E.—3

and are regarded as worthy of an extended course of education. Of the 153 scholarships available there were current during the year 113. Senior scholarships (limited in number) are provided for scholars who have undergone a twoyears course in one of the Maori secondary schools. They take the form of (1) industrial, or (2) agricultural scholarships for boys, and (3) nursing scholarships for girls. In connection with the industrial scholarships or apprenticeships no applications were received during the year. The opportunity thus afforded of learning a trade evidently does not appeal to the Maori lads, who recognize, it must be inferred, that the pursuit of such trade or calling thus acquired involves practically complete separation from their people and the settlements to which they belong. The great majority of them prefer to return to their own settlements ; and since they have had during their two-years course industrial training in woodwork and elementary agriculture they should bo able to engage in some useful work. With regard to agricultural scholarships, not much success has attended the scheme hitherto. Provision has now been made, under amended regulations, for agricultural scholarships to be held at Te Aute College, where the holders will devote practically the whole of their time to agricultural work, including a training and practice in work connected with a farm. Two such scholarships (senior) have been awarded to two lads from Te Kaha who have shown themselves keenly interested in agriculture, and who did very satisfactory work during the tenure of their ordinary Government scholarships. Nursing Scholarships, as senior scholarships, are provided for suitably qualified girls who wish to become nurses and eventually work among their own people. The girls are selected principally from those who have spent at least two years at one of the secondary schools. Better results have been achieved by this form of senior scholarship than from the other forms, as a very satisfactory number of girls have succeeded in qualifying as nurses, and are now at work in the field and doing well. At the end of the year there were three girls in training—one probationer at Waikato Hospital, and one probationer and one day pupil at Napier Hospital. During the current year arrangements arc to be made to place a day pupil at Napier and two day pupils at Otaki Hospital. The Hospitals Department assists the Department in carrying out the nursing scheme by finding places for the Maori girls. District nurses also give assistance in securing places in hospitals for Maori girls, quite apart from the Department's scheme,' and it is thus satisfactory to learn that the number of girls in training is comparatively large. University Scholarships. —During the past year two of these scholarships were current —one in electrical engineering and one in law. The students are attending Canterbury College. An application for a University scholarship has beenj[ received from a Maori student who has already begun his medical course at Otago University. Te Makarini Scholarships. —These scholarships, which are tenable at Te Aute College, and are of the annual value of £35, are provided from a private bequest. The examination is conducted by the Department. For the year 1921 two scholarships were offered for competition—one senior and one junior. The junior scholarship is open to competition among candidates from Native village schools ; the senior scholarship is open to Maori lads from any school. For the senior scholarship there were seventeen candidates —six boys from St. Stephen's School, Auckland, ten from Te Aute College, and one from Wharekahika Native School ; and for the junior scholarship there were five candidates— three from Whakarewarewa Native School, one from Wharekahika Native School, and one from Rangiahua Native School. The senior scholarship was awarded to Puhanui Waretini, of Te Aute College, and the junior to Wharewhiti Cotter, of Rangiahua Native School. In this examination it is satisfactory to note the increased number of candidates for the senior scholarship. The number, however, that competed for the junior scholarship was disappointingly small, and it is to be regretted that the explanation of this can be found only in the apathetic interest of the teachers in the matter. It is ridiculous to suppose that the village schools cannot produce more than five candidates for this examination. Butter Scholarship. —This scholarship, of the annual value of £30, and tenable for one year at Te Aute College, is also provided for by a private bequest. It is open for competition amongst lads who are predominantly M'aori, half-castes being ineligible. The examination, which is of a somewhat higherstandard than that prescribed for the Senior Makarini Examination, is also conducted by the Department. Twelve candidates presented themselves for the examination, five from St. Stephen's School, Auckland, and seven from Te Aute College. The candidate who gained the highest marks in the examination was Puhanui Waretini, of Te Aute College. This lad also stood highest on the list in the Te Makarini Scholarship Examination, which scholarship he elected to take, the Bullcr Scholarship being accordingly awarded to Taimuri Rapana, of St. Stephen's School. The increase in the number of candidates for this scholarship is gratifying. Conclusion. An Inspector of Native Schools in his annual visits to the schools in the various Maori settlements has no doubt a unique opportunity of observing the conditions under which the people live, and of noting indications of their progress and advancement. His visits are regarded as of much local interest, and the people, as a rule, are anxious to hear what he has to say regarding their schools and their children, also regarding other matters in which they are concerned. They are keenly interested in hearing how the Maoris in other parts of the Dominion are progressing, and in this way they are often urged not to fall behind in the general progress of the race. There is little doubt that the race, generally speaking, is making steady progress, and the manner in which they are engaging in different kinds of work, such as dairying, ordinary farming, and sheep-farming, is evidence of this. There is also a desire in many places to improve the conditions of living. It is gratifying to those who take an interest in the welfare and advancement of the Maori to learn that the recent census reveals the fact that the

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