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Syllabus for the District High School. First-Year Students. Latin. —Principia Latina, part 1 of Part 1., and the Fables in Part 11. French. —Aim's First French Course, and De Fivas' Grammaire dcs Grammaires to page 81. _ Algebra. —To the end of least common multiple in Todhunter's Algebra for Beginners, or its equivalent. Geometry. —First Book of Euclid. Second-Year Students. Latin. —Part 2 of Principia Latina, Part I.; Smith's Small Latin Grammar to syntax of adjectives, § 356 ; First Book of Ctesar's De Bello Gallico ; the mythology and a portion of the history iv Principia Latina, Part 11. Greek. —lnitia Graeca to verbs in -p.i inclusive. French. —De Fivas' Grammaire dcs Grammaires ; and Histoire dun Conscrit de 1813, twelve first chapters. Algebra. —Todhunter's Algebra for Beginners to the end of quadratic equations, or its equivalent. Geometry. —First three Books of Euclid. Trigonometry. —To be learning the subject. Third-Year Students. Latin.— Smaller Latin Grammar ; Books V. and VI. of Ca;sar; one Book of Virgil; and Arnold's Latiu Prose Composition to Exercise 50. Greek. —Smaller Greek Grammar, and first two Books of Zenophon's Anabasis. French. —De Fivas' Grammaire dcs Grammaires; and the whole of Histoire dun Conscrit de 1813. Algebra, —The whole of Todhunter's Algebra for Beginners, or its equivalent. Geometry. —The first six Books of Euclid (only as much of Book V. as is necessary to understand the Sixth). Trigonometry. —To the solution of triangles, inclusive, in Todhunter's Trigonometry for Beginners, or its equivalent.

CERTAIN NATIVE SCHOOLS. The Inspector-General of Schools to the Hon. the Minister of Education. Sir, — Education Department, AVellington, sth December, 1878. I have the honour to report that on the 11th ult. I visited the Native school at AVairoa, Lake Tarawera. The master, Mr. Haszard, appears to be a competent man. His wife is a trained teacher, and, though she does not teach in the school, it is probable that her advice is of some value to him. The school when I saw it was seriously disorganized, and in such an abnormal state that I could form no opinion as to its ordinary condition. The part of the building which is devoted to the use of the master and his family was undergoing enlargement. The works had been standing still for two months, owing, as I was told, to a difficulty as to a supply of timber. The schoolroom was on this account being used as a dwelling, and the children were receiving their instruction out of doors, upon the grass. They were however brought into the schoolroom, to the number of two or three and twenty (which is below the average number), that I might ask them a few questions. I found it difficult to make myself fully understood by tbem, the master having occasion several times to assist me by representing my meaning in Maori. It seems to me that, though it is almost necessary that the master of a Native school should be able to speak Maori, that language ought to be very little, if at all, used in the school, except in dealing with the children who have been only a short time in attendance. I saw some fair writing, found some children able to do a little arithmetic —very little, —and observed that the master has succeeded iv interesting his pupils in geography. I believe that some of the best scholars were absent on the day of my visit, and altogether no fair opportunity of judging of the merits of the school presented itself. Mr. Haszard has the confidence of the Native residents. On the 12th I held a public meeting of Europeans and Maoris at Ohinemutu. Mr. Gill, of the Native Office, had desired me to tell tho people there that the Government would shortly build a school on the telegraph reserve. I could not ascertain that auy one had claimed or would claim the right to receive a message as representing the community, aud I learned that several sites had at various times been offered by the Natives for school purposes, and that there had been differences of opinion as to the most suitable place for a building. Not knowing how much or how little of this might have been submitted to the notice of the Government, I thought it right in the circumstances to call a meeting. There was a large attendance. I stated that the Government intended to build on tho telegraph reserve, and I asked for full information as to the sites and the titles, and the probable number of children who would attend a school. The Natives who spoke were Pirimi, Taekata, Niramona, and Taupua. Mr. Morrison and Mr. Wilson spoke on behalf of the settlers. All appeared to be very earnest in their desire to have a school, and some expressed very strongly their impatience at long delays, to which they referred. There appeared to be a general consent to the suitability of the telegraph reserve as a temporary site, but great stress was laid on tho fact (or what was stated to be such) that the Government has only a leasehold interest in it, to expire iv eighteen years. Some would prefer the acceptance of one of their offers of land, and the erection of a school upon such land, but would be glad, failing that, to have a school on the telegraph reserve. Three sites havo been spoken of: I was pressed to accept any oue of them, or to ask the Government to accept either of them. The Natives publicly offered to conduct me to the sites, that I might form an opinion; aud on the following day Niramona and another, acting for the people, showed me a small site of about two acres, and another of 70 acres (more or less). They