E.—2

6

Waikare. —On the whole there is reason to be satisfied with what has been done during the year, if the improvement made may be taken merely as giving promise of a new and better condition of affairs at Waikare, and not as completely satisfying the requirements of the Department. Poroti. —An excellent understanding subsists between the master and the parents : all co-operate to secure the success of the school; the children also work honestly and well. As might have been expected, the examination results were very satisfactory. The district has always been considered very hard to manage ; the present master, however, apparently finds the difficulty sit very lightly upon him. Mangakahia. —The attendance at the school has been very seriously interfered with by Native meetings, held for one purpose or another. Perhaps the explanation given by an intelligent old chief belonging to the district is as satisfactory as any that could be found : he says that the cause of the frequency of these meetings is the folly of the Natives who hold them. Tangiteroria. —Some defects were noted here indicative of some laxity of management. Fortunately there was nothing that would not be remedied by a little extra care and attention. The results, as far as they could be ascertained under very disadvantageous circumstances, resulting from exceptionally bad weather, were fairly satisfactory. Taita. —Only moderate results were forthcoming at the examination. This was disappointing in view of the fact that at the previous examination there had appeared to be reason to hope that excellent progress would be made. The weakness observed was of a rather puzzling character. It was probably due to some habitual want of definiteness of aim on the part of the teacher when giving his lessons. Pouto. —There was a partial failure in Standard III.; seemingly because the teacher had not given a sufficient amount of test-work, and also because the children had acquired a habit of helping one another when allowed to do so, and were consequently unable to get on when these facilities had been removed. Notwithstanding this partial break-clown there is, on the whole, reason to be satisfied with the results obtained. Matakohe. —There had been a considerable amount of sickness in the settlement; the teacher's professional knowledge of dispensing had been of great service. At the date of inspection the weather was so very bad that it was quite impossible to get the children together for examination. Otamatea. —The examination-day was exceedingly wet and boisterous, and the children who attended had to battle with a pitiless gale. For this reason the examination work could be only imperfectly done. The new master seems, however, to have made a satisfactory beginning. Thames and Waikato. — District Superintendent, Mr. G. T. Wilkinson. Kirikiri. —The Maori attendance here had become very small, while that of the European children was constantly increasing. Most of the pupils, too, showed a good working knowledge of English. On the whole, therefore, it seemed very desirable that the school should pass over to the Auckland Board; but unexpected obstacles arose, and the transfer has not yet been effected. Pretty fair results were forthcoming at the examination. Kopua. —Kopua has suffered through removals of families to Otorohanga, and through the present master having had to succeed very popular teachers. As is usual in such cases, some little friction resulted from the change. In this instance it was caused by the wish of the new teacher, who is energetic and painstaking, to have his school in first-rate working order according to his own ideas, as speedily as possible. This, of course, was a highly laudable wish, but it is generally desirable to make changes of an important nature with considerable slowness and deliberation. By the time the inspection took place the aspect of the school had become tolerably satisfactory, but it has since been found necessary to close the school. Otorohanga. —This important school has made a highly satisfactory beginning, and there is no reason to doubt that this success will be permanent. The number of half-castes and quarter-castes attending is large, but the district is thoroughly Maori in most respects, and nothing but a Native school could completely satisfy the educational wants of the people. Te Waolu. —The tone is excellent ; the pupils work hard and constantly, and are greatly attached to their teachers; also, the relations between parents and teachers are good. An arrangement has been much talked of, which would allow a considerable number of outside children to come and board in the neighbourhood, their food being provided by the Natives themselves. If three or four influential Maoris would take tho thing in hand it could be easily accomplished. It is to be regretted that there are not more passers-by to admire the well-kept garden and schoolgrounds. Tapapa. —The parents are just now rather apathetic about the school, " Kingism " having lately been galvanized into temporary activity. There have also been some removals from the district. There is ground for hoping that the gaps caused by these removals will soon be made good, and that the unfavourable influence that one or two old-fashioned chiefs can exert on a school will prove to be a vanishing quantity. Lake District and Bay of Plenty .—District Superintendent, Mr. B. S. Bush, B.M. Te Awadwu. —The Natives attended in considerable numbers to complain of the state of the school. They appeared to have no definite complaint to make, except that the children learnt but little. That there was good reason for this statement was made plain enough at the examination, but it was not clear that the want of success was not largely due to the Natives' own apathy. Anyway, it was plain that some change ought to be made, and the Department has since closed the school. Botoiti. —There is a large though somewhat scattered Native population in this district, and most of the Natives have great confidence in the-master and all that he does. A few of them, however, object to him because bags of flour cannot be extorted from him. Both of the teachers appear to have made up their minds to go in for the work heart and soul. On the whole, it seems safe to predict a long and successful career for Botoiti,