7

E.—3

Tn last year's report some reference was made to the activities of the Maori Purposes Fund Control Board. The Board, which administers the fund in the interests of Maori education and other purposes, established during the year a system of continuation scholarships tenable for one year and of the annual value of £30. Twenty-five such scholarships are available for selected Maori scholars who are considered worthy of an additional training and instruction at the expiration of the tenure of their Government junior scholarships. During the year 1926 there were only three such scholarships current, but it is fully expected that during the current year the full number of scholarships will be awarded. During the past year the Board granted substantial financial assistance to each Maori scholar who was the holder of a Government scholarship. In addition to all the scholarships referred to, there are scholarships provided from private bequests —viz., Te Makmini Scholarships and the Butter Scholarship. The former scholarships, which are of the annual value of £35 and are available for competition amongst Maori boys, were founded in memory of the late Sir Donald McLean. The fund which provides the scholarships is administered by trustees, and the examination is conducted by the Department. The scholarships (two or three as the trustees decide) are tenable at Te Aute College. The subjects prescribed for the examination are English, arithmetic, geography, Maori, general knowledge (New Zealand history, health, religious knowledge). For the year 1926 three scholarships were offered by the trustees for competition—one senior scholarship and two junior scholarships. The senior scholarship was open to all elegible Maori lads. One junior scholarship was reserved for competition amongst eligible boys from Native village schools, and the other was open to all eligible Maori boys. For the senior examination there were twelve candidates —six from Te Aute College and six from St. Stephen's Boys' School. For the junior examination fifteen applications to sit were received, but no fewer than seven of the applications could not be accepted owing to the applications not being received in time. Eight candidates sat for the examination -three from Whakarewarewa Native School, one from Wharekahika Native School, one from Whakapara Native School, one from Gisborne High School, one from Te Aute College, and one from St. Stephen's Boys' School. In the senior examination the best candidates were Christian Lima, 76 per cent. ; Hirone Wikiriwhi, 69 per cent. ; and John Bennet, 68 per cent. In the junior examination the best candidates were Tuahu Wikiriwhi, 79 per cent., and Walter Corbett, 75 per cent. The senior scholarship was awarded to Christian Lima, of Te Aute College, and the junior scholarships were awarded to Tuahu Wikiriwhi and Walter Corbett, both of Whakarewarewa Native School. It seems extraordinary that in spite of the publicity given to the closing-date for the receipt of applications there should have been so much delay in forwarding applications to the Department. The Butter Scholarship was established in memory of the late Sir Walter Buller from a bequest made by him for that purpose. The scholarship, which is of the annual value of £30 and may be tenable for two years at Te Aute College, is reserved for competition among eligible lads who are predominantly Maori in race. Half-caste Maori lads are not eligible to sit for the examination. The examination, which is conducted for the trustees by the Department and is of a higher standard than that of the senior Makarini Scholarship Examination, embraces the following subjects: English (including civics and New Zealand history), arithmetic, Maori, agriculture, and either woodwork or mathematics. The candidates are also required to undergo a religious knowledge test, which is conducted by the Waiapu diocesan authorities. For the examination there were nine candidates —five from Te Aute College and four from St. Stephen's Boys' School. The successful candidate was Hirone Wikiriwhi, of Te Aute College, who gained 63-8 per cent, of the possible marks. Concluding Remarks. The personnel of the Native-school service has undergone many changes within the past few years, and its may prove of interest to the new teachers and to others if some reference is made to the history of the Native-school system. From the foundation of the Colony (now a Dominion) onwards to the year 1867 a system of education had been pursued which had for its object the imparting of instruction to the Natives through the medium of their own language in establishments where great numbers of all ages were congregated, and where they were not only instructed, but also housed, fed, and clothed. This work was carried on principally by various religious denominations, which received grants-in-aid for the purpose. The disturbed state of the Colony towards the end of the period referred to above had practically paralysed the efforts of those engaged in the education of the Maoris, and it was not until 1871, when the tranquillity of the country had to a great extent restored the confidence of both races, that the Government had the opportunity of initiating the present village-school system in accordance with the legislation embodied in the Native School Acts of 1867 and 1871. The legislation provided, among other things, that village schools were to be established wherever there was a sufficient Native population and other circumstances rendered it possible. It was also provided that the medium of instruction was to be the English language only, except in cases where it might be impossible to place an English teacher. The administration of the village-school system at first devolved upon the Native Department, but in 1880 a change was made and the administration of the system was transferred to the Education Department. Accordingly the schools, which then numbered 67, with a roll number of 1,300, were transferred to the control of the Education Department. A considerable number of these schools are still being conducted as Native schools at the present time. During the period that has elapsed since 1880 the system has been greatly extended, and at the close of the past year there were 130 Native schools in operation, with an attendance of 6,591 pupils. The real nature of the expansion, however, is not indicated by these figures, for the reason that during the period of forty-six years a very large number of the village schools having become with the growth of European settlement