E.—3.

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No. 2. REPORT OF INSPECTORS. The Inspectors of Native Schools to the Inspector-General of Schools. Sir,— 10th Februray, 19H. We have the honour to place before you our report on the general condition of the Native schools and the work done by them during the year 1913. New Schools, etc. At the end of the year 1912 there were 107 Native village schools in operation. During the year new schools were opened at Maungatapu and Matapihi, near Tauranga; Waiorongomai and Mangatuna, East Coast; and Te Beinga, near Wairoa, Hawke's Bay. An experimental school was opened at Taupo, Whangaroa, in the early part of the year, but had only a brief existence. The school at Waikouaiti, Otago, which was established in the seventies, was handed over to the control of the Otago Education Board, and Waiuku School was closed at the end of March. Four schools— Te Whaili, Kenana, Tuhara, and Kaikohe —were not open at the end of the year, the first three owing to the want of teachers, and the last owing to the epidemic of smallpox. There were thus 107 village schools open at the 31st December, 1913. The buildings at Waiomio and Kirioke, in the Bay of Islands district, Fari/cino, on the Wanganui River, and the Pukehina, Bay of Plenty, have been completed since the end of the year, and these schools are therefore to be added to the above number, so that as the schools which were not open at the end of the year have since been reopened, there are, at the time when this is being written, 115 Native-village schools in operation. During the year investigations were made into applications for schools at the following places: Buatahuna and Maungapohatu, Urewera country; Hiakaitupeka, near Taumarunui, King-country; Oriiawharo, near Port Albert; Moerangi, near Raglan; Kaitaha, near Tuparoa, East Coast; Waiohau, near Galatea, Urewera country; Bewatu, near Kihikihi; Kaikou, near Whangarei; Kaiuku, near Te Mahia, Hawke's Bay; Taungatara, near Whangamata, Bay of Plenty; Orira, Hokianga; Waimahana, near Waiotapu, Rotorua; Whangaparaoa, Bay of Plenty; Waipapa, near Mohaka; and Awaroa, Kawhia. The establishment of schools has been decided upon at Buatahuna, Htakattupeka, Kaitaha, Kaikou, and Whangaparaoa, and proceedings for the acquisition of the sites are now in hand. The Department still finds a difficulty in getting the survey of the land put in hand. Thus we are informed in the case of Buatahuna, where a school is urgently required, that it is impossible to say when a surveyor will be free to undertake the work, and nothing can be done in the meantime as the Department will not proceed with the erection of buildings until the acquisition of the site is complete. Decision was postponed until after another visit in the case of Oruawharo, Moerangi, and Waiohau; negotiations are still proceeding in the case of Orira and Whangaparaoa; the reports on Taungaiara and Awaroa were unfavourable. The request for a school at Waimahana was met by the conveyance of the children to Waiotapu School, while it was found that Bewatu was within not unreasonable distance of public schools in the district. An application for a school at Waipapa, near Mohaka, had to be declined on similar grounds. The case of Kaiuku, Te Mahia, apparently requires further consideration. The establishment of a school there is likely to have a serious effect upon the Board school at Opoutama, which many of the children concerned attend. Visits of investigation are yet to be made into the following cases : Pekapekatahi, Whakatane; Waimaha, Urewera; Waikeri, near Ahipara; Otangaroa, near Whangaroa; Bangiwaea, near Tauranga; and Tanehiha, Raglan. Attendance, etc. 1. Native. Village Schools, The number of children on the rolls of the village schools at the 31st December, 1913, was : Maoris, 4,132; Europeans, 515: total, 4,647. The average number of Maori children in each school was 386, and that of European children 4"8, showing practically no difference on last year's figures. The average weekly roll of the schools for the year was 4,746, and the average attendance 4,069, the average percentage of regularity of attendance being 857, as against 869 last year. An average of over 90 per cent, was attained in thirty schools, those reaching the highest mark being Manaia (98 - 9 per cent.) and Te Kao (979 per cent.). In fifty-six schools the average reached from 80 to 90 per cent.; in the majority of the remaining cases the attendance was so seriously affected by epidemics that the low average cannot be taken as a true indication of the degree of regularity reached. 2. Mission Schools. There were three mission schools established by various denominational bodies and inspected by us at work during the year—viz., Tokaanu Convent School, Matata Convent School, and Putiki Mission School. At the 31st December, 1913. the roll number of these schools was 116, the average weekly roll 118, and the percentage of regularity 898. 3. Secondary Native Schools. Ten schools affording secondary training for Maoris were in operation during the year-— viz., St. Stephen's Boys' School, Auckland: Te Aute College. Hawke's Bay; Waerenga-a-hika College, Gisborne; Otaki College, Wellington; Hikurangi College, Clareville, Wairarapa; Queen