E.—2.

12

are willing enough to have them educated, but the mothers are thorough conservatives and sticklers for the old Maori ways. Besides, they are very often unwilling to be deprived of their children's society, no matter how much the children may lose by remaining with them. It is probable that when the girls now attending Hukarere leave and become mothers they will be so far enlightened as to be friends rather than enemies to schools. I regret to find that there are still many girls here who could be well taught, for a time, at their own village school, while there are so many Maori children growing up quite illiterate in small villages where there is and can be no school at all. Te Aute College. —Fifty-five boys were examined. The standard examinations are not quite suited to this school. In accordance with the headmaster's views, with which I concurred, all the classes were examined in the work that they had actually done. The results of the inspection and the examination were extremely gratifying in every respect. There is a very wide difference between the state of this school now and that which it was in when I first examined it, though even then it was a good school. It now certainly deserves to be called a college, as the boys are doing mathematical and scientific work that would do credit to any secondary school. Te Aute was very fully reported on last year, it is, therefore, unnecessary to say more than that the course has been very much extended, and that, nevertheless, the work is distinguished by the same thoroughness and efficiency as it was remarkable for last year The higher Te Makarini scholarship *of £50, which depends on the result of the examination of the senior class, was won by Joshua Down, who was, however, only 2-2 per cent, ahead of Thomas G. Poutawera. All the boys, in the senior division did remarkably well, the lowest percentage obtained being 64-2. The two junior classes of this school are taught by a Maori, Walter Wi Paipa, who has been educated at Te Aute. This is the only case in which such an arrangement has been found to succeed. Maoris can be trained to do almost anything but to teach English to young people of their own race this lad, however, has learnt to do that successfully I never saw two better-taught classes than those that are entirely under his care. The ordinary Te Makarini scholarships examination was held at Te Aute and Whakatane in the middle of December The successful candidates were W Prentice, Alfred Down, and Abraham Wi. _ The trustees of the scholarships fund have decided that for the future these scholarships shall be given to Maoris only, half-castes being disqualified. This limitation would seem to be a just one. Maoris naturally find much more difficulty in mastering English than half-castes do, and the instances are numerous in which Maoris have been just a little behind on this account solely Miscellaneous. Expenditure.—A. statement of the expenditure incurred in connection with Native schools, and of the way in which this expenditure is distributed, will be found in Tables Nos. 1 and 2. Teachers.— At the end of 1883 there were employed as head-teachers in Native schools 55 masters and 7 mistresses, there were also 16 mistresses, 3 assistant mistresses, and 35 sewing mistresses. The head-teachers were classified as follows at the end of the financial year Class 1., 4, viz., the masters of Eoto-iti, Pukepoto, Eapaki, and Waikouaiti schools ; Class IE, 7 , Class 111., 22, Class IV., 16 , Class V., 14. A first-class certificate implies that the holder possesses a satisfactory knowledge of the ordinary English subjects, a special knowledge of New Zealand history, and considerable theoretical acquaintance with the subject of Native-school management. The efficiency of most of the teachers seems to be increasing as experience is gained, at any rate the results are better year by year This year the number of passes is twenty-one more than it was last year, in spite of the much greater strictness with which weakness in any of the examination subjects has been treated. Many of the masters seem to be getting that mastery of detail that distinguishes the skilful from the unskilful teacher, and enables him to make the best use of such knowledge of the general principles of education as he may happen to possess. It is this knowledge, of course, that makes a man an educationist and not a mere empirical teacher while a happy combination of scientific educational knowledge, and skill in working out the details based on this knowledge, form the stock-in-trade of the thorough master of the art of teaching. There are a few teachers on the staff who, to a greater or less degree, lack energy There are one or two cases in which teachers seem to be unable to put heart into the work. I have heard it said about an indifferent labourer that he had no elbow-grease. It is really the thing signified by the term " elbow-grease" that these teachers want. They mean very well—there is no doubt whatever about that, they would gladly do what they have undertaken, but somehow when it comes to the point, they break down, they cannot keep up the steady effort that is indispensable if success in teaching is to be obtained. Teachers thus affected generally recognize their own weakness, and unfortunately look upon it as incurable. It is nothing of the kind , if they would make up their minds to devote their whole attention for four hours daily to the work specified in the time-table, and would allow nothing to interfere with that work, they would find the time passing much more quickly and pleasantly, and would soon discover that they were engaged in the unwonted process of producing good results. A teacher, on the other hand, who filches ten minutes now to look over the newspaper, a quarter of an hour by-and-by to write a letter, who goes out of his schoolroom now and again to see how things are getting on outside, who gives the children some " work" to do and

* Te Makabini Scholabships.—Appended to " The Native Schools Code " is a full account of these scholarships which have been founded in memory of the late Sir Donald McLean by his son, Mr. B. D. Douglas McLean. They are for the benefit of boys of the Native race, and arc tenable for two years. Examinations under regulations made by the Trustees are held annually. There are six scholarships of the annual value of £35 each, and two of the annual value of £50 each. The holders of the junior scholarships must attend the Native College at Te Aute, Hawke's Bay , the senior scholarships are awarded—one each year—to the scholar that has passed the second year's examination at Te Auto College most successfully, subject to the condition that he attend one of the institutions affiliated to the New Zealand University, with the intention of matriculating, and, if possible, obtaining one of the University scholarships when his own has expired,