E.—3,

1939. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION OF NATIVE CHILDREN (In continuation of E.-3, 1938).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

CONTENTS. PAGE PAGE No. I.—Report of the Senior Inspector of Native No. 2.—Detailed Tables —continual. at o t> f .i '' '' '' " * Table H6. Classification of Maori Children at \t „ c v „ J Public Schools .. ..9 lable Hl. Number of Native Schools classified TT _ . _ r)1 , according to Grade, &c. 7 Ages and Standards .. 10 H2. Attendance at Schools .. 7 HB. Certificates held by Teachers in H 3. Rolls of Maori Mission and Maori Native Schools.. . ..11 Boarding Schools .. 7 H 9. Number of Teachers according to H 4. Number of Maori Pupils attending Position and Year of Salary Service II Maori Secondary Schools, &c. . . 8 HlO. Number of Teachers according to H5. Maori Children at Public Schools .. 8 Position on Basic Scale .. 12

No. 1. REPORT OF THE SENIOR INSPECTOR OF NATIVE SCHOOLS. Sir, — I have the honour to present the following report on the Native schools for the year 1938:— 1. CURRICULUM OF NATIVE SCHOOLS. The general lines along which the development of Native education is progressing have been indicated in my previous annual reports. It is pleasing to be able to record that during 1938 steady progress was made in the provision of those facilities so indispensable to a practical and useful kind of training, and in the development, in the Native schools, of that emphasis on realistic, as contrasted with abstract, teaching which is generally conceded to be desirable. A real effort has been made to meet the most urgent needs of the Maori children attending Native schools. The provision of such facilities as permanent water-supplies, baths, woodwork and cookery rooms, laundries, and equipment of a similar nature has proceeded steadily, and experience in the schools already so supplied has shown the advisability of persevering along these lines. At the present time there are certain needs which are not yet being fully met, more so in the post-primary denominational schools which are overdeveloped on the academic side. During the last few years the roll number of Native schools has increased rapidly from 7,587 in 1934 to 9,832 in 1938. This increase in the number of Maori children has had many repercussions. In the majority of Native schools additional accommodation has been necessary, and this has entailed extensive capital expenditure on new class-rooms. It is anticipated that in the next few years the increase in numbers will be even more rapid than it has been. While this increase in population must be considered an asset, both to the Maori and to New Zealand, its immediate effect is to increase the work of the Native schools.

I—E. 3.