E.—3.

A good deal of time is still wasted in teaching words which the child does not need, and will not need. In those schools where (1) basic lists of essential words, (2) class lists of special words relating to the environment of the children, and (3) individual lists of each child's own difficulties are used conjointly the best results are obtained. In some cases the children are asked to learn too many new words per week, and occasionally the periods devoted daily to spelling are too long to be satisfactory. In general, the time-tables are well constructed. In some cases schemes should be kept more up to date by amendments and additions and by reorganizing and rewriting every few years. In a number of schemes the aims are unreal. In the work-books a good deal of originality is displayed, but in many cases more detail is desirable. 7. General. (a) All Native schools were visited by your Inspectors. (b) Teachers' Meetings. —These were held at various centres and have proved valuable in affording opportunities for discussion and for organizing small research committees. (c) Visits to Centennial Exhibition. —Many Native-school teachers are to be congratulated for their unselfish efforts in arranging for the senior pupils of their schools to visit the Centennial Exhibition, Wellington. Many Maori boys and girls from all parts of the North Island were afforded an opportunity to make this memorable journey. (d) Junior Assistants.—The Correspondence School continued to provide two courses for junior assistants—the first a preparation for the examinations necessary for admission to a teachers' training college, and the second a more general course. In 1939 three junior assistants qualified for admission to a teachers' training college. The majority of the junior assistants are Maori girls whose keenness and assistance are much appreciated. (e) Teachers' Training College Third-year Students in Native Education.—ln 1939 the first group of four third-year students in Native education completed their training. The effect of this special training is twofold. In the first place there is the undoubted benefit to the third-year students themselves, and in the second place there is the influence of this specialist group on the training-college students. The result has been an awakening of interest in Native education, particularly in the North Island training colleges. (/) Establishment of Form 111 Class.—ln 1939 the first provision for post-primary education in a Native school was made at the Te Araroa Native School, where a Form 111 class of eighteen pupils was formed. Consideration is being given to the question of converting this Form 111 class into a district high school secondary department. (g) Junior Red Cross.—ln a number of Native schools strong Junior Red Cross circles have been formed, and I wish to acknowledge the support and interest of the central executive of this movement. The ideals and objectives of the Junior Red Cross appeal to the Maori child and give expression to one of the chief functions of the Native school. 8. Secondary Education. The position in regard to post-primary denominational schools for Maori boys and girls is much the same as was indicated in my report of last year. The governing bodies have been active in planning a more practical curriculum and in improving the quality of the staffing. The post-primary denominational schools cannot possibly cater for the increasing number of Maori boys and girls that actually pass out of the Native and public primary schools. Particularly in closely populated Maori districts, the need for additional facilities for further training is becoming urgent. The matter is receiving careful consideration by the Education Department, but whatever is planned should bear directly on the immediate needs of Maori youth, and should, in my opinion, be largely vocational. The present provision for post-primary education of the Maori is twofold. In the first place he has the same right and facilities for free post-primary education as the European ; as a free-place pupil he can attend any secondary school, technical school, or district high school. For the Maori in the more remote districts the Government provides a generous system of scholarships by means of which post-primary education from two to four years is provided at a number of private schools controlled by the authorities of various religious denominations. Reference to Table H. 3 will give a list of these boarding schools and of the roll numbers thereat. 9. Scholarships. In 1938 there were awarded 17 Continuation Scholarships, 5 Nursing Scholarships, and 5 Agricultural Scholarships ; of these, 2 of the Agricultural Scholarships were declined. In 1939 these scholarship holders completed their courses, with the exception of 1 Continuation Scholarship pupil and 1 Agricultural Scholarship pupil who left school before the end of the fourth year. Of the 17 Continuation Scholarship holders 7 passed either the School Certificate Examination or the University Entrance Examination or both, and 3 obtained partial passes in the School Certificate Examination. All other Continuation Scholarship holders either did not sit or failed. With the exception of 1, who will be admitted to a Teachers' Training College, all the girls who finished their fourth-year training in 1939 will be employed as junior assistants in 1940. The 5 girls who completed their Nursing Scholarships in 1939 have been accepted for training in various hospitals in the North Island, except 1 girl who, unfortunately, did not pass the medical examination.

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