E—2

6

Group VI. — Western Bay of Plenty. There are seven schools in this group—viz., Te Kotukutuku, Paeroa, Papamoa, Te Matai, Matata, Olamauru, and Poroporo. These schools on the whole showed very good work at the examination, and the number of children attending each has been well kept up. Te Kotukutuku has made good progress, and has under the present teachers been transformed into a healthy and vigorous school. Similar remarks apply also in the case of Poroporo, to which something like its old form has now returned. The removal of the old Judea buildings to form an addition to the Paeroa School has answered the purpose admirably, and has contributed materially to the welfare of this flourishing school. There were only two schools in which exception might be taken to the want of cleanliness. There is still in two or three instances a need of better methods of instruction in the lowest classes, and in one school the order and discipline were far from being satisfactory. A very good display of handwork was made in Te Kotukutuku and Paeroa School, the plasticinework in the latter being excellent. Group Vll. — Eastern Bay of Plenty. There are six schools in this group—viz., Wa.ioweka, Omarumutu, Torere, Omaio, Te Kaha, and Baukokore. The attendance at these schools has been very good, especially when it is remembered that rivers liable to sudden rise are frequent in the district. To one school children walk at least five miles each way with commendable regularity.The work done by the children in several of the schools was excellent, and a capital display of handwork was made in them. The children were tidy and clean, except in one case. In this the peculiar form of religion obtaining prevented the use of medicine of any kind, and faith, on which alone the people relied, proved ineffectual in removing hakihaki. I may remark that I offered my own assistance in the case of one child who was very badly affected with skin disease. The parents objected, however, to the application of any medicine, and the poor child had therefore to suffer for their obstinacy and superstition. The methods in use in these schools have improved very much of late years, and in Omaio and Te Kaha especially they have produced excellent results. In one school only was the work weak, the children using their fingers in- arithmetic, speaking English very indifferently, and reading in an indistinct manner. A workshop has been established at Te Kaha, the people gladly lending what assistance was required. Group Vlll. — East Coast, Gisborne. The East Coast schools are : Wharekahika, Te Araroa, Bangitukia, Tikitiki, Waiomatatini, Tuparoa, Hiraharama, Whareponga, Tokomaru Bay, Whangara, and Nuhaka. The Maori people of this district are probably the most progressive of any of the tribes amongst which our schools are placed. It follows that as a whole they show a keen appreciation of the benefits of education, and the East Coast schools have always been regarded as setting a high standard. The attendance at these schools has been good, and in Tuparoa and Nuhaka there has been a large increase in the number of children, necessitating in the latter case an increase of accommodation. The work of the schools varies in character from fair to excellent. In one the order was not at all satisfactory; in another the instruction of the infant classes was decidedly weak. Handwork has been very well done in most of these schools, plasticine-modelling, basketweaving, and cardboard-work being of exceptionally high order. In most of the schools, too, an excellent tone prevails. Whareponga, which was, -unfortunately, closed temporarily pending the appointment of a suitable person to succeed the former teacher, who was transferred, and which did not, as has been incorrectly stated, " go out of commission owing to there being not enough children," has been reopened, and at inspection-time every available seat was occupied. The attendance at one or two of the schools has been affected somewhat by the establishment, presumably for European children, of Board schools, in cases at very short distances from the existing Native school. Thus Maori children from Bangitukia and Tokomaru Bay Native schools are now attending Board schools established near them. It has also just been decided to establish a Board school at Nuhaka, where twelve European children are now attending the Native school. The fact that European children and Maori children can be taught side by side without difficulty is evidenced by the continued success of Whangara School. The results obtained there are excellent. The children are remarkably clean, as is also the school, and the European parents seem well satisfied with the quality of the instruction given to their own children. Further, the tone of the whole kainga has been improved considerably by the work of the school. The Ngatiporou people have for the past few years begun to turn their attention and energy to sheep-farming, and they have attained a high degree of success in this work. The Ngatikahungunu of Nuhaka are still fully occupied in dairy-farming, of which they also have made a success. The Department should, I think, be prepared during the course of the next year or so to lend assistance in training such boys as may find their future vocation in either of these two directions. A training in agriculture or in general farm-work, including dairying, would be beneficial to the people of the district.