E.—2

4

Waimamaku. —This has now passed completely through the new-school stage and its difficulties, and is doing fairly satisfactory work. Waitapu. —As it seems, on account of local disagreements, to be impossible to keep up a good attendance here, the school is to be closed. It is to be regretted that this, the oldest of the Hokianga schools, should thus be about to come to an untimely end. Pakia. —The children attending were all either Europeans, or so nearly " Europeanized " that there was no reason why they should go to a Native school. Accordingly the school was handed over to the Auckland Board at the end of the year. Whirinaki. —Fair results were obtained; better ones may be expected next year if there be greater regularity of attendance. Waima.— The results obtained were rather disappointing in one direction; none of the passes were strong. If this kind of weakness could be overcome this would be in all respects one of the best Native schools in the colony. Omanaia. —After the previous examination the school suffered severely through the large number of meetings held in the district. Of course the school work suffered, and it was scarcely possible for the examination to be very successful. The school still presents a good appearance at inspection. Motukaraka.— The Committee have shown considerable apathy with regard to the attendance. The teacher appears to have done fair work, and is not altogether to blame for the character of the results obtained. Mangamuka. —For the first time the examination results at this school were only fair. The teacher's illness was the cause. Otaua. —Much hard and thoroughly good work had been done since the previous examination. Bay of Islands. — District Superintendent, Mr. J. H. Greenway. Kaikohe.— This school still keeps its usual place in the foremost rank; the work done is in every respect honest and thorough, and the appearance at examination was very creditable. Improvement, however, should be aimed at in the direction of securing stronger passes in English. Mangakahia. —lt is very desirable that there should be a good school here; .but it is not easy to secure continuous success. Last year, for instance, numerous Native meetings and a bad season led to scarcity of food, and then to recourse to the gumfields. Then one large hapu refused to send their children unless the Government supplied flour, &c, the ground alleged being that the Government makes large sums of money through its Native schools, and that it is only fair that the Natives should have their share. This kind of reasoning, baseless as it is, leads to much trouble and disappointment, and it requires all the good sense and energy of the two or three leading men who know better to counteract it. The results obtained were as good as could be expected under the circumstances. Ohaeaivai.—A large amount of useful work had been done, but there was a noticeable absence of strong passes. T(? Ahuahu. —This district had long been neglected. The consequence was that many big boys and girls came to the school when it was opened. As these had never been subjected to consistent discipline, they were naturally rather unruly. This difficulty is now passing away, and the school tone will probably improve rapidly. The examination results were creditable. Paihia. —Eeally good work is done at this little school. It would be well if a more important sphere could be found for the teacher to work in. Waikare. —The examination showed that conscientious work had been done by the teacher, although he had had to contend against the striking apathy of the Natives. Results were on the whole good. Karetu. —lf the teaching of English and geography were brought up to the level of the teaching in other subjects this school would be one of the best in the service. Taumarere. —This school also did surprisingly well at examination; weakness was hardly discoverable anywhere. Whangarei.- — District Superintendent, Mr. James Glendon, B.M. Ngunguru. —The school at Ngunguru was closed on account of the smallness and unsatisfactory nature of the attendance. The results obtained at the last examination were on the whole fairly satisfactory. Poroti. —For a long time Poroti had been a focus of feuds of various kinds. One of these at last led to actual warfare. Under these circumstances little school work could be expected. Many of the difficulties have now been got over, and the school appears to be doing well. At the last examination noticeable results were not forthcoming. Tangiteroria. —Fighting amongst the Natives, the death of the two principal chiefs, and the very bad state of the roads towards the close of the year led to great irregularity of attendance. Honest and productive work had been done, as the examination results showed. Taita.— The expectation formed last year of a good examination this year has been fully justified. The school is working smoothly, and there is every reason to be satisfied with it. Matakohe. —The school has made quite a new start, and there seems to be reason to expect that under the present master this satisfactory state of matters will continue to exist. Pouto.— The Committee had worked with unusual energy and unanimity, and the school work consequently had been carried on with considerable spirit; several circumstances of an unsatisfactory nature, however, have tended to lower the character of the school. Otamatea. —Towards the close of the year interest in the school revived, but before the examination most of the parents were away at the gumfields, and the children managed themselves. The examination results were very uneven, only the lowest class being thoroughly satisfactory.