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cleanly and orderly habits. They take no pains to make the children learn their home lessons, and seem to throw the whole burden of correction on the master. Unfortunately for the teacher the children now attending the school are for the most part very dull. Two or three show signs of yielding to his patient and persistent efforts to draw them on, but the majority refuse to progress. This backwardness is, I think, the result of the constant succession of meetings which have taken place at Kaiapoi for years past. The children attend these meetings, and are often up till midnight listening to the speakers: their home lessons are neglected, and in school they are too wearied to exercise their minds. The evil has been pointed out to the parents, but they seem indifferent about applying the remedy. The annual school festival was held on New Tear's Day, and was attended by a large number of Europeans. One interesting feature of it was an exhibition of the various products of Maori industry, which was held in a large tent adjoining ihe schoolroom. It is intended to continue these exhibitions, with a view to promote industrious habits among the Maoris residing at Kaiapoi. Wairau: Master, Mr. Fountain.—Visited 13th April, 1880. On reaching Wairau I learned that the master, Mr. Fountain, was lying ill in the hospital, and that the school had been closed for some time. I assembled the School Committee in the schoolroom, and, at their request, examined nine of the children who were present. I ascertained that there were seventeen children between the ages of four and fifteen years resident within a short distance of the school, though only eleven were in regular attendance. I was glad to find that the Natives of this village are more sober and better behaved than they used to be. Te Rore, the chief, solemnly assured me that this was in a great measure owing to the advice given by the ghost of his late son Wirihana, a promising lad, who died about eighteen months ago, and who had since his death warned the people against their drinking habits, and urged them to be more attentive to their religious duties. Canvastown : Master, Mr. John Hart. —Inspected 15th April, 1880. Registers carefully kept. Highest number of Native children on the roll: Boys, 4 ; girls, 7 : total, 11. This school was reopened on the 2nd of December, 1879, having been closed for six months. It is an English school, attended by Maori children. Reading: Book, 3rd Royal Reader. Two fairly. Spellingfair. Dictation fair. —Book, 2nd Royal Reader. One well; one fairly. —Book, Ist Royal Reader. Two, just commencing the book, read with difficulty. Arithmetic : Compound division, multiplication : four did easy sums fairly. Simple division, multiplication : two, fairly. Writing : Five writing in copy-books : three fairly, two imperfectly. There is a lending library in connection with the school, and the master told me that the eldest Maori boy (who happened to be absent the day I visited the school) was regularly in the habit of taking out books to read, a fact that affords satisfactory evidence of his proficiency in English. I was disappointed to find so few Native children, as it was owing to the Wairau Natives having represented the attendance here as being upwards of thirty that I thought it necessary to visit the school. The parents here pay for the books required by the children. The master said that an application had been made to the Government for a sum of £12 towards paying a sewing mistress. He remarked that her services were required more for the Maori than the English children. I hope that the grant will be made, as sewing is a very necessary accomplishment for Native girls. I missed seeing the Natives, as they were nearly all at Havelock attending some case in the Resident Magistrate's Court, but I saw one or two of the parents, who expressed great interest in the progress of their children. Wakapuaka : I was informed by Mr. Alexander Mackay that this school was closed for the present, Mr. Jennings having left to read with the Bishop of Nelson for holy orders. Waikawa : Master, Mr. Nickless. —Inspected 19th April, 1880. Register carefully kept. Highest number on the roll: Boys, 21; girls, 14 : total 35. Of these, four are English, who are not included in the following classification. Present at inspection, 27. Reading: Book, 4th Royal Reader. Number in class, two. Reading of both good. Text understood. Spelling good. Dictation fair. Commencing to parse. —Book, 3rd Royal Reader. Number in class, 9. Pour good, two fair, three imperfect. Three boj/Jf in this class are about seventeen years of age, and, having begun rather late to learn to read, they have great difficulty in pronouncing distinctly; but, at the same time, they gave evidence of haviug paid careful attention to their instructors. Most of the class understood the meaning of the lesson. The spelling of all but the last three was good. Dictation from the reading lesson: three good, twro fair, four imperfect. —Book, 2nd Royal Reader. Number in class, 11. Two good, five fair, four imperfect. Most of the children had a difficulty in pronouncing words ending with s, and generally omitted the final consonant of all words read. Meaning of lesson fairly understood. Spelling good. Dictation: seven fair, four imperfect.—Book, Ist Royal Reader. Two fair. Copied the words from the book fairly on their slates. —Learning alphabet, three —The children reading the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Royal Reader have lessons given them to prepare every evening at home. The master said these lessons were generally well prepared. Arithmetic : Compound division, multiplication, and subtraction, and vulgar fractions : two, good. Simple division, multiplication (three figures) : two good, four fair, four imperfect. Simple multiplication and addition : three good, two fair, three imperfect. Writing: Copy-books, Ist class: five good, four fair, three imperfect. —2nd class: three good, eight fair. Geography: Eleven able to give the meaning of the various geographical terms, and to answer questions on geography of New Zealand. Object-lessons: I was glad to find Mr. Nickless alive to the importance of object-lessons as a means of exercising the children in their knowledge of English. The lesson I heard given would have been better calculated to attain this end had it been more catechetical. Music: The result of Mr. Nickless's knowledge of music is very apparent in the superior style in -which his scholars sing. Instead of the flat dirge or hoarse bawl, so commonly heard in Native schools, the singing was harmonious and pleasing.