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steadiness. Singing is now taught by the assistant mistress with very fair results. Maori aptitude for drawing (freehand and geometrical) was shown in the work produced. The physical exercises included under the head of " drill" are all very well done. Improvement in the teaching of English was again noted. The boys are now taught the rudiments of carpentry At the examination, which was held on the 28th of August, the following weak points were noted The "mechanical" writing of the juniors was not very good the arithmetical-problem work of the seniors was only middling , and the physical geography was far less meritorious than the remainder of the geographical work. These deductions being made, the examination work was well up to the mark. The passes were as follows Senior pupils, first year, five were examined and five passed , Standard IV., two were examined and both passed, Standard 111., five were examined and all passed, Standard 11., eight were examined and all passed, Standard 1., twelve were examined and ten passed. The Native College, T'e Ante, Haivke's Bay. —The institution was inspected on the 28th of February, 1893. Sixty-seven pupils were present at inspection, of these, fifteen were Govern-, ment scholars. The school records were, with one trifling exception, found to be correct. The schoolrooms were in good order, and the gardens had a pleasing appearance. If trees were more numerous the grounds would be delightful. Owing to the absence of one of the junior masters the organization and discipline of the lower part of the school were hardly up to the usual mark, but this difficulty was of a merely temporary nature. The extra subjects—singing, drawing, and drill—had not yet received very much attention. The carpenters' work was to be begun again soon. As usual, the kitchen and the food, the dormitories and the beds, the closets and the drains were found to be generally satisfactory Inquiries, however, made it seem possible'that the boys do not get quite enough green vegetable food. It may be that Maoris would suffer less from the tendency to cutaneous irritation if they ate cabbage and similar food more frequently than they do. Only one other matter seemed to need special attention a couple of dozen gum-trees planted at the back of the schoolhouse would, besides giving capital shelter in a few years' time, probably render a rather unsatisfactory piece of ground thoroughly safe and wholesome. A very useful addition to Te Aute is the large and convenient swimming-bath, the boys thoroughly appreciate it. The examination was held in December last. The boys' answers to written questions were examined at Wellington, as has been already explained. On the whole the work was satisfactory, but it would be hardly correct to say that the usual high standard was reached in every part of the school. Te Maharini Scholarship Examination for Boys. —The examination was held on the 18th and 19th of December Eight candidates presented themselves at the three centres—Te Aute College, Hawke's Bay, Otaua, Hokianga, and Torere, Bay of Plenty The scholarships were awarded by the Trustees as follows W Hape Barrett of Te Aute, and formerly of Kaiapoi Native school, took the senior scholarship, both of the junior scholarships went to the Native school, Omaio —one to Wi Nira, the other to Weihana Teramea. The work of the Te Aute scholars was good this year that of the village school candidates could be called only fair. The standard of the questions set was, however, rather high. St. Joseph s Providence, Napier (Roman Catholic) Girls' School. —The inspection of this school took place on the 27th February, 1893. Thirty-eight girls were present at inspection, sixteen of these being Government scholars. It is really unnecessary to say very much about this excellent school. The work here goes on with great regularity and in general accordance with the Department's requirements, and the teachers have always shown great willingness to give a fair trial to plans suggested to them as improvements. Thus it has come about that the methods in use are nearly identical with those adopted in the best of the ordinary Native schools. This is about all there is to say, but it may, perhaps, be added that as time goes on, and as the teachers find that some of the methods recommended to them are of a really trustworthy character, they get into the way of using them with good heart and ever-increasing success. Considerations of this kind afford an approximate explanation of the fact that during the last few years, although the changes in method have been small, there has been a quite remarkable increase of mental vigour and grasp among the senior pupils at St. Joseph's. As has been already explained, no examinations were held in 1893 at St. Joseph's or at Hukarere. The Protestant Native Girls' School, Hukarere, Napier .—This institution was inspected on the Ist March, 1893. Only twenty children were present at inspection. It was plain that the epidemic of December, 1892, had had, for the time, an injurious effect on the prospects of Hukarere. This, however, has long since passed away, and at the end of 1893 the names of thirty-nine pupils were on the books. The extra subjects, and especially drawing and singing, are always very well taught here , there is not much show, but good solid work .is always forthcoming when asked for. The same remark holds good with respect to the needlework. The methods used by the head mistress are good, and she appeared to have done much in the way of bringing her assistants up to her own level. At this inspection much time was devoted to a systematic and careful examination, with the assistance of a drainage expert, of the outhouses, drains, and traps at Hukarere. There is solid reason for saying that, as long as the present sanitary arrangements' are continued, there can be at Hukarere no outbreak of malarial disease due to defective drainage. The household manage* ment here is of such a nature as to give the pupils experience of most of the comforts to be obtained in a European family and home. The Convent Native School at Matata. —lnspected and examined 3rd July, 1894. The attendance had been greatly affected by an epidemic of fever—slight, but disabling. Hence the school appeared considerably weaker than it really was. Thirty-seven children were present at examination. Of these, two passed Standard IV., six passed Standard 11., and three passed Standard I, I was glad to see that much useful work was being done in connection with physical exercises of different kinds , in the case of Maori children, it is hard to exaggerate the importance of such " physical education." Good work is undoubtedly being done here as at most of the other denominational schools, under the influence of strong wills directed by lofty aims, although the directors have only limited resources at command.