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84
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gramme implies that half the time is given to practical work in the field or garden, and the rest of it is partly experimental—laboratory work—and partly theory. This kind of work is being done in a large number of European schools now. We are beginning in the colony to a very large extent to go on those lines in our European schools, and 1 cannot imagine any much better lines, with perhaps just a little alteration in respect to the plants chosen —I cannot imagine much better lines for the teaching of the Maoris. If you give these Maori students from four to four hours and a half a week instruction in this branch for two years it will improve them, even should they go back to the life of their Native pas, because, if I may use a Hibernicism, they will not be so much at sea when they go back to farm their own land. These students will very soon become practical farmers, and the instruction given in the school will enable them to avoid a great many mistakes. I may mention, as an illustration, what I noticed at St. Stephen's School in Auckland. There is a garden there of something like an acre in area. The boys do practical work in the garden, and the practical results are such that they will never forget. It was noticed that in one part of the garden there was one plot which bore hardly any crop of peas whatever, and there was another plot where the peas grew well, and the boys mixed the soils, and they have got good crops since in both places. They were set to find out the reason, to observe the nitrogen bearing nodules on the roots. Those boys will never forget that practical lesson, because they did the work with their own hands. That is as good secondary education as you can get from any other subject of practical science. It is possible to do as much or more at Te Aute. The objection that may be raised —which has been suggested, in fact—is one with which I have a good deal of sympathy—namely, the suggestion whether, if you do that, you can also provide for those who go on to the University, or who wish to become professional men. I may say at once that you must provide for those students as well as for the others. It is absolutely essential that if you are going to move a race or move a community, you should make it move altogether. Any change you may make must begin in the primary schools — in the Maori village schools — it must go on to the secondary schools and to the University; or else one part of the community will find itself out of sympathy with the other part of the community, and a lot of your work will be wasted. Now, what is the proportion of the people in this colony who go or are likely to go to the University? It is nothing like 2 per cent.; probably hardly 1 per cent. You must take those of the university age, and see how many there are.at the University out of all those of that age in the colony at that particular time, and if you do so you will find the proportion to be lor 2 per cent. The number at the secondary schools a few years ago was only about 6 per cent. Now the number is considerably larger, because they are giving free places in these schools. It is safe to say that not 5 per cent, of these secondary-school pupils go to the University. Even if the State pays the fees the parents cannot go without the wages of their sons and daughters; so we must look out to see that the boys who are sent on to the University—-even if the S + ate is providing the means—are really the most fit students. We must select them sooner or later, or the competition of life will do it. What we have to do for Europeans we may just as well do for the Maoris—namely, select the most fit students; and in selecting them we may select a few more than may be deemed necessary, because we do not want to miss a genius. We shall have to select Maori students to be treated at the University in the same way as European students who have to be sent to European secondary schools. You will never be able to do that from this one institution unless you increase the endowments three or four fold. Supposing there is a certain amount set apart out of the endowments for Hukarere and a certain amount for Te Aute—we will say that the annual income amounts to £2,500 in all—the net total is hardly as much as that now I understand : you could not thoroughly equip two boarding-schools in such a way as at the same time to treat the students properly who are going on to the and to treat the others properly too. I think the way to make separate provision for those who are fit for the University is to send them to the same secondary schools as European students. You can select them at the age of fourteen- —that is, the students who are likely to be most successful—otherwise you get an unnecessary overlapping. If you do that it will leave the whole of the funds at Te Aute Jree for what you can accomplish there. These are the general lines which I thought it desirable to indicate to the Commission —the fundamental principles which underlie this question, and the answers 1 may give to any questions put to me will be based upon these fundamental ideas. If you are going to send certain students ou to the University you must have the same standard for Maoris aa for Europeans in the Matriculation Examination. There is one thing I should like to say here, as to the supposed objection on the part of some of the Maori people to technical training, on the ground that manual labour is lacking in dignity. I think that one of the things that is a most important part of our education is to make people recognise the dignity of manual labour. This applies to the European as well as to the Maori. Manual labour can be just as honourable as any other labour; if it is infuse-d with intelligent manhood, if it is done so as to develop the individual, morally and intellectually, it is just as honourable as any other kind of labour. 94. You are of opinion that Te Aute should not henceforth be a secondary school ?—No; I still call it a secondary school. I think the subjects should be treated in a secondary manner. It is a secondary school at which there is not much use in teaching Latin, because English would take its place. I would not take away the secondary education from Maoris who do not go to the University. English can be treated as a secondary subject just as much as Latin. 95. You want to draft off the best boys from Te Aute to English secondary schools —that is the policy you wish to lay down? —Yes. What I would do is this : some of them you can select with safety before they go to Te Ante. Other boys cannot be picked out quite so early, but they can be picked out at Te Aute and transferred to other schools. 96. Would you apply exactly the same system in regard to European schools?— Yes; we are getting towards that now. To put a European boy in the same position as a Maori boy you must make him learn a foreign language. 97. Have you placed your views before the Te Aute School authorities?— Yes, in a suggestive
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