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Sewing: Mrs. Nickless teaches all the girls sewing on three afternoons in the week. She complained of the want of materials for the girls to practice upon, as they do not bring any materials from home, their parents preferring to buy their undercloths ready-made. I would recommend a small allowance to be made as described. Drill: The whole school went through the extension motions very well. The discipline of the school is good, but it would be improved if less noise were allowed wdien the children are at their desks. A very good feeling seemed to exist between the master and his scholars, as was evidenced by the regular attendance of several big boys, whose behaviour for lads brought up as they have been was not only good during my visit, but is reported by the master to be excellent at all times. The schoolroom and its surroundings were clean and tidy, and the children clean and well behaved. Mr. Nickless said that the attitude of both parents and children at Waikawa towards the school was a pleasing contrast to that assumed by people of Wanganui, where he conducted a school for some time. Here the school was valued ; there it was despised : here it is difficult to keep the children away even on holidays ; there it was difficult to get them to attend at all. The master pointed out that his salary was insufficient for his support, as he finds everything much dearer at Picton than at Wanganui. As the number of children attending the school is more than one teacher can properly attend to, his daughter, who has assisted him for some time past, might be allowed a salary for her services. Such an arrangement would meet all the requirements of the case. Mr. Nickless has enjoyed the advantage of being educated in a training college in England. He likes his work, and knows how to do it. It is gratifying to find that both he and his wife take a comprehensive view of their duty towards the community amongst whom they are placed. OnuTcu : Master, Mr. A. G. Hamilton. —The schoolroom and master's house were erected by the Government at a cost of £300. The school was opened on the Ist January, 1880. It is largely attended by the European children in the neighbourhood, who outnumber the Maoris in the proportion of four to one. Mangamaumt: Master, Mr. Thomas J. Danaher. —The schoolroom and master's house were erected by the Government at a cost of £-100. The school was opened on the Ist January, 1880, and is attended by 24 scholars, ten boys and fourteen girls. Wairewa: Master, Captain Curling. —Owing to the prevalence of fever, this school had to be closed for so many months during the past year that it was useless to hold a formal examination. Several of the pupils died of fever, many more left the neighbom-hood altogether, and only a few have rejoined the school. It will be some time before- the Natives recover from the panic into which they were thrown by the epidemic which so rapidly thinned their ranks, and till then we cannot expect a great increase in the number of scholars. James W. Stark.

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