5

E.—3

Natives attending Public Softools. A larger number of Maori children attend public schools than attend Native schools, and, as is to be expected where no special attention is given to assisting the Native pupils in overcoming the language difficulty, as is done in Native schools, their progress is much less satisfactory. Their attendance at public schools is also reported as being very irregular—a fault not at all marked in the case of Natives attending their own schools. The result is that the Native children in public schools are greatly retarded and fail to achieve good results in any subject requiring a thorough knowledge of English. The desirability of their attending schools specially organized for them is thus clearly demonstrated. Secondary Education and Free Places. The Government has not instituted any schools especially for the secondary education, of Maoris, but a number of such schools having been established and being maintained by the various denominational bodies, the Government subsidizes them by providing at them a number of free places for Maori children possessing the requisite qualifications. The value of the free places was recently raised from £20 to £30 per annum, and they are tenable for two years. The roll number of these schools (ten in number) at the end of .1.918 was 471, of which number fortyfive boys and fifty-eight girls held the free places referred to. The great majority of the scholars were ex-pupils of Native schools. The syllabus of work to be followed by free-place holders is prescribed by the Department, and is designed to secure such industrial training as is considered desirable in the case of Maoris : the boys learn agriculture and woodwork, and the girls take a domestic course. The Makarini and Buller Scholarships were founded out of private bequests, and are tenable by Maori scholars at Te Ante College. Owing to the epidemic the examinations for these scholarships could not be held in 1918, and the candidates affected will be given the opportunity of competing for them in 19.19. Senior free places are provided for boys in the form of industrial scholarships, which enable the holders to be apprenticed to suitable trades. These scholarships have not of late been eagerly sought after, the boys finding that they can secure higher wages in other ways. Senior free places for girls take the form of nursingscholarships. At the end of 1918 three girls were in training as day pupils and one as a probationer, on the staff of two different hospitals. Staffs and Salaries. The staffs of Native village schools in December, 1918, included 73 male and 43 female head or sole teachers and 127 assistants. The average salary of male head or sole teachers was £212, of female head or sole teachers £164 ss. 7d.. and of both combined £194 6s. 3d. These figures show an advance on the average salaries for the previous year, which were £206 Os. 5d., £159 3s. 9d., and £187 18s. Id. respectively. The average salary of the 119 female assistants was £89 lis. Id., and of the eight male assistants £81 17s. 6d. The total expenditure on Native-school teachers' salaries and allowances for the year ended 31st March, 1919, was £34,888, the corresponding figure for the previous year being £33,360. In common with other public servants Native-school teachers were paid a war bonus in addition to their usual salaries, the total amount paid on this account in 1918—19 being £2,397. An amended scale of teachers' salaries adopted for the current year applies to Native-school teachers, so that their salaries will show a substantial increase at the end of the year. Expenditure. The total net expenditure on Native schools during the year ended the 31st March, 1919, was £48,500. The chief items of expenditure were teachers' salaries and allowances, £34,888 ; war bonus, £2,397 ; new buildings and additions, £2,646; maintenance of buildings, repairs, &c, £3,112; secondary education, £2,303 ; books and school requisites, £954 ; teachers' removal expenses, £791.