E.—2

10

East Coast. Wharekahika (examined 14th June, 1899). —The principal difficulty at this remote school is to secure a sufficient attendance. At examination time the number was unusually low. The Department Would, however, hardly be very particular about the school's being quite up to the mark in this respect ; the Maoris are good people, and do their very best for the school, which they prize highly. Besides, Wharekahika is a capital training-ground for teachers. There is reason to believe that the present " trainees " will prove to be valuable additions to our staff. Tβ Araroa (examined 15th June, 1899), —The pupils show interest in their work and intelligence in doing it. There was weakness here and there in the school work, notably in the arithmetic of Standard IV., and in the geography generally ; on the other hand, much of the work was very strong and good. The inspection results were entirely satisfactory. The Teachers and the Maoris are on the best of terms, and there seems to be no reason for disturbing present arrangements. The singing and drill at Te Araroa are remarkably good. The drawing also is decidedly above the average. Bangituhia (examined 16th June, 1899). —The order here is remarkably good; when the Teachers are withdrawn from the school the silence is still perfect. The tone also is capital; the children are frank in manner, and enthusiastic workers. The elder Maoris seem year by year to value their school more highly. The school, like many others, has done much secondary good to the Maoris ; to use a common phrase, they have " spruced up " ; nearly all come to examination well dressed. The school made a very good appearance at the examination. The drill and the drawing were very good indeed, and some progress had been made with singing. At examination some weakness appeared in mental arithmetic and some want of fluency in reading. In other respects the school did admirably. There were fifty-nine passes in all, and a large proportion of them were strong, many being very strong. Besides this, the school is, generally, in first-class order. Tikitiki (examined 19th June, 1899). —After the examination was over a large and enthusiastic meeting was held in the schoolroom. The principal topic was the removal of the Teachers from the school; every one seemed very anxious that there should be no change. An assurance that removal was not at all contemplated seemed to make every one happy. Some weakness was shown in the Fourth Standard arithmetic. Standards below the Fourth did encouraging work. Much strength appeared in geography and " health." On the whole, good, solid results were forthcoming, and there is reason to be hopeful about next year. Waiomatatini (examined 20th June, 1899). —This is a rather difficult school to manage. The people would, I think, be sorry to lose their school, but they do not work for it so hard and persistently as some of the neighbouring settlements do for theirs. The work shown was pleasing : the pronunciation was remarkably good, and so was all the work for which skilful teaching was necessary—geography, health-work, and. comprehension were capital. I am sorry to say that the master, Mr. H. E. Kirkman, has left us for Gape Colony. The loss of such teachers as Mr. Kirkman is not easily made good; skilful and very industrious, he always managed to produce satisfactory work. Tuparoa (examined 21st June, 1899). —The new Master is already securing the peculiar kind of school-tone (an excellent one) that is characteristic of his system; the Maoris are showing satisfactory interest in the process. The examination results have been pleasing enough, but necessary changes in the recent past have been too numerous to be quite consistent with the production of first-class work, such as will in all probability be forthcoming next year. The lower part of the school is already in excellent trim. Higher arithmetic will require much attention, so also will geography. Hiruharama (examined 22nd June, 1899). —A recent large influx of pupils had led to very considerable unevenness in the work; several good, strong passes were secured, but there were many failures also, some of them very complete. The school was not free from the mutual-help principle, which is destructive because it almost always leads to copying, in arithmetic especially. Also, the staff of the school was hardly large enough. But, all circumstances being considered, especially the short time that had elapsed since the appointment of the new Master, there was no ground for complaint; the results may be characterized as very fair. Tokomaru (examined 23rd June, 1899). —The tone among the children is good; they work with energy and enthusiasm, and have much confidence in their Teachers. They attend well, although work in the neighbourhood is plentiful. Order is good throughout. A little weakness appeared here and there in the work—for instance, in mental arithmetic and in correction of faulty English; but on the whole the work was capital. A very high place indeed would have been gained had it not been for the large number of very young " Preparatories," who, of course, are a dead weight under our system of valuing the relative efficiency of schools. Hawke's Bay, Wanganui, and Wellington. Kokako (examined 15th February, 1899). —This school opened well, but it has been steadily declining for some time past. The circumstances of the school resemble those of Hiruharama (East Coast) to some extent, but the Tuhoe people have been but little in contact with Europeans. The district is mainly occupied by sheep-stations, and many of the Maoris depend for their livelihood on work given them by the lessees of these stations. The climate is rather severe also. The troubles that the school has passed through, and the changes in the staff, have tended to make the school a difficult one. In the circumstances the examination work was decidedly pleasing. Nuhaka (examined 17th July, 1899). —A good beginning had been made with the breaking-up of the ground, with planting, and with formation of flower-plots. So far as the parents are concerned there is a good tone. The attendance shows that. The pupils do not yet quite understand the run of things, but take a very fair interest in their work. The school had not been long in