8.—2

5

Waioniro, Kawakawa. —Application has been made for reopening the school here. The matter will require careful investigation. Wainui, near Whakarara, Whangaroa. —There seems to be no ground for action in this case. Wailotara, Wanganui. —Many of the Maori children attend the public school. There is no reason why all should not attend, and the Department can take no action. Waiharara, Awanui, Mangonui. —A Board school is already established here, and most of the Maori children attend. Waiuku, Manukau. —No advance has yet been made by the Maoris in giving the required site. Further action meanwhile is therefore impossible. Maori Village Schools at Work during the Year 1903, or some Portion of it, and Examined or Inspected, or both. The basis on which the schools are grouped in this report is afforded by their geographical position. Much information respecting the work done by individual schools, including estimates of their general efficiency as educational institutions, has been tabulated and printed in the Appendix to this report (see Tables Nos. 6 and 7). Additional information regarding the character and circumstances of particular schools will be found in the following paragraphs: — The Far North: Parengarenga, Mangonui, and Whangaroa. Hapua (inspected and examined 20th October, 1903: Mr. Bird). —The amount of time allotted to conversational English, as shown on the time-table, should be considerably increased. Attention to this would make a great difference, as there were some failures through lack of sufficient knowledge of English. Examination results were on the whole uneven. It is somewhat difficult to get these children to speak out distinctly, a fact which probably arises from their living so far out of the world. Some children had not yet learned to work honestly. The extra subjects were on the whole weak. Many children could come to school here, but the difficulties to be overcome are the crossing of the arms of the harbour and the attractions of the gumfields surrounding. The Chairman is very anxious that compulsion should be used. Te Kao (examined 19th October, 1903: Mr. Bird). —The time-table here is well suited to the school requirements. Order and discipline good; tone, both internal and external, satisfactory. The teaching is thoughtful and well directed, and produces, especially in the upper standards, very good results. Extra subjects were good, singing being very good. This is another remote school, surrounded by gumfields. The Maoris of Te Kao have always been anxious for the welfare of their children as regards education, having indeed started a school of their own over twenty years ago. This interest is still apparent. Paparore (examined 22nd October, 1903: Mr. Bird). —This school made a good appearance at examination, and the results were exceedingly good. The teaching is earnest and thorough, English work being excellent. The tone is first rate, and the order and cleanliness all that can be desired. The people are thoroughly satisfied with their teachers. The building, erected by the Maoris themselves, is now too small to accommodate the children. Kindergarten and handwork are well done. One lamentable feature noted during inspection work was the fact that the preparatory class had received a severe blow during the year: most of the children had been carried off by an epidemic. Only three were left, of whom two were still absent through illness. The master deserves every credit for the valuable assistance he rendered to the Natives during the prevalence of the fever. Ahipara (examined 20th October, 1903: Mr. Bird). —The Maori is keenly attracted by the new thing. New site and new teacher have combined to make a remarkable development in Ahipara. As the old building was in danger of being buried by the sand, it was removed to a new site, and forms practically a new school. There were present at examination fifty children, the majority of them in the preparatory classes. Examination results were not large, but the school has taken a new lease, being now quite on the basis of a new school. It should under the present conditions become one of our largest and most important schools. Classes P and SI should receive the most careful attention. The class-room will soon need enlarging to accommodate these classes. Pukepoto (examined 16th October, 1903: Mr. Bird). —This school still keeps up its excellent standard. The Maoris have great faith in their teachers, and would be very loth to part with them. The Chairman, an old St. Stephen's scholar, takes a very great interest in the school, and is a source of considerable support to the master. The new shelter-shed, erected at a very reasonable cost, is of great utility, and its state of cleanliness is remarkable. The school tone is exceedingly good. The teaching is thoughtful and well directed, that of the assistant in charge of the infant classes being especially good. The results of the examination were very good indeed. Pamapuria (examined 15th October, 1903 : Mr. Bird). —The whole ahua of this school can only be described as most unsatisfactory—attendance irregular, school tone bad, and relations between master and people considerably strained. The examination results were accordingly poor, there being only two passes. In some cases the reading was so indistinct as to be unintelligible. English suffered in the same way, being weak right through. There is room, too, for a general smartening-up in the appearance of the schoolroom, in the children's persons, and in the school work. Extra subjects left much to be desired. Peria (examined 10th October, 1903 : Mr. Bird). —This school has, from one cause and another, had a very bad time of it. Epidemics of various kinds led to the closing of the school for over two months. There were present at examination twenty-six out of a roll number of thirtv-two. Want of constant attention to work on the part of the teacher in charge led to disastrous examination, there being no passes at all. A new teacher was appointed at the end of the year. Parapara (examined 11th October, 1903: Mr. Bird). —A change of teachers has occurred here since last examination, and the inspection was more of the nature of a constructive criticism.