8.—2

6

Tapapa. —There is reason to be satisfied with the work done here, although " Hauhauism " seems to keep away from school many children that ought to attend it. Te Waotu. —The prospects of this new school are good, and the work already done is very satisfactory. Tauranga and Hot Lakes. — District Superintendent, Mr. 11. W. Brabant, B.M. Maungatapu. —This has been an unfortunate school. It began well, but about a year after it was opened a very fatal epidemic of fever almost broke the school down. The Natives, rightly or wrongly, believe the place to be unhealthy, and prefer to live elsewhere. The population is now very small; even the strenuous and well-directed efforts of the teachers cannot be expected to make the attendance large. Under these circumstances the master is making an attempt to teach the children of the district at Ngapeke, a tolerably convenient centre some distance off. The result of this experiment has yet to be seen. Huria. —The appearance made by this school at the examination was decidedly creditable. Paeroa. —The school tone is really first-rate, and capital work is being done. The teacher is enthusiastic, and has much natural aptitude for the work. Te Maim, —This school has a very large attendance. An excellent beginning has been made, and all indications point towards great and permanent success. Te Awahou. —Want of food, caused in a great measure by the Natives feasting Te Kooti and others, and a severe winter, had made the attendance very bad indeed; hence the results obtained were not of a satisfactory character. Ohinemutu. —Here, too, scarcity of food and numerous distractions have had an injurious effect on the school work; the results, however, are better than might have been expected under the circumstances. Botoiti. —lt has not yet been found possible to complete arrangements for rebuilding the school-house that was burnt down soon after the volcanic eruption. School work, however, has been carried on with some success in spite of disadvantages. Maketu. —The school work is always good here when the master has an opportunity of doing it. There have been the usual drawbacks this year —a visit from Te Kooti, with the consequent extravagant expenditure, and a Land Court at the Lakes. Besides this, the Natives have persisted somewhat more than usual in asserting that they should be paid for sending their children to school. Maketu is now almost the only place where this foolish notion still lingers. There seems to be reason to believe that removal of the teacher to another school might have a beneficial effect. Bay of Plenty East. — District Superintendent, Mr. B. S. Bush, B.M. Matata. —Last year there was a large contingent from Umuhika; had these remained at the school it would have been necessary to enlarge the building. Now, however, the plantations of the "Umuhika people are far from Matata, and the attendance of their children is very irregular. Galatea. —As was stated in a former report, the teacher's residence was destroyed by fire soon after the Tarawera eruption. Steps have been taken to provide suitable accommodation for the school and for the teacher. The results obtained at the last examination were very meagre, but much better work may now be expected. Whakatane. —The results obtained at the examination were very poor, and it is unlikely that there will be much improvement if the school remains where it is. Waioweka. —This school has effected much good ; outside of its own special work, its civilising influence has been very considerable. The children now seem to a visitor to be healthy, clean, and happy. No European would have been so impressed by them before the school was opened. Omarumutu. —Here, as elsewhere, Te Kooti's visit caused considerable neglect of school work while it lasted, to say nothing of the time during which the work of preparing for this visit was going on. No doubt these huis have some peculiar kind of charm for the Maori mind, although they appear to Europeans so wasteful and senseless. It is to be regretted that they cannot be discontinued. Torero. —This school suffered more than is usual from the disarrangements incidental to a change of teachers, and the results obtained at examination were comparatively small. Omaio. —Very gratifying progress has been made here. Te Kaha. —This is a capital school, and improvements in the various details are discernible year by year. Baukokore. —A large and enthusiastic gathering of Natives saw the examination. They appeared to be much pleased with the work done, and indeed they had very good reason to be pleased with it. East Coast. — District Superintendent, Mr. James Booth, B.M. Wharekahika. —The instruction given here is particularly sound and thorough; the English taught is really English, not " Piki pakeha." Kawakaioa. —There is every reason to hope that this school will be very successful. What makes this more gratifying is that the speedy failure of the school was confidently predicted by many " Native doctors." Bangitukia. —This school is also succeeding very well; it did not make a start quite so soon as some of its neighbours, and it is consequently a little behind them. The attendance here is sure to be large, but it is not yet quite certain how large. Tikitiki. —At present this is worked in conjunction with Bangitukia ; should it continue to be as important as it is now, it may possibly be advisable to make it independent. The prospects of both the schools are very encouraging. Waiomatatini. —The steady and zealous efforts of both master and mistress, and the cordial co-operation of the Waiomatatini and Te Horo Maoris (the first East Coast Natives who realised