E.—3

10

Physical Instruction. —Good work is done in many of the schools, and the physique and general bearing of the pupils indicate that they are benefiting by the instruction. Breathing-exercises and handkerchief drill also form an important part of the work. Needless to the teachers in the scheiols referred to are keenly ahve to the value of the instruction. In other schools the value of the instruction is doubtful. It is necessary to emphasize again the importance of organized games, and to remind teachers that playground supervision cannot be regarded as satisfactory where' organized games are neglected. Teachers should have no difficulty in procuring a suitable book of organized games. Singing. —In quite a large number of schools the subject is well taught, and good singing is the result. In many schools, however, insufficiemt attention is paid to the mechanics of the notation used, and exercises in voice-training, in time, and in ear-training appear to be neglected. In. other sclmols the subject cannot be said to be taught at all, and boys particularly are; frequently he-ard using the wrong voice register in. their effeyrts to sing. Secondary Education. The following are the Maori secondary schools which arc visited and reported upon by officers of the Department: Queen Victoria School for Maori Girls, Auckland ; Turakina Maori Girls' School, Wanganui ; Hukarere Girls' School, Napie;r ; St Joseph's Convent School, Napier ; Te Waipounamu Girls' School, Canterbury ; St. Stephen's Boys' Schoe)l, Auckland ; Waerengaahika College, Qisborne ; Te Aute; College, Hawke's Bay ; Hikurangi Boys' College, Carterton ; and Otaki College, Wellington. There were on the rolls of the foregoing schools at the end of the year 257 boys and 217 girls-— total 474 —of which total forty-eight be>ys and fifty girls were the holders of free places or scholarships awarded by the Government. One Maori boy also held a free place at Sacred Heart College 1 , Auckland. The, institutions above referred to are situated in different parts e>f the Dominion, and have been established by various denominational bodies in the interests of the Maori race. Scholarships or free places tenable for two years at such of them as provide a course of training closely approximating to that prescribed in the regulations relating to Native; schools are; granted by the Government to suitable pupils. This course is designed to secure as full an industrial training as possible. In the girls' schools much importance is attached to training in domestic duties, including sewing and dressmaking, laundry-work, cookery, hygiene, first aid, anel home nursing. In the boys' schools instruction in woodwork and elementary practical agriculture occupies a prominent place. Scholarships. The, regulations relating to Native schools make; provision for the granting of a limited number of Junior Scholarships to Mae>ri boys and girls who possess the requisite qualifications. At the end of the year under consideration there were ninety-nine scholarships current, of which eighty-one were held by scholars from Native village, schools and eighteen by scholars from other schools. Senior Scholarships take the form of (1) industrial scholarships or apprenticeships, (2) agricultural scholarships, and (3) nursing-scholarships, and may be awareled to scholars who have completed a two-years course at one of the Maori secondary schools, and who, in the, case; of the boys, are anxious to learn se>me trade or to take up farming pursuits, and in the case eif the girls to become nurses. No industrial scholarships have; been awarded for some years past, and it is to be regretted that the opportunity thus afforded for vocational training is not now being taken advantage of. In connection with the industrial scholarships and the agricultural scholarships the initiative must be taken by the relatives of the scholars or by their teachers. The; applications for nursing-scholarships indicate that the girls are more anxious than the boys to take up some useful calling, but even in their case the Department experiences difficulty in securing a sufficient number of suitably qualified applicants. Valuable, assistance is rendered by the Hospitals Department inf finding positions on the staff of various hospitals fe>r those girls who successfully complete their first year as day pupils. At the end of the, past year two girls completed the; preliminary course, and will, it is understood, be taken on as probationers —erne in the Napier Hospital and the', other in the Wanganui Hospital. Another girl on the staff of the Auckland Hospital is well on towards the completion of her course as a nurse;. Two other girls who began the preliminary course were found unsuitable 1 . District nurses encourage; Maori girls who take; an interest in nursing, and, if they prove; suitable for training, efforts are made by the district Superintendents to find, places for them as ordinary probationers. There are at the present time six or seven girls receiving training, apart from those referred te) under the Department's scheme. University Scholarships. —These scholarships are available for young Maoris who possess the necessary qualificatiems and are anxious to study for one of the learned, professions. One such scholarship is at present current, and is held by a student who has taken up a course of civil and e;lectrical engineering at Canterbury College. Te Makarini Scholarships. —These scholarships, provided from a fund established in accordance with, the views and wishes of the late Sir Donald McLean, and in remembrance of him, are of the annual value of £35, and are tenable for two years at Te Aute College. The regulations and the syllabus of work prescribed for the examination were, arranged by the Department, whie:h also conducts the examination. For the year 1920~tw0 scholarships were offered for competition—one senior and one junior—the latter being reserved for competition among candidates from Native village schools. For the senior examination there were eleven emtries—three from St. Stephen's Boys' School and eight from Te Aute College ; for the junior examinatiem there 1 were only six candidates—four from Whakarewarewa Native School and two from Wbarekahika Native School. In the junior examination the work of the candidates was generally satisfactory ; in the senior, six of the candidates did very satisfactory work. The junior scholarship was awarded to Autiti Wikiriwhi, of Whakarewarewa Native School, and the senior to Ihaia Kereopa, of St. Stephen's Boys' School.