E.—2

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metic and algebra the work was very fair, although the questions were, perhaps, rather hard. Latin was not quite up to the usual form. Class IV. : Some weakness appeared in Euclid, and more in Latin ; on the whole, however, the work of the boys showed ability and earnestness. Class 111. : The arithmetic was very strong and good. The Latin, like that of beginners generally, was shaky in places. On the whole the work was pleasing. Class 11. : As might have been expected, the work of this class is still rather crude; but good progress has been made, especially in arithmetic. The English has not quite reached the high-water mark of former years. Class I. : The three pupils presented were, of course, beginners. The Native Boys' Boarding-school, St. Stephen's, Parnell, Auckland. —The inspection of this school took place on 2nd March, 1900. Fifty-one boys were present, all Maoris. The buildings and offices were, as usual, in capital order. The weather had been very hot and dry, and consequently the garden had fallen off somewhat; but a large new area had been broken up and prepared for planting and grassing. The whole of the elementary work, up to and including Standard IV., had been put into the hands of the assistant mistress, who was managing it well. The discipline is good. Singing, drawing, and drill are all very good.; the gymnastic work is quite famous in Auckland. The following notes on the methods are of some importance :If pencils are held close to the points writing cannot possibly be good. It is not desirable that spelling should be made a " tack" to reading. The headmaster's "Health" lesson would have been more profitable if results had been written on the blackboard as they were secured. The work of instructing Maori children differs from public-school work in one very important respect: European children bring to school a fund of important information and training; Maoris have to receive this fund from their teachers Hence arises a most important difference in method ; Europeans may sometimes be allowed to flounder through difficulties—may, metaphorically, be thrown into the water to show if they can swim. This should never be done with Maori children. In reading, for instance, Maoris should have all the difficulties in the lesson carefully removed by " preparation," under the teacher's direct supervision and with his help, before they make an attempt to read it. If Maoris read " unseens," these should always be well within their grasp. Any one who has visited this institution periodically for more than twenty-one years can hardly fail to realise through retrospection that vast changes have taken place in the physique and general condition of the Maori people within the period referred to—that is, of course, if the relation of the Maori people to the boys now at St. Stephen's does not differ very materially from the corresponding relation, twenty years ago. The changes are indeed very wonderful; they cover not only health and wealth, but almost body and soul. With regard to the examination held on the 30th April, 1900, it may suffice to say that of the thirty-nine boys qualified for examination by length of attendance thirty passed—viz., eight in Standard 1., four in Standard 11., three in Standard IV., while thirteen passed the senior examination, first year, and two the senior examination, second year. This result is quite satisfactory. St. Joseph's Soman Catholic Native Girls' School, Napier.— -The inspection of this school took place on 27th February, 1900. What is technically called the tone of the school has improved much of late. The teachers have always been eager to teach, but now the girls are quite eager to learn. Parents, too, are much more anxious to have their children educated than they were formerly ; also the children are sent to school cleaner than they used to be, and with better outfits. The extra subjects are, on the whole, carefully taught, and the results are pleasing. "Sliding" in singing, however, should be carefully avoided; the habit is much more easily contracted than got rid of. With regard to the examination, which was held on the 22nd November, 1900, it is worth while to state that there is no reason why either teachers or scholars should feel discouraged because the passes in the upper school are somewhat less numerous than usual, for the apparent falling-off is largely due to the fact that the Department is insisting on having thoroughly presentable work in English, which determination is in turn due to the fact that it is becoming more and more obvious that the power of writing and speaking English, of spelling it correctly, and of understanding the mutual bearing of parts of sentences must be placed in the very forefront of the secular education of the Maoris. At the examination one passed the senior examination, second year; four passed the senior examination, first year; none passed Standard IV., five passed Standard 111., five passed Standard 11., fifteen passed Standard I. The work of the lower school is, as usual, very good; but even here there is some need for more particular attention to English work. The Protestant Native Girls' School, Huharere, Napier.— The inspection took place on the 20th February, 1900. The general appearance of the place is pleasing, but the grass on the grounds should be mown more frequently. The pupils seem very comfortable, and on the best of terms with their teachers. Extra subjects are well taught. Without in any way reflecting on past managers and teachers, I may say that the general appearance of the institution has improved of late. While making the usual round I saw nothing that appeared to need amendment; everything was neat, and even tasteful. One remark, however, seems necessary : when an enlargement of the premises takes place, one of the principal changes should be the giving of more room for the dormitories. For ordinary weather no change is necessary ; but when windows have to be shut these rooms must be stuffy. The examination of Hukarere took place on the 23rd November, 1900. The results in general were very satisfactory, and the following details may be of interest: The reading is singularly good; very heterogeneous material has been made nearly homogeneous; pronunciation and expression are nearly as good as could be desired. The general paper work (geography, New Zealand history, and physiology) was very pleasing; pupils appeared to clearly understand where the boundary between their ignorance and their knowledge lay. Spelling, except among the seniors, was generally rather weak. The copy-book work is capital, especially in the upper classes; here, too, the work is very systematic, and produces even results. The arithmetic is, on the whole, quite satisfactory ; some of it is very good. The English work is