G.— s.

35

J. THOBNTON.j

fere with the time given to other subjects. I may say, as regards Latin, that Latin is essential for the matriculation examination, and therefore it finds a place in our curriculum. It may be called a smattering of Latin in one sense, but in another sense it is not a smattering, because what is taught is thoroughly taught. We do not get beyond Latin prose, but what really they do in Latin to qualify for the matriculation is thoroughly taught. I should like to say also that I find that the teaching of Latin in the case of Maori boys is a very valuable tool in teaching English. We try in every case to make the Latin help the English, and the English the Latin, and I find from my own personal experience—because 1 take all the higher Latin —that the two things materially assist each other. A Latin sentence has to be translated into good English, and so the study of Latin involves the building-up of English sentences; and when it is remembered that to the Maori the English is a foreign language, this is no inconsiderable point. 40. What grants have been made by the Government during the whole of your time at the school?— During the whole of the time I have been at Te Aute the Government have paid us £200 a year—that is, ten pupils at £20 a year. In this connection 1 may say that the average cost per pupil per annum is £25. That is to say, when the total cost of the institution for the whole year is divided by the average number of pupils, £25 is the quotient. 41. When did this question of manual and technical education first become prominent in your communications with the trustees, or the Archdeacon, or the Education Department?—l will produce the correspondence on the subject of technical education [Exhibit No. 36]. 42. Has there been any desire on your part or on the part of the Archdeacon or of the trustees to exclude manual and technical education from the College?— Absolutely none. 1 think we have given proof that our efforts have been entirely in the other direction, seeing that for many years we carried on carpentering classes. If it is in order I would like to refer to a letter which I wrote to the local newspaper containing my view on the subject. I may state that it was mentioned in one of the local newspapers that Mr. Pope had himself been opposed to the introduction of technical education at Te Aute, and I felt it would be only just to Mr. Pope to refute this statement, and I wrote this letter [Exhibit No. 37]. 43. Is there anything you wish to add to the educational side of the subject?—l would like to emphasize what I say in that letter: that ours are a hard-worked lot of boys. They begin at 7 o'clock in the morning, and they are not finished until 9 o'clock at night. The only time they have absolutely to themselves is from 3.30 to 5 p.m., and in the case of the senior boys that time is very frequently entrenched upon. The daily curriculum I may put briefly as follows : Prayers, 7 a.m.; breakfast, 7.30; at 8 a party of boys numbering from six to eight come to me and we work together about the place, chiefly in the vegetable-garden; school begins at 9.15; dinner at 12; school again from 1 to 3.30; tea, 5 o'clock; at 6.30 they meet again, when the daily newspaper is read out to the whole school by one of the senior boys; at 7 evening preparation begins; prayers at 8.15; after which I generally have something to say to the boys, which brings it up to 9 p.m. I think that will give the Commissioners some idea as to how their time goes. As regards domestic work, they are occupied in laying the tables for meals, in washing up after meals, in chopping all the wood for the establishment, which is no slight job, seeing that we bake our own bread. They also help in the washing; they sweep the dormitories and make their own beds, and keep all the premises round about the College tidy and in good order—l mean the concrete and the paths, and so on—and generally assist in the domestic work of the institution. 44. They do not cook?—No; we want to keep them in good health. When we have been hard pushed for a cook they have all turned to, and done very well. 45. Is there anything further you wish to say? —There is one point I should like to emphasize, and that is that it is a very difficult task to take Maori boys on to the matriculation examination. It must be remembered that they have to do all their work in a foreign language, and it is very much as if an English boy had to pass his matriculation examination in German or French. I remember Mr. Pope on one occasion saying that the credit of passing the matriculation examination in the case of a Maori boy was worth at least 50 per cent, more than in the case of an English boy. 46. And yet they have, in passing the matriculation examination, to secure the same percentage of marks? —No allowance has been made. I have appealed to the University over and over agaiD to make a concession in favour of Maori boys, but they have not seen their way to do it. That is all I wish to say. 47. Apart altogether from the scholastic side of the institution, the financial part is under the control of the Archdeacon and yourself ?—Yes, entirely. 48. You keep a banking account ?—Yes, with the Bank of New Zealand. 49. How long has that account beeu in existence?—l should say about seven or eight years. 50. And it is operated on by yourself and the Archdeacon?— The Archdeacon signs, or I sign for him. 51. Do you also keep a cash-book showing receipts and expenditure?—l do not keep a ledger, a cash-book is kept showing receipts and expenditure. 52. Everything received goes into the bank?—Y'es, straight into the bank, with the exception of petty cash, which is all accounted for in the cash-book. But the petty cash is drawn on by chequ3. 53. So the banking account is a complete cash-book in itself?— Yes. 54. With regard to accounts that are paid, are they passed by the Archdeacon and yourself?— They are passed by me as for the Archdeacon. 55. And the accounts are audited?— Yes, annually, and presented to the Diocesan Synod, and triennally to the General Synod, in whose reports they are printed. 56. When did you first begin to look after the accounts: seven years ago?—Oh, no; I began to look after the accounts from the very start; but before the banking account started they were kept on a different system.