E.—2

4

the school satisfies a want, the money and trouble expended arc thrown away. The success of Tc Waotu, Tangiteroria, and Tapapa will depend, to a certain extent, on the extent to which certain enlightened Maoris in their respective districts can succeed in communicating their own enthusiasm for education to the rest of their people. There is no reason why the Waikato and the southern Ngapuhi should not make use of the means provided for preventing their race from being wiped out before the advancing pakeha, just as the northern Ngapuhi (including the Itarawa), the Bay of Plenty tribes, the northern Ngatiporou, and the South Island Natives have done. It remains to be seen whether they will do so or not. It has not yet been found possible to substitute two schools (one at Whareponga and one at Waipiro, under one master and one mistress) for the unsatisfactory school at Akuaku, but it is hoped that the difficulties in the way will shortly be overcome. Schools have been asked for at Te Matai and Mokoia, in the Tauranga District. Both of these are promising cases, but all progress is barred for the present through legal difficulties with regard to the sites offered by the Natives. It is to be feared that the Natives will be much discouraged by the delay. There is every reason to believe that the site at llaukokore, near Cape Runaway, will be secured almost immediately, and that it will be possible to establish a school there before the close of next year. Tau Raugatira, Waiuku, Auckland, was visited last spring. A school should be established if a removal of the Awhitu Natives to Tau Raugatira took place; but at present it seems doubtful whether a satisfactory attendance could be kept up. The establishment of a school at Taita, some fourteen miles from Dargaville, cannot be proceeded with until a difficulty in connection with the school buildings at Kaihu has been settled. There is reason to hope that the delay thus caused will not be of long duration, and that the Taita school will be in operation before the close of the year. The site at To Umuhika, near Matata, Bay of Plenty, has not yet been put through the Court, and the Department cannot build until that has been done. An application for the reopening of the school at Waiomio, Bay of Islands, has been received : there is no reason to suppose that a school could succeed there. There is some probability that a school may be asked for at Tokanu, "West Taupo, before very long; it is very desirable that such a school should be established. The Natives of Te Puna, Tauranga Harbour, are asking for a school. The district will be visited, and the application will be reported upon, in due course. Formal applications have been sent in from Te Pupuke, Whangaroa, and Purunoihu, Raglan, for new schools, and from Tc Ngacre for the reopening of the; school there. Numerous inquiries by Natives, and recommendations by Europeans, with regard to the establishment of Native schools in different localities, have been made; but it has not been considered necessary to refer to any applications that have not advanced to the stage at which the desire for a school is stated in the form of a petition to the Minister and the offer of a site. Schools in Full Operation. The schools are dealt with in groups, geographical position being taken as the basis of classification. To avoid monotony and repetition nearly all the information with regard to the literary work and the general efficiency of separate schools has been tabulated and placed in the Appendix. In Table VI. the examination results are given. In Table VII. will be found a statement of the conclusions arrived at from the resnlts of each inspection : these results arc; given in five columns headed respectively " Records," " Organization," " Discipline," " Method," and " Extras." In a sixth column one-half of the percentage obtained by each school at the examination is entered. The total of the six numbers belonging to each school appears in the seventh column, and this number may be taken as the gross percentage of marks obtained by each school at the inspection for the year 1885. Other matters that need to be mentioned in connection with individual schools are briefly referred to in the following paragraphs : — Mangonui and Whangaroa Districts. — District Superintendent, Mr. H. W. Bishop, R.M. Te Kao, Pareiujareii.yu. —Twenty-five children, all Maoris, were present at inspection. It may be said that the school is succeeding well, especially when it is remembered that the pupils were more than decimated by the dreadful fever epidemic that the district has only lately got rid of. Ahipara. —The teachers are succeeding in overcoming the difficulties which want of any kind of organization amongst the Natives and the long continuance of a fever epidemic had caused. Pukepoto. —Through the master's energy and determination the school has been kept well in hand, although the high price of gum on the one hand, and the prevalence of fever on the other, have often induced the parents to withdraw their children from the school. Pamapuria. —The work done at Kaitaia by the teachers of this school was always excellent in quality, but, owing to the smallness of the attendance, it was insufficient in quantity. The new school is now doing well in all respects, except that more attention should be paid to singing, drawing, and drill, which subjects form by no means the least important part of Native school work. Awanui. —The master has been removed to the larger school at Otaua, and his place has been taken by one of the East Coast teachers. Peria. —As usual, Peria was in excellent order and doing first-class work.