E.^-l

XVII

above. ,1 had several strongtestimonies given to me unasked, as to the good the Native schools haVe done and are doing; but there are many hindrances to the work. Among these I would put ... the vast expenditure by the Maoris of time and means on meetings of one kind and another (these unsettle the minds of the children, and do much to prevent the formation of good habits); the influence of the Maori tohungas and their superstitions, which lead to practices often dangerous to health . . .; the absence of facilities for young Maoris of both sexes,.taught in the village and secondary schools, to lead the more civilised life they have learnt; in consequence of this they often, it is to be feared, fail to make the best use of the greater knowledge they have acquired, or even altogether miss the benefits that their education should confer on them. . ■ .. ■..:.•„ I am not sure that I can suggest a better remedy for the last evil than is contained in a recent suggestion of Mr. Pope's, if it is possible to apply it—namely, the formation of special settlements in which young educated Maoris could live in the European fashion, and learn to work steadily and intelligently. It is true that we must not expect results too soon; a native race like the Maori is probably not likely to adopt our ways more rapidly, but less rapidly, by reason of its own inherent strength of character, which imposes an obstacle very real, if not very visible, to the inroad of foreign ideas,. lam glad to see that the Government has approved the recommendations I have ; made for the immediate extension of hand-work in Native schools, for the establishment of technical schools for those who have left the Maori village-schools, and for the substantial encouragement of manual and technical instruction at Te Aute and St. Stephen's. lam sure this course of action will result in great benefit to the Native-school system and the whole Maori race." In connection with the remarks of the Inspector-General, it may be mentioned that three technical schools for Maori boys who have left the villageschools are already being set up at Eakaumanga, Bangitukia, and Whirinaki respectively, and that, at the request of the Maoris themselves, carpentry is the subject with which a start is to be made; other subjects'will follow in due course, and if the experiment succeeds, there is no reason why technical schools should not be opened in other districts also. In like manner the Government is giving substantial encouragement to the manual and technical instruction at Te Aute and St. Stephen's. Hand-work is being taken up with enthusiasm in some of the village-schools. A vote will be placed on the estimates for providing a visiting teacher (or "organizing superintendent"), who will be able to spend a much longer time at schools where his presence is found to be helpful than the Native-school Inspectors can afford to give, and will devote, moreover, special attention to organizing the manual and technical work in the schools. Out of the eighty-five schools in operation during the whole or part of the year 1899, sixty-five were under the charge of masters, and twenty under the charge of mistresses ; the number of assistants was 63 ; of sewing-mis-tresses, 11. The head-masters received salaries ranging from £100 to .£275 ; head-mistresses, from £61 to £187 ; the salaries of assistants, who in nearly all cases belong to the family of the head-teacher, ranged from merely nominal amounts to £50. The expenditure on Native schools was as follows : Teachers' salaries and allowances, £13,586 18s. 5d.; books and school requisites, £499 7s. 7d. ; repairs and small works, £535 ss. 9cL ; inspection, £962 2s. 7d.; boarding-schools and scholarships, £1,809 6s. 4d.;' buildings, fencing, furniture, &c, £5,477 13s. 6d.; sundries, £160 6s. 4d. : total, £23,031 os. 6d. The report of the Inspector of Native Schools (E.-2) contains full information as to details in regard to the Maori village schools and the boarding-schools, and many interesting remarks upon the nature of the work being done in the Maori schools, together with a review of the progress made during the last twenty years. Industeial Schools. At the end of 1899 there were on the books of all the industrial schools 1,668 inmates, or 114 more than at the end of the previous year —namely, 57 more on the books of the Government schools, and 57 more on those of the private industrial schools. Although all these 1,668 are legally classed as " inmates of industrial schools," only 590 were actually resident in the schools. There were 417 boarded out, 21 in various corrective institutions, and 5 in orphan homes: that is, there were 1,033 who were dependent on the State for maintenance. The remaining 635 were still under control and supervision, although they were not dependent on the schools for maintenance ; these were accounted for as follows : Licensed to reside with friends, 138 ; at service, 453 ; in hospital, 7 ; in lunatic asylum, 2 ; in the Costley Training Institution, on probation, 1; in the Auckland Blind Asylum, 1; in the Sumner, Deaf-mute Institute, 1; in other institutions without payment, 7; in gaol, 4 ; absent without iii—E. 1,