P.—No. 5,

No. 1. The Hon. the Native Ministeb to Lieutenant-Colonel Eussell. Native Office, ;S IK) — Wellington, 17th November, 1871. I have the honor to request that you would have the goodness to undertake the duty ot inspecting the schools for the education of Maori children, which are now in existence, and which are already, or might with advantage be brought under, the provisions of the " Native School Acts of 1867. I should also be glad if you would report in respect of any district you may visit, whether there is, in your opinion, a reasonable ground for believing that a- school might with advantage be established under the Act in such district. Ido not propose to fetter you with precise instructions as to the course to be pursued. I shall content myself by saving generally that all schools assisted, or to be assisted by Government, must in all respects fulfil the coMitions of the Acts pf 1867 and 1871, of which I enclose copies; particularly in the point of instructing the pupils in the English language. The character and adaptability for their duties of the masters and mistresses of these schools will be a very important point for your inquiries. I think it a matter of great importance that all games which the children are taught to play in their hours of recreation should be the same as are played at English schools, such as cricket, football and other similar athletic sports, not only for the sake of the physical benefit the children will derive from such exercises, but also in the hope that the school may thereby be rendered more attractive. The disturbed state in which the Colony has been for some years past, has almost paralyzed the exertions of those engaged in Maori education, and prevented the Government from carrying out the system of inspection provided for by the Act. The tranquillity of the country during the last two years has, however, to a great extent restored the confidence of bofh races, and the Government are now anxious to use every means at their command to encourage and promote the education of the Maori children. Eurther instructions will bo sent to you from time to time, meanwhile I enclose a list of schools at present receiving subsidies under the Act of 1867, to which is attached a mass of correspondence including several applications from Natives for the establishment of new schools in various parts of the Colony. I desire to draw your particular attention to the proposal^ to establish schools at Pak.whai and Omahu, in Hawke's Bay. The remuneration for your services will be :■ —Eor inspecting and reporting upon Native schools per annum, four hundred pounds ; for inquiring and reporting upon such other matters as your attention may be directed to, two hundred pounds, to commence from the present date. The above rate is intended to include all travelling expenses, except passages by sea, which will be provided at the public expense. I have &c, Donald M'Lean.

No. 2. The Inspectoe of Schools to the Hon. the Native Ministeb. Sic,— Wellington, New Zealand, 25th July, 1872. I do not propose, in this my first Eeport as Inspector of Native Schools, to enter into the history of Native education prior to the passing of the -Native Schools Act of 1871. Such a history would have but little present value for New Zealand, though it might have (if carefully and honestly compiled from the records of the last thirty years) for the Islands of tho Pacific, in their approaching and inevitable colonization. I will at present merely state that however opinions may differ as to the plan of education which was adopted, and as to the language in which the earliest instruction of the Natives should have been conveyed, there can be no question that neither the Imperial Government, the successive Q-overnors, the Colonists, nor the Colonial Legislature have ever been wanting in generous efforts to impart to the Natives all the education, literal and practical, which they were competent to receive. Large grants of money were made by the Imperial Parliament before the Colony received self-government, and since that time the Colonial grants have been so liberal as to leave a present surplus in hand of nearly £10,000 over and above the sums which it has been found prudent to disburse. Neither have the services of eminent and devoted men ever been wanting in the cause of Native education. It might not be wise to particularize, where the Ministers of all denominations have vied with each other in

PAPERS RELATING TO NATIVE SCHOOLS.