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have worked earnestly throughout the year. The committee gave a promise that the attendance would be improved, and it may be hoped that this promise will be kept. A hint had to be given here which is of universal application : A teacher should not work up to the questions that an inspector has asked in the past, but rather up to those that the Code would allow him to put, as questions affecting a pass. Ruatoki (examined 30th June, 1900). —The school presents all the difficulties that a new school in a thorougnly Maori district is bound to present. The people have not yet realised the true object or the true value of education, and their interest is not of a vigorous kind. There are, however, signs of awakening, and this awakening will certainly receive judicious and efficient treatment at the hands of the master. The'results were good on the whole, although the standard requirements had not received quite all the attention they deserve. The garden and grounds here are beginning to be very attractive. Waimana (examined 31st July, 1900). —-This is a new school, and it bears many characteristic marks of its newness. It takes some time for a school to put on the staid and orderly appearance of our best schools; but considerable advance in the required direction is being made; the children are already orderly and well behaved, and have a school tone; prevention, too, has been at work as well as cure, and the unwholesome practice of spitting on slates has not been allowed to take root. Much has been done also with the extra subjects. The teaching here is earnest and vigorous ; both teachers have clear ideas as to what they wish to achieve, and nothing short of their ideal satisfies them. The attainments of the children are more than satisfactory, and although the school is only a year old it is thoroughly presentable and creditable. Kokako (examined 21st February, 1900).— For some seven months before the examination took place the teachers were having a weary struggle against adverse influences. So far as one could see, the best had been made of the proverbial " bad job." The results were good enough to show that they would have been very good in more favourable circumstances. After the examination the school had three months' further trial, and then it was closed. The Bay of Plenty District. Kotukutuku (examined 13th August, 1900). —The discipline seems to be still rather weak; the extra subjects are only pretty fair. The teaching of ordinary subjects is careful and good; the master has a clear conception of what he wants to teach, and he teaches it. He is quite successful in gaining the attention of his pupils. The results are decidedly good. The interest displayed by the people in their school is now not very pronounced. There is a neat little garden, and the grounds generally are in a satisfactory state. Paeroa (examined 13th July, 1900). —The pupils work heartily and honestly, and their behaviour and manners are excellent. Extra subjects, especially singing and drill, are well taught. The school is now as presentable and strong as it has ever been ; the numbers are increasing, and several of the people are feeling renewed interest. Although the teacher shows unmistakable indications of progressiveness and a constant tendency to cast off unprofitable methods, there is one matter that needs her attention : simultaneous work is valuable in teaching, and for impressing things, but useless for testing. Papamoa (examined 16th July, 1900). —The time-table is defective; much time is given to preparation of unseen work by young Maoris, and far too little time is given to English. The teacher's ideal is becoming higher, as what it is possible to do becomes more apparent. The manners of the children have improved very decidedly, and this improvement will, it may be hoped, be progressive, until good manners and good bearing are characteristic of the school. There are signs, of a beginning of affectionate respect for the teacher. The results are good. Te Matai (examined 17th July, 1900). —The results in the lower school were decidedly good. In the upper they were satisfactory, but less even. The work had been carried on for a considerable time in the absence of the master, who was suffering from a dangerous and, as it turned out, fatal disease. Mr. J. F. Capper died on the 3rd of January, 1901. He had been in the service twenty-seven years. From first to last he was one of our best teachers ; diligent, intelligent, a man of affairs, and always to be relied on, Mr. Capper was a teacher that we could ill afford to lose. There is no reason to doubt that if he had worked less hard and conscientiously his life would have been preserved for many years to come. His work, unfortunately, lay in a very tiring and disappointing district. It should in justice be added that Mr. Capper's efforts were always well backed up by his wife and family. Matata (examined 2nd August, 1900). —The garden is neat and useful, and the grounds are in satisfactory order. This school contains an unusual proportion of quite little children; indeed, nearly all the Maori scholars are very young. The school would do much better work were correct English sentences constantly demanded; English generally should be correct, vigorous, and abundant. The results are not good. Good work has been done, but there is much unevenness. Yet, it would be wrong not to say that the teacher has worked hard and earnestly. Otamauru (examined Ist August, 1900). —In some subjects, especially in English and in reading, the teacher should set up a higher standard. The manner of teaching is good; it is patient and winning, and great care is taken with the work. The assistant mistress corrects silent "work in a thorough and painstaking way. There is still much room here for improvement in pronunciation. The school had evidently made good progress since the previous examination; the results were on the whole good. The outstanding want of the school is more English—more, and better. Poroporo (examined 28th June, 1900). —There is just one blemish—mutual help is not unknown. The teachers have adopted clear and definite ways of teaching, knowing what they want to teach and being satisfied with nothing short of success. They are also progressive, modifying their methods from time to time as they find it desirable to do so. The results are decidedly good, and the school generally is a very presentable one. The children answer questions

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