31

H.—2l

schools are, to a certain extent, tributary to the higher school. All these schools are open to all scholars on payment of the customary fees. There is no regular system by which the children of such as cannot afford to pay may be admitted, but any case brought under our notice would be considered on its merits. The attendance at the common schools has fluctuated much. The changes of the teachers have been disadvantageous to the attendance. Taking an average of years, the attendance may have been thirty at each. At these common schools the teachers were in receipt of the Government allowance until it was withdrawn by the cessation of the Act. We did not require the teachers to place themselves under the operation of the Act, as this would have been to their own loss; but as a rule they always were under the Act. The High School would have been also open to inspection, if at any time it were requested, though, as before stated, it did not receive any grant. Under the present system, I think that the common schools, in their unassisted state, are not likely to be able, from the school fees alone, to secure the services of the more efficient teachers permanently. These will always have the temptation of removing to schools in other districts, in this or other provinces, that could afford a higher scale of remuneration.

Baptist Church.

Thursday, Ist April, 1869. Present: Mr. Hart and Mr. Heale. Lot No. 388, Grahamstown, Lot No. 7, Section 14, Baglan — Baptist Congregational Church Sites. The Eev. P. H. Gornford, being duly sworn, states : My name is Philip Henry Cornford. I reside in Wellesley Street, Auckland, and I am a minister of the Particular Baptist congregation. (Eecord copies, A. 49, 7,496, Grant of 2 roods 35 perches, allotment No. 388, Grahamstown, and of A. 49, 7,549, Grant of 2 roods, allotment No. 7 of section 14, Eaglan, produced.) No action has been as yet taken in respect of either of these allotments. They are sites selected in anticipation of population gathering at these localities, which expectation has not yet been fulfilled. Our congregation is small, and nothing has been done by us, as distinguished from other religious bodies, in reference to education, excepting the maintenance of our Sunday-schools.

Primitive Methodist Church.

Lots 3, 4, and 4a, Section 36, City of Auckland. Mr. J. Probert, being duly sworn, states: My name is John Probert. I reside at Newton, in the suburbs of Auckland, and am a settler. (Eecord copy, Eeg. iv., No. 34, Grant of 1 rood 4 perches, allotments 3, 4, and 4a of section 36, City of Auckland, produced.) I know the allotments in Edwardes' Street on which the Primitive Methodist chapel stands, but I cannot identify the sectional numbers. The chapel is of wood, wainscotted, and plastered inside :it will probably contain about 300 persons. Divine worship is regularly performed in it. There is also a school built on the ground. The erection is of wood, a tolerably commodious building, but I cannot give any information as to the attendance there, nor do I know the name of the master. The present minister of our congregation is Mr. Dean, resident at the top of Beresford Street. I have for some time ceased to act as a trustee. When I was last at a trustee meeting, I was the only one there except the minister. I can give no information as to whether any new trustees have been appointed. All information with respect to this,point, and also to the efficiency and conduct of the school, could be procured, I have no doubt, from the Eev. Mr. Dean. The Eev. W. J. Dean —(Saturday, 3rd April, 1869), —being duly sworn, states : My name is William John Dean. I reside in Auckland, and am the minister of the Primitive Methodist congregation in that city. I have heard the evidence of Mr. Probert read, and it is correct, except so far as concerns the accommodation that the chapel can afford. It contains sittings for 426 persons. The chapel was erected in 1857, at an original cost of £285 ; debt when finished, £100 ; enlarged in 1860. The enlargement, with the erection of the schoolroom (about three years ago), cost £1,016. The debt at present standing is £212. The average attendance, about 250 at the present date. As far as I know, three of the original trustees are alive—Eev. E. Ward, J. Probert, and J. Harris. The others Ido not know. The property is now managed by a Committee of Management, appointed by the quarterly meeting, consisting of nine members. We have no day-school, it is only a Sunday-school which is held in the schoolroom adjoining the chapel. We have recently put the property in a state of thorough repair, at a cost of £220 or thereabouts. The debt referred to does not affect the freehold of the property, but is only in notes of hand of members of the Committee.

Hebrew Congregation.

Thursday, Ist April, 1869. Present: Mr. Hart and Mr. Heale. Various Lots. Mr. D. Nathan, being duly sworn, states :My name is David Nathan. I reside in Auckland, and am a merchant there. lam a trustee of most of the lands granted for the use of the Beth