A.—3.

The above changes have been gazetted in the New Zealand Gazette No. 41, dated 17th June, under heading " Notice to Mariners, No. 28 of 1926." Reservoirs.—A new reservoir has been erected in concrete, with a capacity of 2,000 gallons, at the schoolmaster's residence at Tufukia. Repairs have been effected to the Hakupu, Liku, Hikutavake, and Tuapa reservoirs during the year. Government Buildings.—Residency : The floors throughout this building, having deteriorated through dry-rot, have been replaced in concrete. Schoolmaster's residence and school, Tufukia : Considerable amount of repair work has been done to these buildings. In addition to the new reservoir previously mentioned, repairs have been effected to the roofs, verandas, cookhouse, woodshed, laundry, and latrines. Schoolmaster's residence and school, Hakupu : A large portion of the veranda has been enclosed with lattice-work to give increased sleeping-accommodation. A new chimney has been fitted to the kitchen-stove, and the roof overhauled and made weather-proof. The school has been whitewashed inside and out, and repairs effected to the verandas. A new open-air schoolroom for the Primers has been erected in native timber with a leaf roof and sides, and the floor put down in concrete. Painting, where necessary, has been carried out at the various buildings during the past year. The wireless masts, stays, and guys have been treated with Stockholm, tar, and the flagstaff painted. The two surf-boats and dinghy have been thoroughly, overhauled, repaired, recaulked, and painted in readiness for the new season's work. The Commissioner's and Medical Officer's motor-cars and the two motor-lorries have been taken down, thoroughly overhauled, repainted, and all worn parts renewed. Education. The most important educational event for the year was the Conference on the Education of Natives in the South Sea Islands, held at Wellington on the .11th and 12th January, 1926. The convening of such Conference was undoubtedly a move in the right direction and much good will come of it. The report of proceedings of the Conference was perused with great interest. Copies of the report were supplied to the headmasters of Tufukia and Hakupu Schools for their information and guidance. The new syllabus, which is the result of the deliberations at the Conference, is splendid, and is sufficiently elastic to permit of progress and initiative on the part of local educational officials and adaptation to local needs. As far as Niue is concerned, the most outstanding features of the new syllabus are their remarkable similarity to the system of teaching put into operation here by Mr. A. McKenzie, the present headmaster of the Tufukia School when reorganizing the system about two years ago, and it is most encouraging to know that he has been working upon right lines. Both the Hakupu and Tufukia Schools have been adopted by New Zealand schools, the former for over two years and the latter for about one. The whole of the upper classes in both schools have been in constant communication with the senior pupils of the two schools which have adopted them in New Zealand, and every mail many exceptionally interesting letters are exchanged, together with, gifts of various kinds. Not only has the correspondence brightened the lives of these children, but it has also become a powerful educational factor. The work in both schools has proceeded smoothly and satisfactorily. The reorganization of the Tufukia School is now practically complete, and reflects very great credit on the headmaster, who has been indefatigable in his efforts in formulating details of a system of education mostjsuited to these Natives. The following are the attendance figures of both schools for the year : —

London Missionary Society's Subsidized Schools.—The Government subsidy for the year was paid quarterly to the representative of the London Missionary Society. The following are the attendance figures of the nine schools for the year : —

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Tufukia. Hakupu. Males. Females. Total. ! Males. Females. Total. Number on roll, 1st January, 1926 . . 136 106 242 53 33 86 Number on roll, 31st December, 1926 . . 118 104 222 52 34 86 Average attendance .. .. 107-4 96-3 ! 203-7 50-3 32-7 83

Males. Females. Totals. Attendance. I . I _ ; First quarter .. .. 250 213 463 418*5 Second quarter .. .. 275 220 495 454-2 Third quarter .. .. 269 238 507 466-9 Fourth quarter .. . . 276 230 506 459-9 Average attendance for year, 449-8.