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who will thus possess the means of becoming well acquainted with the laws of health, and with the important advances that have been made by Europeans through the attention they have learnt to pay to such matters.* In the words of the Organizing Inspector, "A review of the year's work shows that the results are more favourable than those of any former year; had it not been for the fever in the North they would have been still more satisfactory. Discouragements have of course been numerous; schools that seemed certain to be permanently successful have temporarily broken down; settlements that appeared to be quite on the right track have been injuriously affected by sudden outbreaks of superstition or fanaticism. On the other hand, great improvement has been noticed in places where it was quite unexpected. On the whole the Natives appear to be growing more sober and more industrious, and to be gaining more knowledge of and respect for the better class of pakeha habits and customs. The changes which have been gradually taking place and differentiating the Maori settlements that have schools from those that have none are in many cases becoming so obvious that they attract the attention of even those who care for none of these things, while in some cases the change has caused considerable disgust to persons whose interests are not exactly forwarded by any improvement that takes place in the Maori race. . . . The balance this year is decidedly on the credit side, and the outlook for next year is favourable also." The Chatham Islands. Some years ago several of the inhabitants of the Chatham Islands represented to the Government that their children were growing up without the means of education, and expressed a desire for the establishment of a school amongst them. The Government promptly signified its willingness to make provision for the erection of the requisite school buildings and for the maintenance of a teacher or teachers as soon as the settlers should make the necessary arrangements for the obtaining of a suitable site. A sum of money was placed on the estimates and voted by the General Assembly for successive years to meet the requisite expenditure; but up to the present time it has been found impossible to secure such an amount of co-operation amongst the inhabitants themselves as to lead to any practical results. Finding there was no prospect of any hearty and united action being taken by the settlers to facilitate the establishment of a school, the Minister of Education resolved a few months ago to despatch a gentleman to the Islands to begin the work of school organization and teaching. The appointment was accepted by Mr. Andrew Eussell, a schoolmaster of large experience, proved ability, and sound judgment. That gentleman left Lyttelton for the Chatham Islands a few weeks ago ; and there is every reason to expect that much good will result from his mission.f * The health manual is likely to prove so useful to the members of the Native raeo that Mr. Pope suggests the preparation of another little work. He writes as follows : " It seems to me there is room for yet another little work of a somewhat similar kind. The object of this should be to give the Natives some idea of the more elementary principles of social economy, and of the nature of the laws and government under which we live. Such a book could not be made too simple, but it would also have to be fairly interesting. Any one that produced such a book would, I have no doubt, confer a very great benefit on the race. The Natives would certainly read the book (they read every Maori publication they can get hold of, except perhaps the Gazette), and it is impossible for any one to read about and study such subjects without becoming better fitted to discharge the duties of citizenship than he can be without some knowledge of the rudiments of tho science that underlies even the most ordinary social, economic, and political arrangements. Without a little of this kind of knowledge, the Maori, shrewd as he is, cannot properly discharge his simple political functions, such as voting at elections, or form any satisfactory idea of the why and the wherefore of any of tho institutions that he sees at work around him. In fact, tho Maori is in a plight somewhat similar to that of the totally illiterate pakeha, who is, by the nature of the case, actually obliged to give his vote at an election to the candidate who can most successfully appeal to his prejudices and to his ignorance." t The following is a copy of Mr. Russell's letter of appointment : " I am authorised by the Minister of Education to offer you the appointment of schoolmaster at the Chatham Islands, on the following terms : 1. Your appointment will be for one year from the date of your landing at the Islands, or for such longer period as may be mutually agreed upon hereafter. 2. Your salary will be at the rate of two hundred pounds (£200) a year, to date from the day on which you leavo New Zealand for the Islands. 3. You will receive a free passage from New Zealand to the Chatham Islands, and also back again at the expiration of your term of service, i. You will give effect, as far as practicable, to such instructions as you may receive from the Minister of Education in the fulfilment of your duties as public schoolmaster at the Chatham Islands. You will be expected to devise a line of action for yourself, and to recommend to the Minister such measures as in your judgment would be likely to promote the object desired by the Government—viz., to afford the means of a good school education to as many as possible of the youth of the Chatham Islands. 5. Until arrangements of a somewhat permanent character can be effected, you will render to the young, as regards their instruction, such services as you may find practicable under the circumstances. Without desiring to fetter your choice of action in this matter, I may suggest the possibility of your finding it advisable to collect the children for school purposes into several convenient centres for short periods by turns. It is to be assumed that the parents will heartily aid you in such efforts as you may make on behalf of their children. 6. You will do your utmost to secure harmonious