E.—3

6

Transfer of Schools. The policy of the Department is to transfer the Native schools to the control of the Education Board of the district as soon as the Maoris have reached the stage where they have sufficient knowledge of English to speak i* in their homes, or where, as the result of an influx of Europeans to the district, the majority of the children are Europeans. Native schools are never built where a Board school is already within reasonable distance, and whatever cases of overlapping there may be in the Dominion have arisen solely from the action o£ the Boards concerned. The transfer of schools is becoming more difficult year by year owing to the increase of racial prejudice, European parents exhibiting strong objections to Maori children attending public schools in common with their own. Attendance, etc. 1. Native Village Schools. The number of pupils on the rolls of the village schools at the 31st December, 1914, was— Maoris, 4,521 ; Europeans, 551 : total, 5,072. The average number of Maori children in each school was 39-3, that of Europeans 3-9. The average weekly roll of the schools for the year was 5,092*, and the average attendance 4,486*, the average percentage of regularity being 88*, as compared with 85-7* in the preceding year. During the year 331 first-class certificates and 280 second-class certificates for good attendance were gained by pupils in the village schools. 2. Native Mission Schools. Three mission schools —viz., Tokaanu Convent School, Matata Convent School, and Putiki Mission School —were inspected by us during the year. The total roll number of these schools at the end of the year was 127, the average weekly roll 120, and the average percentage of regularity 89'8. 3. Secondary Native Schools. There are ten institutions established by various denominational bodies for the purpose of affording secondary training to Maoris. On the 31st December, 1914, the combined rolls of these schools showed 435 pupils, the average weekly roll number was 417, and the average percentage of regularity 91-1. The following table shows the above facts summarized : —

'** Classification. The classification of the pupils in the Native primary schools (including the mission schools) as at the 31st December, 1914, is here shown Classes. Number on Roll. Standard VII . . . . . . . . . . 36 VI . . .. .. .. .. 160 V .. .. .. .. .. 261 IV .. .. .. .. .. 451 111 .. .. .. .. 542 11 .. .. .. .. 667 I .. .. .. .. .. 676 Preparatory . . .. . . . . 2,406 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 5,199 School Buildings and Grounds. The condition of the buildings as regards cleanliness of the interior has been creditably maintained, and there are very few instances in which a favourable report could not be given on this account. The exterior, as a general rule, shows no depreciation beyond the ordinary weathering. Very seldom indeed do the Maori children disfigure the walls with scratching or writing of any kind. A good deal more remains to be done, however, in the direction of making the schoolrooms tidy in arrangement and attractive in appearance. The corners still serve as a depository for all kinds of odds and ends, and the top of the cupboard is a favourite place for old wall cards and diagrams. Our experience goes to show that the appearance of the school exerts a considerable influence on the attitude of the parents and pupils towards it—often, indeed, to a much greater extent than the teacher is aware of. We would again direct attention to the need for improving the appearance of the school-grounds. In many instances the teacher, with the co-operation of the parents and pupils, lias done much to make the surroundings attractive, but there are still many places in which practically nothing has been

* The totals do not agree with the figures relating to roll number and attendance given in tlie Report of the Minister, for the reason that the former represent the average attendance and average roll number for the mean of the four quarters of each Native school taken separately, and the latter the mean of the combined quarterly totals of all schools

Number Average a to™™ Percentage Schools. Number, at End of WeeklyRyll ... , ° of 1914. Number. | Attendance. | Regularity . Native village .. .. .. .. 115 5,072 j 5,092 4,186 88-0 Native mission .. .. .. .. 3 127 ! 120 106 89-8 Native secondary .. .. .. .. 10 435 417 380 91-1 Totals .. .. .. ..1-28 5,634 5,629 4,972 88-3 I 1