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to the place and the Natives. As he has a young family, it would probably be well to remove him to a less out-of-the-way place when there is a favourable opportunity of doing so. Mangakahia would be a good school for a young couple (withdut family), who did not mind having to live in an isolated place, and who were used to the hardships of bush life. Kaikohe is a very remarkable success in every way. It is in one of the most thickly-populated Maori districts in the colony ; it has therefore a large attendance; there is an excellent Committee, and the school arrangements are very satisfactory. At Taumarere Girls' Boarding School good results were obtained from the pupils in attendance. It has been found, however, that it is not possible to get a sufficient number of girls that have passed Standard IV. to attend the school. Arrangements have therefore been made for discontinuing it. The heavy cost of maintaining children at a boarding-school renders it undesirable to send our children to such an institution, unless some special object is to be gained. The special object aimed at under the new regulations was, in the case of this school, to give the girls that had finished their village-school course instruction in branches not taught in the primary schools, and also to let them have some training in domestic matters. As such girls could not be obtained, the school's raison d'etre no longer existed, and the only thing to do was to close it. This institution, however, did much good in its time; many girls educated in it have been much benefited by the training they received under Mrs. Tautari. Had it not been for the heavy cost per head, and the consequent impossibility of making an institution of the kind useful in more than a few isolated cases, it might perhaps have been desirable to continue this school, and to establish similar ones throughout the Native districts. Holdanga. —The schools here are superintended by Spencer Yon Stunner, Esq., E.M. They are, without exception, doing good work. Whangape has a very large attendance. There is not a more useful school in the colony than this. As far as I know, there are now no European settlers in the district, and the Natives have comparatively little intercourse with those of other places. I found that the first year's work had produced very fair results, and that there was every reason to believe that the school was going to be permanently successful. The department has been very fortunate in securing the services of a very hard-working and conscientious teacher for this important school. Wairna is an old school reopened, after having been closed for a considerable period. The new master had had no previous experience as a teacher, but he possesses other qualifications that fit him for doing great good in a Maori district; he succeeded very rapidly in acquiring a knowledge of method, and of the means of maintaining discipline, and he is now a valuable teacher. Maori schools are different from European schools in so many respects that previous experience in teaching is a matter of comparatively small importance as far as a master's future success is concerned ; an experienced teacher of European* has so much to unlearn before he can succeed with Maoris that he is really hardly in a better position, for a considerable period, than one who knows nothing at all about the matter. The essential requisite is to get men who will be able to gain the sympathy and respect of the Natives, and who will be anxious to do them good. It is not, as a rule, difficult for such men to make themselves effective teachers afterwards. Some of our very best teachers knew nothing about the work when they first took charge of the schools. Waima did very well indeed at the first examination. Waitapu is the most advanced school in the district. It is in every way very satisfactory. Omanaia is one of the schools that have been lately established in the district. The master has had large experience in teaching in secondary European schools. When he has acquired the knack of teaching the lower classes, so as to make them thoroughly sound in the rudiments, his previous experience will be of great use to him. The examination results were not so satisfactory as they would have been if the instruction given had had a narrower range. The defect was, not that the children did not know. enough, but that their knowledge was not sufficiently thorough to stand the examination tests. The master is very industrious and enthusiastic, and is, I think, sure to do well eventually. Whirinaki: there is a new master here ; he had made a good beginning when I visited the school; time is, of course, required to show whether Native school work suits him. The attendance was improving. At Motukaraka, one of the newly founded schools, really excellent results were obtained in the two lower standards. A little more neatness in the schoolroom would be advantageous here ;no doubt the Committee will see to this matter. Mangamuka is another new school; it will certainly be a good one. The master did good work at Eakau Para for many years under disadvantageous circumstances ; with a neat and comfortable schoolhouse and residence, and a large and regular attendance, he will probably do even better. Upper Waihou is a very good school. On the whole, the Hokianga schools hold the first place among the North Island schools for the past year. Whangarei. —J. S. Clendon, Esq., E.M., acts as the Superintendent of this district. The Poroti school was in an entremely unsatisfactory condition, and had hardly any attendance. This state of matters was mainly owing to troubles with the Natives. Ngunguru, which had been languishing the previous year, had somewhat recovered ; there is reason to hope that it may yet do well. Kaipara and Waikato. —6. T. Wilkinson, Esq, of the Native Office, Auckland, is the Superintendent 'of the districts. Matakohe showed improvement. The educationary arrangements were satisfactory, but there was some discontent amongst the Natives because the master was residing away from the school. As a great part of the good to be done by a Native school depends on the personal influence of the master with the adult Natives, it is, of course, desirable that he should live amongst them. The cause of the discontent has since been removed. Otamatea is considered good ; the attendance is small, bit it is improving. As has been previously said, arrangements have been made for extending the master's sphere of usefulness. At Pouto I found improvement in the discipline and school-organization, but the new teacher had not had sufficient time to produce very striking results. The school-room was badly lighted, thoroughly inconvenient, and probably unhealthy. A new building is urgently needed. At Waitetuna only very moderate results were obtained ; the building used as a school—a nearly worn out Maori church—was so unfit for school