8.—3

6

and Ohaeawai (Ngawha), Bay of Islands. At Waikeri, Herekino, the school building erected by the Maoris has been greatly improved and made more habitable ; the need for better living-quarters for the teachers is urgent, as is also the need for more suitable school buildings at Huiarau, Ruatahuna, in the Urewera country. During the year representations were made to the Department that, on account of increased attendance, additional accommodation was necessary at the following schools : Omanaia, Hokianga ; Kaikohe, Bay of Islands ; Ra/nana, Te Ngae, Rotorua ; Te Teko, •Poroporo, and Waioweka, Bay of Plenty; Manuiahi, East Coast; and Nuhaka, Hawke's Bay. At the last-mentioned place the Committee are prepared to assist by contributing £50. In connection with these applications no definite decisions have been come to. Applications for the establishment of schools at the following places were received : Matahiwi and. Parinui, Wanganui River ; Korohe, Taupo ; Waimana, Bay of Plenty ; Tanehiha, near Kawhia ; Kauangaroa, Wanganui district ; and also a request for the reopening of a school at Te Kopua, Waikato. All the foregoing places, with the exception of Tanehiha and Parinui, were visited and reported upon by an Inspector. In the cases of Matahiwi, Korohe, and Waimana it is considered that the facilities provided by schools in the districts concerned should be taken advantage of, either by means of a conveyance system or by means of boarding arrangements. With regard to Kauangaroa, the difficulty of obtaining a suitable site has not yet been got over, and another visit by an Inspector will be necessary. Tanehiha and Parinui will be visited and reported upon during the current year. In connection with Te Kopua, where the Native school was closed several years ago, the people have been informed that when the building available for a school is put into good order and repair a teacher will be appointed. Attendance, etc. (1.) Native Village Schools. In the report for 1920 it was shown that there had been a substantial increase (310) in the roll number as compared with that of the previous year. The total number of children on the rolls of the schools at the end of 1921 was 5,822, this number representing an increase of 314 on the corresponding number at the end of the year 1920. Thus in two years the number of children has increased by 624 pupils, of whom about 80 per cent, are Maori. The average weekly roll number was 5,786, the average attendance 5,021, and the average percentage of regularity 868. Information regarding the attendance of the individual schools is furnished in Table H2, from which it will be seen that of the 123 Native schools, 107 gained 80 per cent, and over of the possible attendance, and of that number fortytwo schools gained 90 per cent, and over. In regard to the remaining sixteen schools, the attendance, even when allowance is made for the various factors which militate against good attendance in many settlements, cannot be regarded as satisfactory. In the large majority of districts there was an absence of serious sickness of any kind, and no doubt this is responsible for the higher position which many schools occupy in the list, and also for the increased percentage in the regularity of attendance. The excellence in the regularity with which the pupils of Manaia School attend accounts for its appearance once more at the head of the list of schools. The improved attendance of many schools hitherto unsatisfactory in this respect is a particularly pleasing feature. As was pointed out in the last report, it is the personal influence of the teacher on both the pupils and their parents which counts for so much in the regularity of attendance at his school. Certificates for good attendance were awarded to 501 pupils of Native schools. (2.) Mission Schools. The following schools under this heading were inspected and examined during the year : Putiki Mission School, Tokaanu Convent School, Matata Convent School, Whakarapa Convent School, and the convent schools at Ranana and Hiruharama, on the Wanganui River. The roll number of these schools at the end of the year was 237, and the average percentage of regularity of attendance was 84-4. (3.) Secondary Native Schools. The schools coming within this category have been established in various parts of the Dominion by various denominational bodies. They number ten —four schools for boys, five schools for girls, and one mixed school. These schools were also inspected and examined during the year. The combined roll number of the schools at the end of the year was 488, and the average percentage of regularity of attendance was 952. The following summary gives the particulars relating to roll number and attendance of the three classes of schools in tabulated form : —

Schools. Number. Roll Number at I Knd of Year. Average Weekly Roll Number. Average Attendance. I .Percentage of I Regularity. [ Native village Native mission Native secondary 123 6 10 5,822 237 488 5,786 248 478 5,021 210 455 86-8 84-4 95-2 Totals . . 139 6,547 6,512 5,686 87-3