E.—3.

The reports upon the annual examination of the various boarding-schools show that, almost without exception, very good work is being done. In some of the schools where the pupils return for a third or fourth year the more capable pupils are prepared for the Public Service Entrance Examination, and the number who succeed in passing this examination is very satisfactory indeed. Both at St. Stephen's School and at Te Ante College a limited number of boys undergo preparation for the University Entrance Examination. The teachers of the boarding-schools take a keen and sympathetic interest in the welfare and progress of their scholars, and visitors to the schools cannot fail to be impressed with the appearance of the scholars and with the manner in which they are cared for. At the end of the year the number of scholars on the rolls of the various boarding-schools was 307 boys and 226 girls, a total of 533 ; and of this number 150 were holders of Government scholarships. Scholarships. To further the interests of Maori pupils so far as secondary education is concerned three types of scholarships have been established by the Government —viz.: (1) Junior scholarships ; (2) senior scholarships—(a) industrial scholarships or apprenticeships, (b) nursing scholarships ; (3) University scholarships. In the award of these scholarships the principle of accrediting is followed ; no competitive examinations are held. The junior scholarships, which are available for suitably qualified and accredited Maori scholars, are tenable at such of the boarding-schools referred to in the previous section of the report as have been approved by the Department for the purpose. The great majority of the scholarships are awarded to pupils from the Native village schools, in whose interest they have been primarily established. A limited number of scholarships are awarded, however, to pupils from public primary schools, but in the case of these pupils the award is somewhat differently determined. The total number of scholarships available was 170, and at the end of the year 150 were current. Several of the boarding-schools failed to receive their full quota of pupils. The senior scholarships are available for scholars who have completed the course of training prescribed for junior-scholarship holders. Agricultural scholarships, tenable at a State farm or at some school where a suitable course in agriculture is provided, are available for eligible boys who are desirous of taking up an extended course in agriculture. Five such scholarships were current during the year at Te Aute College. For suitably qualified girls who are anxious to work as nurses among their own people nursing scholarships are available at certain hospitals ; but, probably owing to the reason that the girls with a view to becoming nurses enter the hospital service as ordinary probationers, these scholarships are not eagerly sought after. At the end of the year only one nursing scholarship was current. As was stated in last year's report, industrial scholarships or apprenticeships do not appeal now to Maori boys upon the expiry of their junior scholarship, and evidently they find employment in other directions and by other means. Two University scholarships are awarded annually to Maori students who have passed the University Entrance Examination successfully and who may wish to take up some profession or calling with a view to benefiting the race. At the end of 1928 there were five such scholarships current. This number shows a reduction when compared with the number current at the end of the previous year, the reduction being due to the fact that for various reasons several students found it necessary to discontinue their University career. Continuation Scholarships.—The secondary education of Maori pupils is also encouraged by the Maori Purposes Fund Control Board, which provides annually for the award of twenty-five continuation scholarships to selected scholars who have been in attendance at a boarding-school as the holders of a Government scholarship for two years. The purpose of these scholarships is to provide a third-year's training for scholars who are considered worthy of such training. During the past year the twentyfive scholarships allotted by the Board were current. In addition, the Board grants annually substantial monetary assistance to those to whom these scholarships are awarded. The Board also grants similar assistance to all pupils to whom Government scholarships have been awarded. This grant is made to the school authorities on behalf of the scholars, and in this way to a large extent it relieves the parents of incidental expenses incurred by the pupils while at school. This reference to continuation scholarships and to the payment made on behalf of the scholars appears to be again necessary in order that misapprehension existing in the minds of the teachers of Native schools (who, by the way, may have to explain matters to the Maori parents) may be removed. The Board also provides scholarships to enable selected lads from Te Aute College to undertake a course of training for two or three years at Hawkesbury Agricultural College, New South Wales. Private Scholarships. —Scholarships which are provided from private bequests are also available for annual competition amongst Maori boys. These scholarships, known as Te Makarini Scholarships and the Butter Scholarship, were established in memory of men closely associated with the history of New Zealand—the late Sir Donald Mac Lean and the late Sir Walter Buller. The examinations for these scholarships are conducted by the Department on behalf of the trustees by whom the separate bequests from which the scholarships are provided are administered. The Te Makarini Scholarships —two or three in number, as the trustees may determine—are each of the annual value'of £35, and are tenable at Te Aute College. The following subjects are prescribed for the examination : English, arithmetic, geography, Maori, and general knowledge (New Zealand history, health, religious knowledge). For the year 1928 three scholarships were offered by the trustees for competition—one senior scholarship and two junior scholarships. Of the junior scholarships, one was reserved for competition amongst eligible boys from Native village schools, while the other scholarship was open to competition amongst eligible Maori boys from any school. For the senior examination

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