E.—2

15

Tokomaru (examined 18th July, 1903: Mr. Bird).—This school still maintains its high standard of efficiency. Sixty-two children were present at the examination. There is a very good working-tone in the'school, and the behaviour of the children is all that one can desire. The extra subjects were all very satisfactory; drawing was, perhaps, limited in extent. Classes SI and S2 should be independent of the use of fingers in arithmetic, and to this end it is advisable to begin in the earliest classes with the composition of the numbers, and to arrange the work so that a child shall not advance beyond numbers with which he is thoroughly familiar. The methods in the school, judged by results and inspection, are sound, and the teaching is intelligently directed towards securing a thorough training. Kindergarten work and handwork have received due attention, and some very creditable products of the children's labours were exhibited. The results were very good, the middle part of the school doing really capital work. Whangara (examined 16th July, 1903: Mr. Bird).—The doubts that attended the early career of this school have been for the most part removed. The attendance is very regular. The people showed such interest in their school that the building was filled. The children work well, and the order and discipline are very satisfactory. The extra subjects have not yet reached a very advanced stage; drill is satisfactory. The teaching is based on proper methods, and produces results that were very good indeed. ' The people showed much appreciation of the school, and the Committee was at the time of the examination making an effort to provide a shelter-shed for the school. Tangoio (examined 7th November, 1903: Mr. Bird).—There were, at inspection-time, forty names on the roll, but only twenty-eight children were present. Some of the records were not entered up to date, and they were not marked so neatly as one could desire. Very little had been done with the ground, and there was no garden to speak of. Order and discipline were very unsatisfactory ; children talked without control, came into school and went out with no order at all. One case of copying was remarked, otherwise the children worked fairly well. The relations between teachers and parents were such as should cause' much uneasiness to the Department. Indeed, the attendance had already been considerably affected, and the prospects of success verymuch diminished. The extra subjects were fair. Drill was weak, and no use had been made of the dumb-bells supplied. The results were disappointing in the highest class, fair in the middle class, and weak in the preparatory classes. Papawai (examined 10th November, 1903: Mr. Pope). —A very decided general improvement is noticeable in the garden and grounds. Time-table arrangements needed some modification in order to make satisfactory provision for the most important subjects. The teacher must learn to secure order and attention before progress can be made with the work. Trouble spent in this direction is well spent. The relations between parents and teachers are of a kindly nature, and the parents show interest in the school. There is still much to be done in the extra subjects. In teaching, though the lessons given were interesting, they were somewhat on old lines. If the children were trained to habits of quietness and attention, the school would be at once in a very satisfactory state. The results, which were pleasing on the whole, show that the new staff means business, and should the interest of the Maoris be maintained at its present pitch the school should in a year or two reach a high level. Turanganui (examined 12th November, 1903: Mr. Pope). —The order here was good, children being well in hand, yet the rule seems to be satisfactorily mild. There was also noticeable a good all-round tone. Pupils were clean and tidy, and anxious to work. The methods of teaching were such as were in vogue some considerable time back, and have been improved upon during recent years. The master has, however, high aims, and works very hard, to reach them. Much capital work had been done. Hawke's Bay, Taupo, and Wanganui. Nuhaka (examined 6th April, 1903: Mr. Pope). —The attendance here has not been what it should be; out of a roll number of sixty-seven there were present forty-seven, while the average for the year was about forty-two. Drawing was fairly good; the other extra subjects were, however, not worth much, the drill especially being purposeless. There has been some improvement in the school tone since last year. Children appeared to be well in hand, and were cleaner than formerly. The handwork taken is rather limited in extent, and more than half an hour a week should be devoted to it. There is still too much time devoted to arithmetic in the lowest classes. Larger results would have been achieved if the Maoris took a more active personal interest in the work. The school has an unusually large number of juniors, a good indication of bright future prospects. Tokannu (examined sth and 6th June, 1903: Mr. Pope). —The whole tone of this school is inconsistent with any kind of disorder. The mutual relations of parents and teachers, and teachers and children, are really all that they ought to be. The children made an admirable turn-out for such a remote district. It was difficult to find any unsound places in the work, and the results produced were very good. Extra subjects are all very well taught, singing being unusually good. Much good use has been made of the lantern here, and Mr. Hamilton had taken considerable trouble with it, Modelling in plasticine showed considerable merit; paper-weaving had also been done with accuracy. It is advisable, perhaps, to remark that here, as elsewhere, in the teaching of arithmetic much viva voce work should be done. This should be begun in the preparatories, who should learn to deal with the numbers Ito 12, say, in every kind of way. There can be no doubt that such work insures solid foundation and thorough comprehension of the values of the numbers. Karioi (examined 3rd June, 1903 : Mr. Pope). —Though the children here appeared to be rather " free and easy," the mistress has them well under control, and the order was satisfactory. It is not improbable that some of them need the restraint of corporal punishment, The tone was, however, in most respects admirable. The parents admire and respect their teachers greatly. The cleanliness of the children seems to be more and more satisfactory. The teaching is up to date and good. It is important, however, that the teacher should, by individual questioning, ascertain