E.—l

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caste had fallen from 17-89 to 17-61. Table A3, p. iv. of this report, shows that 687 Maoris and children of mixed race attended the public schools at the close of 1884. The number of teachers employed in the village schools at the end of 1884 was as follows :— Schoolmasters ... ... ... ... ... 55 Schoolmistresses (in sole charge) ... ... ... ... 5 Schoolmistresses (where masters were also employed) ... ... 22 Assistant mistresses (where masters were also employed) ... ... 3 Sewing mistresses (where masters were also employed) ... ... 30 Total ... ... ... ... 115 The cost of the education of Native children and those of mixed race (exclusive of those that attended the public schools, as shoAvn on p. iv.) was, for the year 1884, as follows : —■ £ s. d. Village school salaries and allowances ... ... ... 9,477 13 7 Boarding-schools, apprenticeships, and higher education ... 1,924 911 Inspection (including travelling) ... ... ... 792 15 11 School requisites and contingencies ... ... ... 1,247 5 0 Total current expenditure ... ... £13,442 4 5 Building, furniture, fencing, &c. ... ... ... 2,006 7 2 Total ... ... ... £15,448 11 7 Of the above amount, £156 Is. Bd. was paid from Native reserve funds in the South Island, leaving a net expenditure by Government of £15,292 9s. lid. The Organizing Inspector reports that the work of introducing useful plants into Native districts, undertaken by the Education Department in conjunction with the Crown Lands and Native Depaitments and the Auckland City Council, is being steadily carried forward; that the mulberry and olive trees sent to Native schools are nearly all doing well; that black wattle seeds and arrowroot plants are being distributed this year; that a few date palms, ceratonias (carob bean), and cinchona plants will be sent out shortly; and that arrangements are being made to secure other suitable plants for future years. The management of the Auckland Domain has now been transferred to the City Council, and the Council recently forwarded memoranda by the Banger of the Domain (Mr. Goldie), supplying useful and interesting information concerning the cultivation of the plants that are being supplied to the Native school teachers in the North Island. These memoranda, supplemented by additional information prepared by an officer of the Education Department, will be distributed throughout the several localities into which the plants may be introduced. A copy of Mr. G-. E. Alderton's " Treatise and Handbook of Orange Culture in Auckland " has also been placed in the hands of every Native school teacher in the North Island. By such means it is hoped that in a few years most of the Native school glebes will contain trees and. plants that will eventually prove useful and profitable to both Natives and Europeans residing in the northern parts of the colony. Fully a year ago the extensive prevalence and the direful results of the fever epidemic already referred to attracted the attention of the Government, and, as such visitations were clearly attributable to the utter neglect of the ordinary sanitary rules on the part of the Maori race generally, the Organizing Inspector undertook to prepare a small manual, drawn up in a familiar and simple form, by means of which sound knowledge on sanitary subjects might be communicated to the Natives. The publication of the small volume "Health for the Maori " has been the result. This manual is now .used as a reading-book for boys and girls that have passed the Third Standard in the Native schools, and the teachers have been enjoined to give due prominence to the subjects treated of, not only in connection with the school work, but also in their intercourse with their Native neighbours. By direction of the Native Minister Mr. Pope's manual has been translated into Maori, and it will shortly be circulated widely amongst the Natives,