R.--B

(3.) Boarding-schools (Secondary). In addition to the Maori mission schools there are eleven boarding-schools visited annually by the Inspectors of Native Schools. These schools have been established by various religious denominations for the higher education of Maori pupils. Five of these schools have been established for boys, five for girls, while one is a mixed school, with a boarding establishment for boys, who in order to attend must live away from home. The combined roll at the end of the year 1924 was 524, and the average percentage of regularity 95-7. The particulars regarding the roll number, and attendance of the three types of schools are summarized as follows :—

Condition of School Buildings and G-bounds. So far as the cleanliness and general tidiness of the school buildings are concerned, little fault can be found. The sweeping and washing of the schoolrooms are undertaken by the elder pupils, who do the work under the supervision of the teachers. This plan works very well, and the pupils usually take a pride and interest in keeping the schools clean. It is, however, felt that in some schools the supervision of the teacher is lacking. In a number of schools insufficient attention is paid to the cleanliness of the outhouses, and it has become necessary to direct the attention of the teachers in a general way to the very great importance of securing satisfactory sanitary conditions. In this connection it is imperative that teachers should show vigilance in the proper supervision of the outbuildings. With regard to the grounds and their general condition, it may be said that in the great majority of the schools they present an attractive and well-kept appearance. There is, however, a very great contrast in the zeal displayed in this connection by the teachers of different schools. A considerable number of teachers do not hesitate to expend money in beautifying the grounds of what is their home. A great deal remains to be done in many schools in the planting of trees and shrubs in order to beautify the grounds, and it is to be hoped that teachers will seize the opportunity of the assistance which will be given by the Forestry Department in the supply of suitable trees and shrubs. Very many of the schools have now the benefit of visits from instructors in agriculture, who are only too willing to give teachers advice and assistance in the laying-out of the grounds and in the direction of improving them. In the matter of minor repairs to the fences and buildings much more can be done by some teachers who frequently show lack of initiative or even disinclination to undertake work which involves a little trouble. Instances have been observed where during wet weather access to the school has actually been difficult owing to the existence of pools of water near the door. A small amount of labour and the exercise of a little intelligence would very soon remove such unpleasant and untidy conditions. In the estimate of a teacher's work such matters as are referred to in this section must necessarily be taken into account. Inspection, Obganization, Methods of Teaching, etc. In the work of inspection and examination 123 Native village schools, eight mission schools, and eleven Native secondary schools were visited by the Inspectors during the year; and visits were also made in connection with applications for the establishment of schools in various parts of the North Island. So far as the village and mission schools are concerned, the reports of the Inspectors go to show that, while in a large proportion of the schools a satisfactorily high standard of efficiency has been maintained, a satisfactory improvement is being made in many schools whose efficiency has hitherto ranged from fair to satisfactory. Even in the weakest schools progress is being made towards a more satisfactory condition of affairs. Reference to the secondary schools is made in the section of the report dealing with secondary education. From the point of view of efficiency the village and mission schools may be classified as follows : Weak, 9; fair, 15 ; satisfactory to good, 45 ; good to very good, 55 ; excellent, 9. The methods of teaching in the schools are generally on sound and up-to-date lines, and in a great majority of the schools they are very successfully applied, the subject in which least success is achieved being, as might naturally be expected, language-teaching. The tone and discipline of the schools are on the whole quite good, and the pupils are subjected to a training in right conduct and honest endeavour which cannot fail to exercise a wholesome influence upon their characters. The preparation of the schemes of work and the planning-out of the work show considerable results in many schools, the introduction of the work and scheme book having led to more attention and consideration being given to the matter, with a corresponding benefit to the teaching. It appears necessary, however, to remind head teachers of their responsibility for the drawing-up of these schemes of work for the assistants, and for the careful supervision of the work of the assistants. In organizing the work of their schools the serious mistake of allocating to an inexperienced assistant the task of teaching an important subject like oral English to the infants should be avoided.

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Schools. i Number. Average Weekly Average Percentage of 1924 Number. Attendance. .Regularity. i Native village .. .. 125 6,310 6,345-5 5,609-5 88-4 Native mission .. .. 8 343 344-3 305-2 88-6 Native secondary .. .. 11 524 512-5 490-8 95-7 Totals.. .. 144 7,177 7,202-3 6,405-5 88-9