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difficult to get the nature-study taught by personal observation, with the result that it becomes naturestudy with the nature left out. The new syllabus contains valuable suggestions for the treatment of this subject, and the attention of teachers is accordingly directed to it. The handwork of the infant children comprises paper folding and cutting, carton-work, and plasticinemodelling. The pupils of the higher classes take plasticine-work, cardboard-work, woodwork, or agriculture. The results in the lower classes are still satisfactory, but there is not a great amount of ground covered in the higher ones, nor is the treatment there so good. The syllabus indicates that the instruction should be correlated as far as practicable with the drawing, but this is not generally practised, except perhaps in the case of the .woodwork. Some excellent brushwork was exhibited at some of the schools, and we hope that this branch of the work will be largely extended. The drawing of flat copies, which has so long occupied the principal place in drawing, is to be discouraged entirely in favour of representation in the mass of natural forms, to which brushwork particularly lends itself. In a similar manner cardboard-work, besides affording training for the hand and eye in precision and accuracy, is of valuable assistance in the teaching of arithmetic, and deserves fuller recognition on that account. The woodwork instruction is fairly satisfactory, most of the workshops being entirely self-supporting. The training in the drawing of plans and in working from them still, however, leaves much to be desired. The teaching of sewing is generally very successful. The work done is mostly of a practical character, the girls making dresses for themselves and clothes for their younger brothers and sisters, in several schools a large amount of work in knitting, &c., was done in connection with the movements to provide comforts for soldiers. In the new syllabus there are some extensive alterations in the programme of sewing; indeed, the work of the lower classes lias been remodelled entirely, but the practical application of the exercises has been maintained. The attention of assistant teachers is earnestly directed to this amendment. In very few schools can we record success in elementary agriculture, and the need for proper organization of this important subject is very much felt. We are quite behind the times in this respect; and this is all the more to be regretted, seeing that most of our schools at any rate have land available for garden-plots. The few schools in which the subject is well treated show results that are most creditable ; in the other cases the work is haphazard, ill-directed, and without value as an educational subject. We have again to remark upon the careless handling of the tools supplied. Itis not an uncommon thing to find them lying about the playground or in the shelter-shed, some broken, all more or less dirty. This state of things is a sure indication of the failure of the teaching in the subject. In the few village schools in which instruction in cooking is afforded, good work continues to be done. The girls themselves take great interest in the subject, and their parents approve highly of the teaching. The expense to the Department is practically nil. We would draw the attention of teachers to the provisions of the regulations with respect to cookery. In all schools, of the highest grades at any rate, it is important that the girls should have the opportunity afforded them of instruction in cookery. In the appendix to the new regulations we have included suggestions for a course in elementary home science arranged for the public schools, and hope, in view of the great need for affording Maori girls some training in the efficient management of a home, that whenever the circumstances of the school permit the subject will be taken up. Tn singing, good results are obtained in nearly all the schools, the part-songs rendered in many ■j- instances being exceedingly well done. The teachers have made satisfactory advance in method, and the use of the sol-fa method is now almost universal, so that the pupils have practically no difficulty in singing at sight. We have been impressing the necessity of this upon teachers for several years, and are glad to note the response. Voice and ear exercises should now receive careful attention, while the hand signs and time-names will be found to be valuable aids to the exercises in singing, and should therefore also be taught. The new system of physical instruction has been introduced in a good many schools, arrangements having been made for the teachers to attend classes of instruction in common with the teachers of public schools. Unfortunately, our teachers in one or two districts were overlooked, and the opportunity of training was thus lost. The teachers of the East Coast schools and of those in the far North should be provided for before the end of the current year, special arrangements being made for them if necessary. This will practically complete the work of instruction in Native schools. The new system has so far produced good results, a notable feature being the improvement effected in the discipline. Secondary Education. Secondary education for Maori boys and girls is afforded in the following institutions established by various denominational authorities : Otaki College, Wellington ; Hikurangi Boys' College, Clareville, Wellington; Turakina Maori Girls' School, Wanganui; Te Aute College, Hawke's Bay; Hukarere Girls' School, Napier; St. Joseph's Convent School, Napier; Waerenga-a-hika College, Gisborne; St. Stephen's Boys' School, Auckland; Victoria Girls' School, Auckland; and Te Waipounamu Girls' School, Canterbury. All of these schools have been established for the purpose of affording secondary training to Maori children only, though in accordance with the conditions of the trusts upon which, they are founded European children are not wholly excluded. The Government subsidizes these institutions by providing a number of free places, open to all Maori pupils who have qualified in terms of the regulations. The total number of pupils on the rolls of these schools at the end of the year was 435. Of these forty-eight boys and fifty-nine girls held free places provided by the Department. Two free places were also held by boys at the Sacred Heart College, Auckland, "one at the Auckland Boys' Grammar School, one at the Auckland Girls' Grammar School, and one at the Auckland Technical School.

2—E. 3.

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