E.—2.

BOARDING-SCHOOLS, ETC. Under this heading a brief account is given of the work done at each of the four Native board-ing-schools during the year 1894, also an abstract of the reports on the Convent Native School at Matata, and the Church of England Mission Schools at Waerenga-a-hika and Otaki. Some particulars are added with respect to the examination for the Te Makarini Scholarships, which are provided for from a fund established by Mr. E. D. Douglas McLean, in accordance with the views and wishes of the late Sir Donald McLean, and in memory of him, and which have exercised an important and highly beneficial, although for the most part indirect, influence on a large number of the Native schools of New Zealand. The Protestant Native Girls' School, Hukarere, Napier. —The inspection of this school took place on the 20th February, 1894, and the examination on the 10th December Fifty-seven girls were examined, but a considerable number of these were newcomers, who had not yet become thoroughly used to the ways of the place. Four of the senior girls succeeded in the final examination, and two passed in the examination of the first year On the whole, six girls out of twentyone passed , ten of those that failed being quite new pupils. In the lower school one girl passed Standard IV., four passed Standard 111., six passed Standard 11., and five passed Standard I. The work in the lower standards was good, the weakest part of it being the writing. In the upper school the oral work was very strong, the written was decidedly weaker, except that of the girls at the very top of the school, which was quite satisfactory The extra subjects—singing, drawing, drill, and needlework—deserved high praise. It would be just to remember, while forming an estimate of the work done at Hukarere during 1894, that the school, from the beginning to the end of the year, was in a transition state, through the admission and gradual admixture of much crude material of one kind and another, and to bear in mind, also, that, although failures were more numerous than usual, the school secured a fair number of really good passes. St. Joseph's College, Napier (Roman Catholic) Native Girls' School. —The inspection of this school took place on the 22nd of February 1894, and the examination on the Bth of December Thirty-six children were examined. One girl passed the final examination, and six girls that of the first year. In the lower school the passes were as follows One in Standard IV , four in Standard 111., eight in Standard 11. , and eight in Standard I. The lowest classes here make sound and rapid progress, and their work is good throughout. In the upper classes the teaching is careful, judicious, and " collective " this means also that it is very effective. Only two or three weak points need attention. The reading is too expressive—that is, it gives the idea that the expression is a manufactured article, and not spontaneous. The spelling is rather weak here and there, and the paper arithmetic, too, might well be much stronger The girls' ability to stand oral examination in any of the school subjects is really remarkable, and, so far as I can see, leaves nothing to be desired. A very high value should always be set on this kind of ability, for it means that the knowledge of those who have it is sound, concrete, and readily available it is not every one that will be often called upon to express his thoughts faultlessly in writing, but prompt accuracy will be useful to man and woman every day of their lives. Great improvement has been made in the singing and the drawing. Native Boys' Boarding-school, St. Stephen's, Parnett, Auckland. —The school was inspected on the 26th February, and examined on the 30th of July At inspection, the records, the organization and discipline, and the teaching of the extra subjects were found satisfactory The new assistant had proved to be a valuable acquisition to the staff, although not yet thoroughly acquainted with the weak points of Maori pupils—points which European traditional methods cannot adequately deal with. The usual careful examination of stores, kitchen, dormitories, and sanitary arrangements brought no defect to light, and it is believed that everything was in first-rate order At examination forty-eight boys were present, but of these only thirty-seven were qualified, by length of attendance, for examination. Of the senior boys examined, two passed the final and seven the first-year examination. In the ordinary .standard classes, one, eight, eight, and four pupils passed Standards IV., 111, 11., and I. respectively On the whole, the work asked for from St. Stephen's by the Department is done, and very well done. The Native College, Te Aute, Hawke's Bay. —The inspection of this school took place in February, 1894, the examination on the 11th and 12th of December A few extracts from the inspection schedules will probably give a good idea of some of the peculiar features of the institution and of part of the work done in connection with it "An experiment made with two well-educated young Maoris, who have been employed as masters, has proved to be very interesting these teachers have succeeded well with th,e four forms committed to their care , and the class discipline has been in no way defective." "Instruction, theoretical and practical, in carpenters'work has been regularly given. It has been found necessary to make the practiced classes very small, but for lectures and demonstrations all those on the 'technical list' are taken together " The fact that the written Maori language is really phonetic has rendered the construction of a Maori shorthand comparatively easy. Two good systems have been invented, and are being introduced among the Maoris. A beginning was made with one of these at Te Aute, and the boys took the thing up with much interest and success." A transcript of the report on Class V will give a fair idea of the character of the work of the whole school English: The parsing and analysis were decidedly weak, the rest of the work ranged from "pretty fair" to ' good." Euclid and Algebra The percentages gained on a not very easy paper were highly creditable. Government : The papers were very pleasing. Latin : A capital beginning has been made , five boys were very good indeed, two being excellent. Physiology Very sound and thorough work was shown in this branch. Geography ; The knowledge of the boys is wide and, for the most part, accurate. This is a very promising class." A certain amount of uneasiness with regard to sanitary arrangements at Te Aute had been felt by some of the parents, and Dr MacGregor, Inspector of Hospitals, was therefore asked to visit Te AuteIt is understood that he has made some important suggestions, which will, no doubt, receive the fullest attention.

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