11

E.—3,

secured for pupils from Native village schools who have proved themselves qualified and likely to benefit by an extended educational course. The following are the Maori secondary schools which are visited and reported upon by officers of the Department : Queen Victoria School for Maori Girls, Auckland; Turakina Maori Girls' School, Wanganui ; Hukarerc Girls' School, Napier; St. Joseph's Convent School, Napier ; Te Waipounamu Girls' School, Canterbury ; St. Stephen's Boys' School, Auckland ; Waerengaahika College, Gisborne ; Te Aute College, Hawke's Bay; Hikurangi Boys' College, Cartirton ; and Otaki College, Wellington. The numbers of pupils on the rolls of the foregoing schools at the end of the year were---Boys, 228 ; girls, 205 : total, 433 ; and of this total 42 boys and 48 girls were the holders of free places awarded by the Government. One Maori boy also held a free place at the Sacred Heart College, Auckland. The syllabus of instruction ranges from the requirements of the various standards of the public school to those of the Public Service Entrance Examination, and no attempt is made to provide what is usually understood by " secondary education." The primary function of these schools should be to provide an education such as will enable the pupils to become useful and efficient members of the communities to which they will eventually return. An education which fails to have such an aim is of very doubtful benefit either to the pupils themselves or to the Maori race. The controlling authorities of the; schools referred to above have undoubtedly this aim in view, and to a very large extent effect is given to this aim by the provision of facilities for training in industrial occupations. The importance of this aspect of the educational needs of the young Maori cannot be too highly stressed, and any tendency to regard this practical training as a subsidiary part of the school course instead of really the principal part of it is to be deprecated. In the various schools for girls very good work is done, the syllabus of work embracing the ordinary English subjects and arithmetic, together with all the branches of domestic training suited to the requirements and conditions of the Maori people--namely, the general management of a house, cookery, laundry-work, dressmaking, hygiene, and home nursing. The need for knowledge of this kind in many Maori settlements is most pressing, and it is highly desirable that even greater attention should be devoted to it. As has been pointed out in former reports, "No girl should be regarded as having satisfactorily completed her course until she can cut out undergarments and dresses for herself, as well as clothes for infants and young children, and in a similar way emphasis should be laid upon home nursing and the care of the sick and of infants." With regard to the boys' schools, the industrial training takes the form of instruction and practice in woodwork and practical agriculture, and generally an honest endeavour is made to direct the minds of the boys to industrial pursuits. At St. Stephen's arrangements are being made to include also a course of instruction in metal-work as part of the industrial training. At Waerengaahika, Hikurangi, and Otaki colleges considerable attention is given to practical training, and the work of the institutions is directed towards this end. The results of the examinations conducted in these schools indicate that the pupils are generally efficiently taught. One cannot help being impressed when visiting any of the secondary schools with the splendid appearance of the scholars, who are on the whole of striking physique, well mannered, courteous, and obedient. Scholarships, etc. The number of scholarships or free places open to Maori scholars was 134, of which 82 were held at the end of the year by scholars from Native village schools, and 9 by scholars from various other schools. For many years a number of senior free places taking the form of industrial scholarships was annually awarded to boys who had passed through a two-years course at one of the Maori secondary schools and were anxious to learn some trade, but during the war period very few applications indeed were received by the Department, and at the end of the year under review no industrial scholarships were current. In this connection it is most satisfactory to learn that many lads have profited by this additional course of tiaining, and are now doing well. Senior free places for Maori girls take the form of Nursing Scholarships, and are awarded to suitably qualified girls who are anxious to take up nursing among the Maori people. Since these scholarships were inaugurated quite a considerable number of girls have qualified as nurses, and have done good work in the various communities in which they have been stationed. The Hospitals Department, without whose cooperation the scheme would not have been successful, continues to render valuable assistance to this Department. At the end of the year there were two girls in training, one as a day pupil and one as a probationer, on the staff of hospitals. Another girl who was a probationer found it necessary for private reasons to give up her course of training. The number of Maori nurses who are at present at work amongst the Maoii people is comparatively small, and it is to be deeply regretted that their ranks have been further reduced by the death of Nurse Maud Mataira. Nurse Mataira, who had been at work for several years and had a record for good and faithful work, died at Hokianga in the early part of the current year of influenza, which she had contracted in the performance of her duty. By her untimely death the Department sustains a loss in this branch of its efforts on behalf of the Maori race which is distinctly unfortunate. Te Malcarini Scholarships. —These scholarships were founded out of private bequests, and are tenable at Te Auto College. The regulations and the syllabus of work prescribed for the examination were arranged by the Department, which also conducts the examination. Two scholarships were offered for competition for 1919, one senior and one junior scholarship—the latter being reserved for competition among candidates from Native village schools. The examination was held on the Ist and 2nd December last. For the senior examination there were twelve candidates —five from St. Stephen's Boys' School, Auckland ; five from Te Aute College, Hawke's Bay ; one from Porangahau Public School, Hawke's Bay ; and one from Wharekahika Native School. For the junior