E.—l

XXI

village schools; 3 half-time schools; 5 subsidised schools; and 6 boardingschools. The subsidised schools are either undergoing a probation until it be seen whether the attendance and other circumstances will warrant the establishment of ordinary village schools in the localities in which they are situated, or they are village schools at which the attendance has fallen below the limit fixed by the Native Schools code. They are usually maintained at the expense of the Natives themselves, by whom the teachers are appointed; and they are subsidised to a limited extent by the Government, under certain prescribed conditions. The boarding-schools are maintained by religious denominations, and are in receipt of capitation grants from the Government. The children on account of whom grants are paid form only a small proportion of the Native children maintained and educated at some of these institutions. The subsidised schools and the boarding schools, in common with the village schools, are statedly visited and the scholars examined by the Organizing Inspector. During the past year a few new school buildings have been completed, and some are now in course of erection in suitable localities. On the recommendation of the Inspector numerous improvements and repairs have been made on school buildings and premises in the several districts. Applications for the establishment of schools have been made of late by Natives in various parts of the North Island, including the " King country," and negotiations are in progress having for their object the obtaining of suitable sites where schools have been asked for and are considered necessary. During the year the sum of £2,006 7s. 2d. was expended on buildings, sites, fencing, school furniture, &c. The Native schools in the North suffered severely from a fever epidemic during the past year, and this reduced the average attendance at some of the schools very materially. Notwithstanding this drawback, the total attendance at the schools has increased to a fairly satisfactory extent. For 1883 the number belonging to the schools at the close of the year, the strict average, and the working average for the whole year were 1,923, 1,505, and 1,583 respectively; while the corresponding numbers for 1884 were 2,226, 1,733, and 1,811: showing an increase of 303, 228, and 228. It is satisfactory to notice that the increased attendance has been made up to a very large extent of Maori quarter-castes and pure Maoris. About 85 Maori children were maintained wholly or partly at the expense of the Government in the boarding-schools already mentioned : the number of such boarders at the end of 1884 was 43 boys and 35 girls; total, 78. In addition to these, there were 87 Native children (62 boys and 25 girls) maintained and educated at these boarding institutions out of their own school endowments and other funds. The principles that regulate the admission of Government children to these boarding-schools were stated in the report for 1880. The following table contains a summary of the race of the children who were attending the village schools at the close of 1884. The same particulars concerning each of the schools are given in Table No. 5 of the Organizing Inspector's report:

TABLE Q. —Race of the Children Attending the Native Village Schools.

In comparison with the corresponding period of 1883, the proportion of Maori scholars and those between Maori and half-caste had risen from 71"81 to 72-69 per cent., the proportion of half-castes had fallen from 10*3 to 9'7 per cent., and the percentage of European scholars and those between European and half-

'ercentage. Totals. Boys. ©iris. 1884. 1883. 1882. [aori and between Maori and half-caste falf-caste ... luropean and between European and half-caste 919 111 699 105 1,618 216 72-69 9-70 71-81 10-30 74-16 10-28 203 189 392 17-61 17-89 15-56 Totals for 1884 ... Totals for 1883 ... 1,233 1,052 993 871 2,226 1,923 100-00 100-00 100-00