E.—2

4

A new school appears in this list: Waikare School, which was transferred by the Auckland Board of Education, was opened in September quarter. It appears to be a very promising school, and suitable buildings are to be erected shortly. Additions, &c, have been also put in hand at Whangaruru, a somewhat isolated school, which is doing capital work. It is interesting to note that Karetu School, which was opened in 1886, has been continuously in charge of the present teacher since it was established. Group IV.—Thames, Hot Lakes, Waikato, and King Country. These schools are Manaia (Coromandel), Te Kerepehi, Rakaumanga, Parawera, Te Kopua, Mangaorongo, Oparure, Hauaroa (Taumarunui), Te Waotu, Ranana, Wai-iti, and Whakarewarewa. This group contains some of the most efficient schools in the service. The attendance at Rakaumanga, which has been very much interfered with by Maori meetings, is most discouraging, while that at Mangaorongo is also very poor indeed. At all the other schools, however, the children attend well. In some of the schools a tendency to the too hasty promotion of preparatory children was noticeable, and in one or two the infant department was decidedly weak. The state of the schools as regards cleanliness was quite satisfactory, nor can much exception be taken to the personal appearance of the children. The examination results were very good indeed : in three of the schools — Te Kopua, Wai-iti, and Whakarewarewa —they were excellent. Group V. — Tuhoe and U reiver a District. The schools in this district are Te Teko, Ruatoki, Waimana, and Te Whaiti. In this disti ict the Maoris have been led away by the doctrines of the prophet Rua, who has declared that he will undertake the education of the Maori children in his own. way. The result has been that the schools were denuded of children. Waimana School, formerly a flourishing school of sixty or so, was left practically empty, while Ruatoki, which once boasted of more than a hundred, was reduced to twenty-nine. Kokako School, situated in the eastern part of the Urewera district, near Waikaremoana, which was reopened last year as an aided school, existed only for a short time, all the children, some forty in number, being withdrawn under the order of the prophet. Te Teko was threatened for a time with a like fate, and, indeed, many of the children were withdrawn by their parents, who left their homes to escape a threatened tidal wave. The people came back, however, when they saw that the disaster did not overtake them on the appointed day. Te Teko and Te Whaiti also suffered during the year from an epidemic of sickness, that at the former being serious. The results of the examinations were very fair. As regards cleanliness of person, it seems that the Urewera children have not yet overcome their antipathy to cold water. They are very prone to copying, and find it difficult apparently to sit still in school. The experience of the Department with regard to Tuhoe schools has not been very encouraging, and it seems futile to expect that under the present conditions new schools should be established in this district. It has been decided that Waimana school-buildings, which were claimed to have become Rua's, shall be offered to the Auckland Board of Education for removal. They will serve for public-schooi purposes. Group VI. — Western Bay of Plenty. There are seven schools in this group —viz., Te Kotukutuku, Paeroa, Papamoa, Te Matai, Matata, Otamauru, and Poroporo. The steady progress made by these schools is very gratifying indeed. In most of them the attendance has been very satisfactory, that of Otamauru being excellent and forming probably a record for the Dominion. Te Kotukutuku, which some years ago was in a very languishing condition, is now a vigorous and important school, the examination results being excellent. In one or two of these schools the discipline is not so efficient as one could wish. The children, however, are on the whole very clean in their persons and habits. Owing to increased attendance Te Matai School had to be enlarged during the year. Group Vll. — Eastern Bay of Plenty. The schools in this group are Waioweka, Omarumutu, Torere, Omaio, Te Kaha, and Raukokore. The influence of the prophet Rua has made itself felt at Waioweka, from which the Maori children with the exception of a few that belong to another tribe have been withdrawn. The school is now attended by a majority of European children, and its transfer to the Auckland Board of Education is contemplated. At Omarumutu the indisposition of the teacher led to a considerable fall in the interest shown by the parents in their school, and there was a serious drop in the attendance. A new teacher has been placed in charge, and the school has in a very short time recovered its position. The next three schools — Torere, Omaio, and Te Kaha —are in capital condition, and their management reflects credit on the teachers. The children attend regularly; they are clean and tidy in their persons and habits and are making great progress in their work, while the people show keen interest and loyally support the schools. At Raukokore the state of the children as regards cleanliness leaves much to be desired. I felt compelled to take extreme action in one case. It is very much to be regretted that the people here cannot see the harm caused to their children as well as to themselves by the new faith, which still claims a few adherents. A workshop has been established at Omaio, and one is also proposed for Raukokore.