I was unable to make the inspection at the end of the half-year, and the holidays intervening, I deferred it until February. 1. Matata School: Teachers, Mr. and Mrs. Creeke. —I visited this school on February sth. There are 36 children on the books, of whom 16 were present—lo boys and 6 girls. The first class (5 in number) I examined in reading and spelling from the "Irish National Third Book," and in. translating English into Maori. They showed considerable improvement since my last visit, more especially in their appreciation of the meaning of the English ; their pronunciation, however, being still somewhat defective. In arithmetic they were working severally various rules up to "Practice:" in this branch not much advancement had been made. Their writing from dictation was good. The second class (6) I examined in reading from the "Irish National Third Book" and " Sequel," in spelling, and in translation of Eoglisb into Maori, in all of which I found improvement. This class were able to work the simple rules of arithmetic. The third class's (5) reading from " Nelson's Sequel," spelling, and translating were but indifferent. The whole school had been taught geography from the maps, and answered well when cross-questioned in the multiplication, addition, and pence tables, weights and measures, &c. The girls had been taught sewing; but Mrs. Creeke was at the time of my visit absent on sick leave. The discipline was good, and lam again able to report very favourably of this school. The master complains, as do those of other schools, of the meagre attendance; but although the numbers attending have been few, yet I was able to trace a decided improvement in those who were present. 2. Whareroa School (Tauranrja) : Teachers, Mr. and Mrs. Latrobe. —This school I visited on February Bth. There are 19 pupils on the books, of whom 15 were present; there were also six Europeans, some of them the children of the teacher, and some of them of the pilot and harbour-master, whose station is near the school. The reading of the first class (9) from the "Irish National 3rd Book" and spelling were good, and their appreciation of the meaning of the words tolerable. The writing from dictation of some of them was very good. The second class (6) read well from an easy book, but had little appreciation of the meaning. Both classes were able to answer questions from the Maori vocabularies. In arithmetic the elder pupils had worked as far as the " rule of three" and " practice," while the younger ones were in the simple rules ; in this branch they acquitted themselves satisfactorily. They all answered some simple questions in geography, and had a good knowledge of the multiplication, shillings and pence tables. The Ist class recited a piece of poetry well. The girls had been taught sewing. The discipline was good. I cannot say that the pupils at this school showed themselves more advanced than they were formerly under Mr. Oldfield, but I fear that from various causes, under their last master, they retrograded, and the school having since he left been shut for some time, it may now be said to be recovering itself, and I have no doubt will do well under the present teacher. There being several Europeans taught with them, must be a great advantage to the Native children. 3. OMnemidu School: Teacher, Mr. Cowan.—February 10th. There are 43 children on the roll of this school, of whom 25 were present when I visited it, most of them small children. I heard some of them read, and translate into Maori, words of one syllable, and say the multiplication-table. The children appeared to have made bub little progress ; no blame can however attach to the present teacher, as I understand that he had only been in charge of the school for three weeks. I trust therefore I may be able in my next report to give a better account of them. The discipline was good. There was one boy at the school able to read, who informed me that he had been taught at Mr. Burrows's school, Auckland. There were also two little European children attending. I was informed that a site had been surveyed, and arrangements made for the erection of a schoolhouse. This is an important step in the right direction, as the building at present used is totally unfit, not being sufficiently weathertight for school to be held at all on wet days. 4. The Tarawera and (5) the Botoiti Schools are at present shut, on account of the several masters having left, that of the former having been transferred to Ohinemutu, and the teachers of the latter discharged. 6. Mahetu School: Teachers, Mr. and Mrs. Pinker. —On 15th February, when I visited this school, 11 children were present out of 20 on the roll. The elder class (6) 1 examined in reading from