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E.—3

having since been appointed assistant Native health nurse at Otaki. During the recent epidemic, the Maori nurses who had been trained under this scheme were called up to take charge of temporary hospitals and fever camps, and acquitted themselves with credit. Te Makarini and Butter Scholarships. —The examinations in connexion with these scholarships conducted by us under regulations made by the trustees of the funds were held as usual towards the end of the year. The Te Makarini Scholarship Trustees offered two scholarships for the year, one senior and one junior, the latter open to Native boys attending a Native school or schools under the control of the Education Department (not public schools), and the former open to Maori boys under sixteen years of age attending any school. For the Junior Scholarship there was only one candidate—Joe Tararua, of Tokomaru Bay Native School—who having qualified by gaining 606 per cent, of the total marks, was awarded the scholarship. There were seventeen candidates for the Senior Scholarship, and a fairly high standard was reached in the English subjects, work in arithmetic being, however, less satisfactory. The papers on Biblical knowledge show r ed some degree of improvement, and the work in Maori was also very satisfactory. For the Buller Scholarship, open to all boys of predominantly Maori blood who are not over the age of sixteen, there were five candidates —three from St. Stephen's School, Auckland, and two from Te Aute College, Hawke's Bay. The work submitted by four of the candidates was very creditable, the English subjects showing marked improvement as regards originality and independence of thought. One candidate took mathematics as his optional subject, the others taking woodwork, the highest marks in which were obtained by a Te Ante boy. In the other subjects satisfactory work was done, the translation of Maori presented by the leading boys being very good. The highest marks were obtained by William Panapa, of St. Stephen's, but he declined the scholarship, which was then offered to Hiko Savage, who was next in order of merit. The trustees find that considerable delay takes p|ace in awarding the scholarship owing to their having to obtain the necessary information as to the age and parentage of the candidates. We propose, therefore, to issue forms of application to candidates, who will be required to furnish proof of their age and of their being of predominantly Maori blood, as demanded by the regulations. Concluding Remabks. 1. During the year the work of many of the northern schools was interrupted by the epidemic of smallpox which broke out about the middle of the year. Several schools were closed for considerable periods, the buildings in some instances being placed at the disposal of the Health Department for use as hospitals. The apparent susceptibility of the Maoris to the disease caused a great deal of alarm amongst the Europeans in the districts affected, and, even in localities where there was no sign whatever of the epidemic, the Maori children were indiscriminately forbidden to attend school. 2. A more serious effect, so far as the education of Maori children is concerned, has been the intensification of the racial antipathy and prejudice exhibited towards the Maori in many parts of the North Island, and even in some parts of the South. This has led in some cases to an attempt on the part of the local authorities to turn the Maori children out of school, which has in some places actually been accomplished. Probably in none of these cases is the number of Maori children concerned sufficient to maintain a separate school, even if the Government were inclined to reverse the hitherto invariable policy of treating both races alike, and it follows that these children are reduced to the position, of outcasts. This question is one, therefore, that demands the earnest consideration of the authorities. 3. " The truly conscientious teacher will often feel discouraged in his work. The ideals set before him appear to be above the realities and the possibilities of life : he meets opposition where he should find help." These words apply with peculiar force to the Native-school teacher, who finds that his work, from its very nature, involves many disappointments, and who frequently receives more scorn and ridicule than sympathy and appreciation. The ignorance of the general public in regard to what is being done is remarkable. Some of the strongest criticism comes from persons who, although they may have had the fullest opportunity for visiting and inspecting the work of the schools, have never entered them; in other cases the opposition seems to be inspired by jealousy. Nevertheless, it is a fact that when people, including visitors from other countries who are competent judges, have taken the trouble to seek the truth at the fountainhead, they have expressed a high appreciation of the work in Native schools. As for the Maoris themselves, we can state positively that if there is one thing done by the Government on their behalf that they appreciate more than all the others, it is the provision made for the education of their children by means of the Native-schools system. For our part, when reviewing the work of the teachers, while we are conscious of the imperfections in it, as are the teachers themselves, we feel that we cannot speak too highly of their earnestness and devotion in promoting the welfare of the communities in which they are placed, and of the splendid results they have achieved in the schools. William W. Btod, ) T , John Portesus. [Im The Inspector-General of Schools.