H.—2l

25

10; lot 14 of section 13, Waitemata, suburbs of Auckland; and section 87, Titirangi, lands of the Three Kings Native Institution and Industrial School, produced): These are mostly contiguous suburban allotments, but the one large block of 527 acres near Manukau Heads (called by the name of Waikowai), of forest and swamp, containing only a few acres of available land, lies at a distance of four or five miles from the remainder. These suburban lands are known as the Three Kings. The outlying block is valuable only for firewood and pipis, on which the Natives then fed largely. The first of these grants was made by Captain Fitzroy, for the objects of a " Wesleyan Native Institution," on lst April, 1845. On this site the buildings of the Three Kings School were erected, being commenced in the year in which the grant bears date. The Native school existed at the date of the second grant by Governor Sir G. Grey, on 31st August, 1850, and the subsequent grants of 15th October, 1850, 19th June, 1852, and 22nd June, 1854, for the purposes of a " Wesleyan Industrial School," for the education of children of both races, and for the education and maintenance of destitute or poor persons, inhabitants of the islands of the Pacific Ocean. There were considerable sums of public money given from time to time by Sir G. Grey, probably to the amount of (speaking from recollection) £4,000, and probably an equal amount of mission money has also been expended on this estate in building, &c. These sums do not include the capitation allowance for scholars. The first buildings erected were a dwelling-house for the master and dormitories for the scholars. These were plain buildings of scoria, and are now occupied as farm buildings. Subsequently a wooden residence for the master, a very commodious range of edifices of wood on a stone foundation, and a large range of premises, kitchen, dormitories, &c, capable of accommodating at least eighty children, have been built. A further large outlay has been incurred in fencing, draining, and other farming operations. All these tenements, excepting the earliest erected, are still in good and serviceable repair. From 1845 up to 1863, there was maintained a Principal in charge of the institution, who was an ordained minister, supported entirely by church funds, and devoted exclusively to this object. Under his direction were a farm overseer, for many years a carpenter, to instruct the boys, a matron, and one or more teachers. Up to the year 1863, there always were a large number of Maori children and youths, also many Half-castes of both sexes, probably averaging from thirty to eighty, boarded, instructed, and regularly trained to industrial pursuits. The school was periodically inspected by the Government. The English language was always and regularly taught in the school, as evidenced by the use of Nelson's School Books, and the Irish National School Books. The industrial training consisted of sewing and washing in the girls' department; farming, gardening, stock-breeding, carpentering, &c, in the boys' school. The farming department was always kept separate, as a matter of account, from the school. Up to the year 1863, all the proceeds of the farm were devoted to the support of the school, as only a few children (Half-castes) were paid for by their parents, and the board and education of all the others (exclusive of the capitation allowance) was gratuitous. This refers to the farm accounts from the time of the employment of a farming overseer. About the year 1863, owing to renewal of Native war, the Maori scholars mostly left, so that the number remaining was reduced to four or five; but we retained a number of Half-castes, from twenty to thirty, to within one year from the present date. At that time the capitation grant from the General Government was withdrawn, and we were able to retain only a few of the number, and there are now, I believe, four or five of them. About 1862 or 1863 a stipulation was made by the Auckland Provincial Government to receive into the institution, by their order, a number of destitute European children (commonly called " City Arabs"). For these we were to receive from the Provincial Treasury the same capitation—viz., £10 per annum —as we had received from the General Government for Maoris and Half-castes. We have at this time more than twenty of these children, besides the few Half-castes above referred to. They have averaged yearly about twentyfive, but for the last nine months we have been receiving only one-half of the stipulated amount per child, i.e., at the rate of £5 each per annum, and on this account, together with the fall in the value of farm produce, we have incurred a considerable debt. When we ceased to have a regular minister in charge of the institution (i.e., about 1863, I believe) it was placed under a trained schoolmaster, whose salary was provided out of the school fund, which includes the proceeds of the farm, the rent of the land on the Grafton Eoad, and the capitation money. On lst October, 1868, the farm was let on lease for the sum of £250 per annum for a period of ten years, reserving for the purposes of the institution the school buildings, garden, and wood and water rights, &c. The extent of land let is between 500 and 600 acres. Only one quarter's rent has yet been paid. The proceeds are all devoted to the support of the institution. We have received nothing for Half-caste children (except for one or two only) beyond the Government capitation allowance, which also has now ceased to be paid. The sum of £10 per head did not cover the cost of maintenance of the European destitute children, which amounted to about £15 per head per annum. The balance was made good out of the school fund already referred to. That contribution having now been reduced by one-half, debt has been in consequence incurred. No arrangements have yet been made for the liquidation of that debt. Last September the mission stock then on the estate were sold, and a debt of £200 then standing was paid off, but subsequently further debt has been incurred amounting to about £50. The trained schoolmaster who succeeded the resident minister was discontinued soon after the cessation of the capitation. His services (formerly paid first at the rate of £200 and then at the rate of £150 out of the institution funds) were discontinued in June, 1868. Since that date the institution has been under the direction of one of our ministers, receiving nothing from the school fund, with a female teacher and a matron, paid respectively £50 and £30 per annum out of the school funds. 4—H. 21.