E.—2

8

Wairau (inspected sth October, 1892). —The long absence of the master through severe illness, the departure of all the best pupils from the school, and the continuance of bad weather, during which considerable portions of the district were under water, were the reasons why very little work was forthcoming at the examination. The school is now undergoing a three months' probation. If it should not prove more fortunate than it has been lately, it is to be closed. Kaiapoi (examined 13th November, 1892). —The school now presents about the same appearance as it did six year-s ago, and its recovery, after so long an interval, is matter for congratulation. The results are, on the whole, good. Most of the children did what was demanded of them, but none did it strikingly well. Waireiva, Little River (examined 12th October, 1892). —The attendance here has been much larger since the reopening than it had ever been before the school was closed. The present master and his predecessor have produced results that must be regarded as satisfactory, when account is taken of the fact that the school was dormant for a very long time. Bapaki (examined 11th October, 1892). —There is a noticeable improvement in the answering of the children here, a persistent effort having evidently been made to induce a habit of answering every question by means of a complete English sentence. This practice should be continued, and even further developed. The teaching has produced very satisfactory results. Waikoicaiti (examined 2nd November, 1892). —Great use is made of an admirable system of moniborship, which, in its working, tends to render the children self-reliant, and to give them an interest in their work. There is some room for improvement in the arithmetic and in the physical geography. The writing and the English deserve notice as being generally very good. Examination results were satisfactory. Beomoana, Port Molyneux (examined 17th October, 1892). —The instruction has yielded very good results, in spite of several drawbacks —noticeably, irregularity in attendance on the part of some of the school-children. As has been said elsewhere, the school, as being no longer a Native school, has been handed over to the Otago Board. Golac Bay (examined 28th October, 1892). —The school did not make a good appearance at the examination. That it did not do much worse is greatly to the new teacher's credit, considering the condition into which the school had fallen. The faithful, efficient, and long-continued service of the late master, Mr. H. W. Nickless, rendered it only just that great patience should be shown by the Department during his fatal illness; and it is not to be wondered at that the school suffered greatly during its continuance. The Neck, Stewart Island (examined 20th October, 1892). —The work done here is of very high value, and the general form of the school is pleasing. The following points, however, demand attention: The spelling of the upper classes is weaker than it should be ; and the mental arithmetic done by the elder children is not done with sufficient confidence and speed. The percentages, 100 and 87, afford satisfactory proof that excellent work was shown at inspection and examination. The following schools have this year obtained a gross percentage of over 80 : The Neck, Stewart Island, 87 per cent. ; Te Kao, North Cape, 84-5 per cent. ; and Waikouaiti, 82-6 per cent. The following schools also made over 70 per cent.: Tuparoa, Te Araroa, Waitapu, Te Matai, Paeroa, Bapaki, Te Kaha, Waima, Port Molyneux, Eangiahua, Kaiapoi, and Maketu. Thus fifteen Native schools in all gained over 70 per cent, in 1892, against 14 in 1891. Ten of the schools actually examined made less than 50 per cent. BoAKDING-SCHOOLS, ETC. Under this head brief mention is made of the chief features of the work done at each of the four boarding-schools during the year 1892. Some particulars are added respecting the examination for the Te Makarini scholarships, which are provided for by means of the fund established by B. D. Douglas McLean, Esq., in accordance with the views and wishes of the late Sir Donald. McLean and in memory of him, and which exercise an important and highly beneficial influence on nearly all the Native schools of New Zealand. The Native College, Te Ante, Hawke's Bay. —This institution was examined on the Ist and 2nd of December, 1892. As usual, the examination results were very good on the whole. The following verbatim extracts from the report should give an idea of the practical efficiency of each division : Class VI.: "The work was strong throughout." "Class V.: "Many clever papers were sent in, but there was some unevenness. The mathematical work was all strikingly good; science teaching had not been sufficiently experimental ; answers in ' Law and Government' were weak." Class IV. : "The grammar and the spelling were poor; the other work was more than satisfactory." Class III.: "An exceedingly bright class." Class II.: "Some of the handwriting was poor; all the rest of the work was good." Class I.: "Every pupil had made a satisfactory beginning." At the time of the examination the headmaster was away on well-earned leave, but the work was going on properly, the organization and discipline being apparently quite unimpaired. No more satisfactory proof of capable administration by the head of an institution could be desired than the continuance of good work in it during his absence. Native Boys' Boarding-school, St. Stephen's, Parnell, Auckland. —This school was examined on the 27th May, 1892, with pleasing results. Fifteen boys passed in standards and four passed the examination of the first year —that is, the first of the higher examinations for boys that have completed the ordinary village-school course. The following remarks were made in the report on the inspection, which took place some time before the examination: " The boys work with great earnestness ; their behaviour is quiet and respectful, and their relations with the headmaster are very good. It is quite manifest that there has been great improvement in the teaching here during the last year or two. One may freely admit that solid work has always been forthcoming at examination-time, but there are now evidences of intellectual stimulation and development that were formerly to some extent wanting. The dormitories, lavatory, and baths are all in good order;