THE HON G. FOWLDS ON THE EAST COAST.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 11, 14 March 1908, Page 28

THE HON G. FOWLDS ON THE EAST COAST.

INSPECTING THE NATIVE SCHOOLS.

The Minister for Education has been living the strenuous life since Parliament \va - nrorogued. Last week he rea< h< <1 Auckland after a most interesting trip round tin* East Coast of the North Bland, where he visited al! the native schools, and received numerous deputations on various subjects. Mr. Fowlds, who was accompanied by his private secretary (Mr. \V. Crow) and Mr. \V. Bird, the chief inspector of native > hools. left Wellington on February 12. Travelling to Napier in the train, the party took the coach to Gisborne, and on to Waipiro Bay. I’hence they rode round the East Cape, to Te Araroa, Cap ‘ Runaway. Te Kaba, Omaio. and Torero, where the riding ended, and they came on to Gpotiki by conveyance, and thence to Whakatane and Te Toko. Here they took a motor car to Rotorua and on to Wairakei and Taupo. The return trip to Rotorua was also made by motor car. and the train was taken to Auckland. which was reached on March 5. The distance covered was 441 miles by train. 345 by coach. 150 on horseback, and 184 by motor car; total 1120 miles. Sime Laving Wellington. 18 public and 20 native schools were visited by the Minister. Ihe main object of the trip was to visit the native schools, and Mr. Fowlds expressed himself as being well satisfied with their condition as regards the cleanliness of loth the buildings ami the children. Ihe sanitary arrangements were in almost every case found to b? excellent, while the condition of the school furniture was such as might afford a good example for the larger public schools. This is all the more pleasing when it is known that the cleaning of the schools and the furniture is done b. the children themselves. No allowances whatever for school cleaning or other purposes are made to the native school committees by the Education Departing nt. which directly controls these schools, and the cost of supplying books and material for the use of the Maori children is considerably less than the amount usually granted by Boards to the school committees for public school purposes. In most of the native schools visited, the work of the children in the various subjects of tin* school svllabu* and their general intelligence were tested with gratifying results. At several of the schools the Minister found that there were children in the fifth and sixth standards, and that instruction was also being given in such practical subjects as agriculture and woodwork for th? Maori boys, and in cooking, sewing, and other domestic duties for the girls. In one of the schools unite a number of the older girls were found to be neatlv dressed in clothes of their own making. Mr. Fowlds was gratified to note th? keen interest the parents took in the children’s work, and the attention they

bestow upon the schools, anil the assistance rendered by the native school committees. Werever it was known that the party was coming, the members of the committee and the parents were present in full force. The Minister was greatly impressed by the value of the work done by the teachers of native schools outside their school duties, they being in many cases the only elevating force operating in the kaingas; for they administer medicine, nurse the siek in a most devoted manner, and in other wax s render to the Maori people many valuable services which find no special place in an inspection report. In several places, where school residences have been erected in recent years, the Minister found ...at the Maoris had erected houses of their own. either following the plan of the teachers’ residences or adopting some simpler form ef European residence. In one settlement the chief informed the Minister that only one of the old Maori whares remained, and that had it not been the residence of a very old man. who objected to being removed, he would have had it burned down ere this. The Minister was welcomed in the Maori fashion at every place he visited, and the speakers, without exception, ex pressed their great appreciation of the work of the Education Department in establishing schools in their midst for the elevation of the Maori race, and for the education of their children. They invariably asked that the schools should not be handed over to the control of the Boards. To this request the Minister replied that in cases where a majority of Maori children were in attendance, the Government had no intention of handing the schools over. Mr. Eowlds, who had never before visited this part of the Dominion, was agreeably surprised at its producing capacity and its tremendous possibilities. In many places the natives were fou >d to be carrying out extensive improvements. On the land were running large Hocks of sheep, besides cattie and horses. The native maize cultivations in the Bay of Plenty are extensive, but the long spell of dry weather has seriously affected the crops, which, in many cases, are quite burnt up. The enterprise of the Maoris in establishing over 200 miles of a private telephone system is, the Minister thinks, deserving of the highest commendation. By means of that system he was able, from Waipiro Bay, on the east coast, to Omaio. in the Bay of Plenty, to keep in touch with the telegraph system of the Dominion. During the whole trip the party received the greatest kindness from both Europeans and Maoris. To the latter Mr. Fowlds is also specially indebted for the free use of the telephones referred to, which greatly facilitated his movements.