4

E.—3

Three schools are in charge of teachers who are themselves members of the Maori race, and the Inspectors speak very highly of their efficiency. Several Maori girls who have completed their course in the secondary schools are employed as junior assistants, and are on the whole doing satisfactory work. Comparison of the amount paid in salaries dining the past year with that paid during the year 1906 will show an increase of £5,700. Part of this increase is due of course to the large increase in the attendance, but the greater portion of it is due to the effect of the revised scale of salaries introduced in 1907. Expenditure. The total expenditure on Native schools during the year 1910 was £33,387 Is. lid. Included in this amount is the sum of £4,305 paid from revenues from national endowments. New buildings and additions involved an expenditure of £2,844 ; maintenance and repairs, £1.269. Table HlO is a classified summary of expenditure.

No. 2. Tin' Inspectors of Native Schools i<> the Inspector-General oi Schools. Sir, — Wellington, 31st March, 1911. In accordance with instructions, we have the honour to place before you our report on the general condition of the Native schools and the work done by them during the year 1910. At the end of the year 1909 there were ninety-four schools in operation. During the year three new schools were opened—viz., Rakaunui (in the Kawhia district), Port Waikato (near the mouth of tin , Waikato River), and Waimiha (in the King-country); anil two were reopened— viz., Pamoana (Wanganui River), and 2'e Kopua (King-country). This makes a total of ninety-nine schools open at the end of the year 1910. With regard to proposals for new .schools, building operations are in hand at Orauta (near Eawakawa), Te Huruhi (Waiheke Island); and the erection of schools at Taharoa (Kawhia district), Rangitahi (near Galatea), Horoera (East Cape), Ptthiri (near Frazertown), is in content plation. The establishment of schools at Waiomio (Bay of Islands), Mtingatuna (East Coast), and Whakaki (Hawke's Bay) lias also been decided upon, and arrangements (or the formal acquisition of the land for the school-sites are now in hand. No action is to be taken al present in the case of Pukehina and Oruawharo; the claims of Okere (Rotorua), Maungatapu (Tauranga), and Tt Iringa (Hay of Islands), will, however, receive further attention. Willi regard to Taheke (Hokianga), the Department was of opinion that the children might attend (he nearest Hoard school. Other applications which require investigation are Puk'etui (near Thames), Moerangi (near Raglan), Mataniho (Tuhoe country), Waihvehut (mar Bouhora), Wairahi (near Whananaki), and Toreohaua (near Gisborne). In connection with some of these applications we have to state that the number of children available is somewhat less than that required by tin; regulations for the establishment of a fully equipped school. Thus in a Maori settlement with, say, only seventeen children a Native school cannot be established under present conditions. From the nature of the case aided or household schools with European teachers are not practicable, and Maori teachers are not available. The expense is too great to warrant the Department's erecting a school and residence for so small a number of children; and until some inexpensive building can lie designed we are afraid that this consideration will always preveni a small settlement from having a school. General Remarks. With regard to the various subjects of the school course we offer the following remarks: — Reading. —ln the infant classes the reading continues to show steady improvement, and there is no reason to be dissatisfied with the attainments of the pupils in this subject except in a very few schools, in th<- case of which it is difficult for us to believe that constant teaching with systematic effort has been <nven. As a rule, the reading in the upper classes is relatively not so good. Generally we find want of expression, and complete disinclination to speak naturally so that the reading may be distinctly heard. Thus we get the impression that the 'pupils do not always understand what they read. We do not think it necessary or even desirable that each sentence shall be torn to pieces and every word analytically examined, but we are strongly of opinion that the work cannot be regarded as satisfactory unless the child can picture mentally the ideas contained in the passage read; and the teacher can secure this, only by firsi getting the children to express orally their mental views. We fully realize the difficulties under which teachers are placed in dealing with Maori children, whose reading is confined almost entirely to what they read in school, and is not, as in the case of European children, supplemented to a considerable extent by reading at home. Teachers will do well, therefore, to adopt whatever means they can find to encourage wide reading. The libraries which have been established in many schools contribute materially to remedy the defect, but steps should be taken to ascertain whether the books are actually read, and whether also the ideas in them have been assimilated. For the junior classes we should be glad to see illustrated story-books containing simple tales for infants supplied to such schools as in our judgment merit special consideration for excellence in reading.