8.—2

6

Waimamaku (examined 6th August, 1901). —The children are well in hand and, at the same time, evidently greatly attached to their teacher; so also are the parents. The weakest subject here is reading; but there is also room for progress in English, spoken and written. Generally, very good work was shown. This teacher will do even better than he does now, when he firmly grasps the idea that his future in the service depends almost entirely on himself, and by no means on actual or potential hostility of people outside. Omanaia (examined 21st May, 1901). —The people appear to have recovered, in part at least, from the effects of bad leadership by tohungas, and the outlook generally is now cheering. The results must be considered decidedly good, especially when it is remembered that many of the children have been only a short time at school. Extras are not very satisfactory. Waima (examined 25th May, 1901). —The great want of this school is English—sufficient, accurate, and confident. Sickness, the tohungas, and pestilent huis have retarded the progress of the school. When all these serious drawbacks are considered the results may be called not unsatisfactory. " Mutual help" is less prominent than it used to be. Otaua (examined 23rd May, 1901). —Pupils work honestly, and their behaviour is satisfactory. They show some attachment to their teacher, but attendance is not very punctual. Results are pretty good, but not so good as the inspection would have led one to expect. Sickness and irregular attendance account fcr this. Bay of Islands, Whangarei, and Kaipara. Kaikohe (examined 24th July, 1901). —The fundamental want of this school continues to be English—abundant, confidently spoken, good English. The results are not good ; they are in the main consistent with the teacher's view that a child takes two years to pass a standard. It must be mentioned, however, that, through holidays and illness, ten weeks have been lost since February. Ohaeaivai (examined 25th July, 1901). —The results here, although not by any means good, are more pleasing than those of last year, inasmuch as they indicate that what attainment there is has more solidity. The order is improving. It is to be borne in mind that the attendance has been irregular and unsatisfactory. Te Ahuahu (examined 26th July, 1901). —The results are but small. The school was closed for six months prior to April, and since then the attendance has not been good. In the matter of punctuality, too, there is much to be desired. Defective attendance and want of punctuality indicate want of interest on the part of parents, reflected into the school. Oromahoe (inspected 27th July, 1901). —The school had been at work only three months when it was inspected, but it had already made an excellent beginning. There was not a pupil that had not been well taught ; this became evident when the children were put through the form of an examination. It may well be said that results were excellent. Taumarere (examined 30th July, 1901). —This little school is still doing excellent work and more than justifying its existence in anomalous circumstances. The building is still too small. Pupils work honestly, and the school tone generally is good. Karetu (examined 29th July, 1901). —The pupils here, too, work honestly, and, with the exception of one European family, appear to be fond of the school, which continues to do good work and to exert a salutary influence in the place. The examination results were very good. Whangaruru (examined 6th March, 1901). —The work shown was productive of satisfaction to both teachers and scholars. It represented a great deal of good, hard work, carried on in a desert place, so to say, and with no other perceptible incitement than a desire to do rather irksome duty zealously and well. The soil of the school ground is improving, and will bear a crop in a moist season. Poroti (examined Bth March, 1901). —This year's aspect of the school was more favourable than that of the previous year. Some of the passes were decidedly good, while some of the few failures were due to causes evidently beyond the teacher's control. The attendance is larger and more regular than it was, and relations between parents and the school are better. Otamatea (examined 3rd September, 1901). —The children appear to work earnestly and to have a liking for the school, but attendance should be more regular. The order is satisfactory, and the results are in the main decidedly good. Teacher and children have worked hard to make the garden attractive. Thames, Hot Lakes, Waikato, and " King -country." Manaia (examined 2nd March, 1901). —Teacher and parents seemed to be agreeing better than they did in former years. With some backwardness in one or two subjects, the juniors did very fairly well. At the best the work of the seniors was only tolerable. The English and much of the arithmetic were weak, and the geography was very poor. Drawing was unusually good. Rakaumanga (examined 11th March, 1901). —Development of affection for their teachers is apparent among the pupils. The results, although not very striking, give decided promise for the future. Good work will be done if pupils attend steadily, for these young Waikatos have it in them to do very well indeed. There is every reason to expect success in connection with the technical workshop attached to the school. Raorao (examined 18th March, 1901). —This is a pleasing and interesting school. What may be called " King feeling" is strong here, but the Department has been able to carry on school-work for some years with considerable success. There is a failing-off just now, but it may be hoped that this will be temporary. At the examination results were found to be quite satisfactory. Kawhia (examined 16th March, 1901). —The school tone appeared to have been interfered with to some extent by differences originating outside the school and its work. The master stated that these differences were making his pupils hard to manage. The school-work was unequal,