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E.—7.

reads, and would be able, after reading a page of the book, to reproduce the substance of it either in his own language or in English. He is able to take part in a conversation on any ordinary subject without making serious mistakes. His writing is neat and legible, and probably considerably better than the average handwriting of Europeans. He can write a very fair English letter, with here and there a Maori idiom, but containing very few downright blunders. He has a thoroughly practical understanding of the elementary arithmetical rules, including reduction, and is able to apply them to the solution of such problems as he would be likely to meet with in ordinary business. His attainments in arithmetic, though not extensive, are thoroughly sound as far as they go, and should he have the opportunity of pursuing his studies his progress would be very rapid. He has also a fair knowledge of general geography, and is thoroughly familiar wdth the geography of New Zealand. It is most likely, too, that he can sing, and that he has some elementary knowledge of drawing. A Maori girl that has passed Standard IV. has nearly the same amount and kind of knowledge as that possessed by the Maori boy. Her composition and arithmetic, and especially her mental arithmetic, would probably be not quite equal to the boy's, but she would be able to do all kinds of ordinary sewing very neatly, to darn stockings, and to knit. It is perhaps desirable that, for some time to come, until, in fact, passes in this standard become numerous, all children passing Standard IV. should, if their friends do not object to their doing so, get the benefit of one or two years' residence at a boarding-school, where they would be able to make further progress in English composition and in arithmetic, and receive a certain amount of instruction in one or two other subjects that would take up too much of the teachers' time if they were taught in the village schools. In no case, however, should the residence of pupils at these institutions be prolonged beyond a couple of years. At the end of such a period they would be educated Maoris, able and probably willing to do much good among their own people, to whom they should always return. If an attempt is made to Europeanize them thoroughly, and to separate them from their relatives, the result will probably be that they will eventually become either strong reactionists, or a sort of Maori-Pakeha, " neither flesh, fowl, nor good red-herring." It would be useless to enlarge upon these principles more fully, as they are now recognised and acted upon by the department. That the Maoris will ultimately become Europeanized and be absorbed into the general population does not admit of doubt. It is easy to see that the process has already commenced, and that it is going on with more or less rapidity in most parts of New Zealand. But it is a great mistake to suppose that the change is one that can be effected in a year or two, or even in a generation—to suppose that schools or any other agency can bring about in a short time such a revolution as has in other countries required centuries to complete. The Native schools are doing and will do much good; it is useless to expect that they will, in a few years, change the character of a whole race to such an extent that its members will be prepared to abandon all their old habits, traditions, prejudices, and modes of living. Nor is it at all plain that it is desirable that such an utter change should be brought about hastily, even if the thing were possible. Past experience seems to show that uncivilised peoples cannot, without imminent risk of extermination, give up their old ways of life all at once and adopt others, for which they can be fitted only by slow and gradual changes in the conditions, subjective and objective, under which they exist. If, as I believe,it can be shown that the Native schools as a whole are effecting considerable improvements in the mental, moral, and physical condition of our Maori fellow-subjects, and that they are having the effect of familiarising them with the better class of European ideas and customs, — then they are doing all that can be or ought to be expected from them. There are a few exceptions, but in the great majority of the Maori districts those best qualified to judge say that this is just the kind of work that the schools are doing, and that they are the best means yet contrived for helping the Maoris to help themselves. It is satisfactory to have to record that a considerable increase in the attendance took place during the year 1880, and that notwithstanding a decrease in the number of schools. The average for the December quarter of 1879 was 1,042, while for the corresponding quarter of 1880 the average attendance was 1,277. I have, fee.. The Inspector-General of Schools. James H. Pope.

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