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and cleanliness left nothing to be desired. Extra subjects, except drill, which had not been taught, were good. The work of the school showed that much honest effort had been put forth. Considering the crowded state of the schoolroom, the teachers had done remarkably well in the isolated circumstances in which they have been placed. The results of the examination were very satisfactory. The youngest children wanted thorough drilling in sounds, and Classes SI and S2 need greater attention in mental arithmetic. Whangarae (examined 19th December, 1903: Mr. Bird).—Each child here has his own garden, and they were all very creditably kept. Blackberry had, however, taken possession of the school ground. The relations between teacher and people were very cordial indeed. The children's clothes were clean and tidy; they still have to learn, however, how to clean a slate properly. The singing was, on the whole, very good; drill and drawing were weak. Word-building and instruction in sound should be the preparation for reading given in the lowest classes. The examination showed that fairly good work had been done during the year, and that probably only a little more experience is required to produce more even work. The teacher has the interests of the people at heart, and does much work, outside of the school work, in helping and caring for them. Waikawa (examined Bth December, 1903: Mr. Pope).—The attendance here is somewhat small, there being few children to attend school. The garden and grounds were in a highly satisfactory condition. Time-table arrangements should be made more up to date, and the document should be complete in every particular. The teachers and pupils were on good terms, though it seemed as if the cordial relations sometimes existing between parents and teachers were hardly to be found here — rather a kind of armed neutrality. It is desirable that in teaching there should be an almost imperceptible "sliding" from the known to the unknown. This makes the work concrete. Further, in order to give the teacher an opportunity of knowing how far the matter in hand has been grasped, and to improve the children's power of expressing their thoughts in English, all answers should be given in complete sentences. The results, which were on the whole satisfactory, showed that much hard work had been done. Wairau.— Owing to the illness of the teacher, this school was not examined. It had to be closed towards the end of the year, but it is hoped that work will be resumed shortly, _ Mangamaunu (examined 18th November, 1903 : Mr. Bird),—The attendance here has been satisfactory. Buildings were in a satisfactory condition. The garden is exceedingly pretty and well arranged. The order and discipline were both quite satisfactory. The singing was verypleasing, the enunciation being very good. Kindergarten work of various kinds is very well done. The higher standards should receive more English work, notwithstanding the fact that the school is not so " Maori " in character as our Northern schools. The results were verv satisfactory, English and arithmetic being specially good. Kaiapoi (examined 4th December, 1903: Mr. Bird).—The work of the school had been considerably interfered with owing to the children taking part in the carnival. Indeed, the school deserves better consideration at the hands of the people. The new residence had been completed in a very satisfactory manner. Singing was hearty; drawing, especially that of the upper classes, very good; the drill exceptionally good. There is need of careful attention to the method of teaching reading to the preparatory classes—work which may be regarded as some of the most important in the school. In the lowest division the results were somewhat weak; in the highest they were exceedingly good. Preparations for pois and hakas generally leave their mark on a school. Rapaki _ (examined sth December, 1903: Mr. Bird).—-The schoolroom here was not so bright as one could wish. Time-table arrangements needed some alteration; five hours and a half per week are far too much for infant-class writing. The order in school was distinctly good, and, with one exception, the children worked honestly. Extra subjects were only fair, and need 'attention. Arithmetic can be taught successfully only by means of constant use of the blackboard. The younger children should be so trained that they do not require the use of their fingers in adding. The results in the lower classes were good; in the upper the work was not so good. The children of this school had not, strange to say, been diverted from work by practising for carnivals. Arowhenua (examined 2nd December, 1903: Mr. Bird).—A little needless talking among the younger ones was observable; the elder children behave well. There is, however, very little to find fault with, and one may regard the discipline as very good indeed. The children were exceedingly clean both in person and habit. Kindergarten work is done fairly well. A little sliding was noticeable in singing. Drawing and paper-mounting both deserved a high mark. The methods in arithmetic need attention, and preparation of the juniors in sounds and word-buildino- would be of benefit to the children. The sewing deserved special praise. One of the best pieces of work exhibited was a shirt made by a boy. Practical instruction of this kind has a very high value. Throughout the school work very pleasing progress had been made. Wairewa, Little River (examined 3rd December, 1903: Mr. Bird).—The discipline here has considerably improved under the present teacher and his predecessor, and one would now hardly recognise the children as being the same as were to be seen here formerly. There is still room for more stringency in the lowest classes ; the upper classes leave nothing to be desired in their behaviour and manners. Kindergarten and hand work are well attended to. The children should now proceed in plasticine-work to model from actual objects. Of the extra subjects, drill was very weak It has been affected, as have other subjects, by the absence of the children to practise pois and hakas.' Great care should be taken with preparatory classes to establish a thorough foundation in the sounds of the English language. In arithmetic, too, it may be advisable to take one number at a time, and to teach as concretely as possible its composition and relations. The results of the examination were on the whole satisfactory. Waikouaiti (examined 30th November, 1903: Mr. Bird).—The appearance of the school and its surroundings showed that much care is taken to secure cleanliness. Order and discipline were

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