E.—2

2

There are still thirty-six applications for new schools on the list. Some of these appear to be good, and it is probable that when the rather numerous and often perplexing difficulties with regard to site and title have been overcome schools will be founded at the places referred to. It is not improbable that there will have to be some relaxation of the usual requirements in the case of ■districts in which estrangement between the two races has to a considerable extent been allowed to become chronic. Such cases are now happily very few ; perhaps the most striking ones are to be found in the West Coast districts, to the north and the south of New Plymouth. The examination reports of the schools examined during the year 1900 show that 411 children passed Standard 1., 374 Standard 11., 218 Standard 111., 152 Standard IV., 52 Standard V., and 15 Standard VI. These numbers are higher than, those of 1899, except in Standard 111., where the falling-off is twenty-four, and Standard VI., where it is two. The clear increase for the year 1900 is thirty-seven. The reports of the Inspectors are summarised in Mr. Pope's annual report, the intention being to give sufficient information with regard to each particular school to enable the reader to form an adequate idea •of its general value and efficiency. It appears from these reports that, while there are many schools that deserve to be called good, very few are indifferent, or worse. There are also the usual reports on the visits paid to the Maori boarding-schools—Te Aute and St. Stephen's for boys, and St. Joseph's and Hukarere for girls; these reports contain much information of an interesting nature. There are reports, too, on the denominational schools at Putiki, Matata, and Waerenga-a-Hika, and on the results of the examination for the Te Makarini scholarships. The total number of pupils receiving higher education, or some kind of technical education, at the end of 1900 was seventy-nine. This number includes two medical students at Otago University, one hospital-nursing scholar &t Napier Hospital, and four apprentices to trades. Although detailed treatment of the question of hand-and-eye and general technical training in Maori schools can only be glanced at here, seeing that most of the work done belongs properly to the current year, it will not be out of place to say that most of the proposals that were mere projects last year have been advanced more than one stage, while practical progress has been made with the works definitely sanctioned. At Kawhia the technical work that has been carried on for some years has been further developed, and a workshop has been erected. Building is going on at Eakaumanga, Rangitukia, and Whirinaki, and definite arrangements have been made for commencing carpentry work at other places. The workshops are intended principally for the purpose of giving instruction in woodwork to Maori youths who have left school, but will be available also for the older boys still attending the day-schools. Specific offers have been made to St. Stephen's and Te Aute ; the former institution has decided to accept, but the authorities at Te Aute see obstacles. The task of organizing handwork has been definitely commenced at about one-half of the Maori village schools, and will be completed .at the rest of these schools before the end of the year. Sixty-four of the eighty-four full-time schools in operation at the end of 1900 were under the charge of masters, and seventeen under the charge of mistresses; one was vacant, and two were subsidised schools only. The number of assistants was seventy, and of sewing-mistresses eight. The head teachers received salaries ranging from £61 to =£280; the salaries of assistants, who in nearly every case belong to the family of the head teacher, ranged from merely nominal amounts to £50. The expenditure on Native schools was as follows : Teachers' salaries and allowances, £13,206 9s. 9d. ; books and school requisites, £492 3s. 2d.; repairs and small works, and tree-planting on sites, £475 ss. lid.; inspection, £960 19s. 10d. ; boarding-schools and scholarships, £1,846 18s. sd. ; buildings, fencing, furniture, &c, £2,748 3s. ; technical instruction classes (including material for workshop), £111 14s. 6d.; sundries, £143 17s. 6d. : total, £19,985 12s. Id.