H.—3l

40

than forty persons. The second-class quarters are fallen into disrepair, there are bunks for about fifty persons, but the rooms are too small and almost entirely unfitted for their purpose. For some time past the third-class quarters have been used by the Agricultural Department as stables and granaries, and are therefore unfit for occupation. The water-supply is totally inadequate. At the present time there are only about 7,000 gallons on the island—about three days' supply for a hundred persons. The 400-gallon tanks attached to the building are scarcely sufficient to supply the closets with water for sanitary purposes. The large concrete tank, which should contain some 7,500 gallons, is leaky, and would, at the very most, hold only half that amount. The wharf is in an utter state of disrepair; many of the piles are so rotten that tug-masters are afraid to approach it in rough weather. One pile underneath the crane has already gone. The following improvements are badly needed at the station : (1) An additional building for the accommodation of not less than two hundred persons ; (2) a twelve-bed hospital, well removed from the main building; (3) additional tanks for the storage ol not less than 20,000 gallons of water ; (4) a new wharf. Sanitation of Maoris. The Maoris are distributed throughout the Wellington District as follows : Wairarapa, 837; Taranaki, 2,190; Wanganui, 1,689; Manawatu, 1,723; Rangitikei, 459; Wellington, 264. The Native portion of the population has a very material influence on the sanitation of the district. In the Wairarapa, Wanganui, and Waitara districts typhoid is endemic in many of the pas. Last December a smart epidemic of dysentery broke out at Papawai, and two deaths were recorded. At my suggestion the Native Department sent a nurse to Papawai to see that Dr. Bey's instructions were carried out, and to teach the Native women the art of preparing food for the sick. Dr. Bey was very pleased with the result of the nurse's efforts, as many of the Native women took an intelligent interest in her instructions. Though not quite satisfied as to the cause of the epidemic, there is every reason to believe it was caused by some article of food. It is difficult for the pakeha to get to the bottom of some of the Native mysteries. There is no doubt that a great deal of decomposed fish is sent from Wellington to Papawai. Fortunately I was able to seize two consignments which were literally putrid. In the early part of the year a few cases of typhoid were reported among the Maoris in a pa near Waitara. At Waitotara Dr. Harvey has reported several cases of scarlet fever among the Natives. I believe Dr. Pomare has drawn attention to the advisability of having deaths among the Natives registered. This is certainly very necessary. Much good would result from sending pakeha nurses among the Maoris to instruct them in the rudiments of sanitation and in nursing of the sick. School-inspection. Thirty-four schools have been inspected during the year. Of this number I have personally examined and reported on eight. Twenty-five have been disinfected. But for the limited allowance of cubic space, the sanitation of schools in the larger centres is good. In last year's report attention was drawn to the necessity of increasing the cubic space ; the Education Department decided that 200 cubic feet for the future should be provided for. In a large school inspected at the beginning of this year only about 80 cubic feet of air-space was available for each scholar. It is seldom that inspection reveals such a state of affairs, but it is not unusual to find class-rooms where the allowance is barely above 100 cubic feet per scholar. The ventilating arrangements of class-rooms also occasion much trouble. Natural means of ventilation cannot be relied on ; and the finances of Education Boards will not warrant the adoption of artificial methods. In the up-country schools there is considerable room for improvement. In many instances the buildings have been erected on cold, swampy ground, which is bad for the children whether in the school or the playground. In some of the schools a very limited amount of cubic space is provided, and the ventilating arrangements are very primitive. The ordinary country schools are provided with privies over huge excreta-pits; these pits are rarely cleaned out. The urinals are seldom properly drained. Many School Committees have expressed themselves as willing to do away with excreta-pits, but very truly say that it is extremely difficult to get reliable persons to attend to the regular removal of the pans. Taking the year all round, there has been a considerable improvement in the general sanitation of schools, the Education Boards having readily complied with the suggestions of the Department. On plans devised by Messrs. Fleming and Turnbull, Inspector and Architect respectively to the Wellington Education Board, excellent schools have been erected at the Lower Hutt, Levin, and on the Wellington Terrace. Infectious Diseases, and School Attendance. There is no doubt that a great deal of infectious disease has been disseminated by school attendance, but there is evidence that schoolmasters have been very much more careful during the past year in preventing the school attendance of children from infected houses. Unfortunately in up-country districts a schoolmaster very often incurs odium by excluding children on the suspicion that an infectious disease exists in their homes. In many instances there is no medical man available to decide the question, and, if the children excluded should happen to be those of a member of the local School Committee, considerable trouble arises ; in fact, the unfortunate master is put to so much annoyance that he is inclined after one experience to leave to others the enforcement of section 87 of the Education Act. And who can blame him? Much trouble might be