E.—2

8

Te Ahuahu. —Good work was done at examination and inspection. The mistress was absent on leave ; but the two teachers in charge were carrying on the school satisfactorily. The inspection took place some months before the examination, and the work shown deserved special commendation for its thorough and earnest character. Taumarere. —This little subsidised school has its use. The children that are educated here would probably grow up illiterate if it did not exist. The higher passes were good, but there was some weakness in the lower part of the school. Karetu. —The teacher had had many discouragements during the latter part of the school-year, and both the percentages gained were rather low. If the teacher, however, could lay aside the idea that a losing game has to be played here there is no perceptible reason why the depression referred to should not be of a merely temporary character. Waikare. —The results were exceedingly low. The examination percentage (1979) is unparalleled. The main cause of the unsatisfactory nature of the examination was irregularity of attendance. The school has been closed. Poi'oti. —The work shown was very satisfactory, notwithstanding the fact that only nine months had elapsed since the previous examination, and that several of the children had, in what is unfortunately the Maori fashion here and in some other places, been up all the previous night at a race-meeting dance. Mangakahia. —The condition of this school is not very satisfactory. An important cause of weakness is the irregularity of attendance, which in turn is the effect of want of food resulting from the holding of large meetings for purposes which no European can fully understand. At these meetings very large quantities of food are consumed, and the result is semi-starvation during the rest of the year for the children of the entertainers, unless they go to the gumfields and earn money to buy food for themselves. A fair amount of useful work is as a rule done at this school, although the general form is perhaps not quite the best. The passes gained are all rather weak. Tangiteroria. —lmprovement has taken place in the order and tone of this school, but more improvement would be appreciated. Care should be taken to secure independent work, especially in arithmetic, which is rather poor through the want of it. Eesults were on the whole good, but the English was - weak in the lower standards. Taita. —The results of the examination show that earnest and good work has been done in spite of considerable discouragement and difficulty. It seems exceedingly probable that this school will have to be moved further up the valley. The Europeans who occasionally attend here are for the most part the children of gum-diggers, who can hardly be reckoned as among the permanent population. Pouto. —Particular attention to English and arithmetic is needed. Much good work has been done, in some cases in advance of the standards ; much also has been done that cannot receive an adequate record in an examination schedule. Otamatea. —The work shown at examination was fair. The arithmetic in the upper standards was weak, and the Third Standard dictation very poor; but much of the work was very good. On the whole the school is a useful one, although small. Matakohe. —The teacher shows great interest in the welfare of the Natives, and makes most laudable attempts to help them in their troubles. The results obtained at examination were disappointing, but there had been many untoward circumstances which could justly be taken as an excuse for the partial failure. There had been much sickness among the children during the year, and four deaths. Thames and Waikato. — District Superintendent, Mr. G. T. Wilkinson. Kirikiri. —The extremely troubled and broken character of the school year accounts for the shortcomings made visible by the examination. The new teachers, as the inspection showed, are doing honest and intelligent work, and favourable results may be expected at the next examination. Otorohanga. —The number of passes gained was large, but the percentages were lowered considerably by the numerous absences. This is one of the very few schools that seem to constantly keep up a struggle towards something better. The character of the work is very pleasing—children nearly always either know a thing thoroughly or do not know it at all, this being the end of the matter. There is great reason to be satisfied with the success of the school, and the zeal and industry of the teachers. Te Waotu. —The results must be considered very good even when they have been discounted for work done by the previous very able teacher. The new master has got into the proper way of doing Native-school work, and he does it well and honestly. Tapapa. —Only about half of the school work was submitted to the examination test. In April last one of Tawhiao's meetings took place at Maungakawa, and all the Hauhau children went off with their parents to attend it. They had not returned when the examination took place. The work examined was very fairly satisfactory. Hot Lakes and Bay of Plenty .—District Superintendent, Mr. R. S. Bush, R.M. Rotoiti. —Better passes than those made at the examination could hardly be expected, or evert desired. The work was very strong throughout. The percentages were lowered by the numerous absences. There was some untidiness about the schoolroom and its arrangements that was rather disappointing to one accustomed to the neatness generally characteristic of Native schools. Fort Galatea. —This is in many ways a very useful school. The educational results, however, would be much better than they are if the teacher would attend more closely to the requirements of the code. Familiarity with certain processes and knowledge of certain facts must be shown by pupils who are to pass a standard, and no amount of so-called higher work can compensate for deficiency in these respects.