8.—2

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East Coast. — District Superintendent, Mr. James Booth, B.M. Wharekahika. —The attendance is still satisfactory. It is a rule with very few exceptions that even in sparsely-populated districts a really good Native school will certainly attract the Native children to it. Kawakawa. — Here too the attendance is very good. Teachers and parents deserve high commendation for their persistent efforts to secure the success of their school. Bangitukia. —Very good work is being done here under rather difficult circumstances. The accommodation is hardly sufficient for the number of children in the district. Tikitiki. —The prospects of this school still continue to be encouraging. The Natives in the district set a high value on. school education for their children. Waiomatalini. —A great hui held here in the early part of the year appears to have unsteadied the .school to a certain extent, and complete recovery has not yet taken place. Tuparoa. —This school is very well managed ; the relations between pupils and teacher are good, and the attendance is punctual and regular. Numerous passes were obtained. Akuaku. —The teacher has succeeded in causing an excellent feeling with regard to educational matters to spring up in this district; the attendance is large, the work done in school is very good, and the Natives are proud of their school and greatly attached to the master. It would be difficult to imagine a more complete transformation than that which this school has undergone in the space of three years. Tokomaru. —After suffering for a time from the difficulties that ordinarily arise when an exchange of teachers takes place, Tokomaru School is doing solid, useful work. Wairarapa. — District Superintendent, Mr. S. yon Stunner, B.M. Papawai. —This is a satisfactory school; but the Maoris of the district should use it more than they do. Besides European children there should be an average attendance of at least fifteen Maoris. Te Oreore. —There seems reason to anticipate an improvement in the attendance. No real good will be done, however, until a building more suitable than the one now in use is provided. The South Island and Stewart Island. D'Urville Island. —The zeal of the Natives for civilisation has cooled somewhat. This is to be regretted, seeing that their little school has begun to give very good results. Waikawa. —This school is now in very good form, and the examination gave unmistakable evidences of persistent honest work. Wairau. —The opening-up of the Waikakaho and Mahakipawa gold-diggings has had an injurious effect on the school, as those parents who are on the goldfields often have their children away with them. Mangamaunu. —The attendance has been very irregular, and the results that have been obtained are unsatisfactory. Unless much better results appear next year, some radical change will have to be made. Bapaki. —There had been some unpleasantness between the teacher and the Maoris, arising probably from mutual misunderstanding. This has now been got rid of, and the school is in a promising state. Kaiapoi. —Here, too, some trouble arose through misunderstanding arising after transfer of teachers had taken place. At a recent visit it was found that the difficulties had disappeared, and that the school was again doing fairly well. Waireiva. —Although the number of passes gained is not great, the work done during the year has been good. The school exerts a salutary restraining influence where such an influence is greatly needed by the Maoris. Onuku. —The number of Maori children in attendance has increased considerably. The school did well at examination. Waikouaiti. —The results recorded on the examination sheets do not represent all the good work of this school. Much work that is of high educational value, though not capable of being measured by ordinary tests, is carried on here. Port Molyneux. —Good work is being done here. The teacher bestows much conscientious and effective labour on thirteen European children for whom no payment is allowed. Some modification of the regulation, which was framed to meet quite a different exigency, is evidently very desirable. Colac. —Creditable results were obtained at the examination. There is, however, some difficulty in making the children work quite independently ; this difficulty should by some means be got rid of. The Neck. —There are one or two points in which the examination schedule shows some weakness, but the school work on the whole is very good. The value of the school as a social and civilising agency is great. Boaeding Schools. Last year the Native boarding schools were dealt with very fully ; it will therefore be unnecessary this year to do more than make brief mention of the principal features of the work done during the year 1888 at each of these boarding schools. St. Stephen's, Parnell, Auckland : Church of England Boys' School. —At the examination held here in September one boy passed the final Native school examination; two passed the higher examination for the first year, and five failed ; two passed Standard IV., and two failed ; two passed the Third Standard, and one failed; thirteen passed the Second Standard, and one failed; two passed the First Standard, and none failed. The pupils at St. Stephen's always do great credit