corporal punishment upon boys is justified and even enforced by the regulations of some of the most reputable public and private schools in the United Kingdom, and is approved by the Royal Commissioners on Education in their report to Parliament, still the inclination of all good and humane masters is to minimize such occasion, and to substitute gentler measures of control. The suppression of a school is always a matter of regret, and the public interest requires that the cause of it should be ascertained.

Havelock.—On my recommendation, and with the consent of the local trustees, your Honor has been pleased to nominate Mr. E. Bissell to the school at Havelock which I have vacated. I would suggest that a similar course be adopted in all succeeding cases. The candidate for the office of master of a common school should be required to undergo an examination by the Government Inspector, and, if qualified, should then be appointed on probation for a period of six months.

Total number of Pupils.—In the twelve schools receiving aid from the Provincial Government, there are 309 children in attendance, between the ages of five and fourteen years. This number is moderately large when estimated according to the comparative extent and population of other places from which I have received statistical information.

The instruction for the most part is purely elementary, but generally sound. A wise avoidance of strong or elaborate designs for young and untaught children will mould their minds for diligent and industrious application, and fit them to the assorted gradations of study that will successively follow in their educational career.

Irregularity of attendance is still the great difficulty which besets the master’s path and mocks his best efforts. The school is made to subserve the farm, and the boys can only be instructed at such times as they cannot be made practically useful at home. The schools otherwise present good openings to teachers actually devoted to the work of education, and they will not fail to recognise in the poverty and scantiness of their materials the greatest value of the treasure that has fallen into their hands.

The grants from the public treasury are sufficiently liberal, but if differently administered would be more likely to answer their intended aims. The teacher at present not unfrequently relies almost exclusively upon the contribution paid by the Government, while the payment of the school fees is unpunctual and insecure.

To remedy this, the aid from the Government might be made conditional upon a certain yearly sum being subscribed and actually collected by the inhabitants of the district in which the school is situated. Thus, if the school committee of a certain district would undertake to procure and pay into the Provincial Treasury by quarterly instalments, say £75 per annum, the Government might add also their moiety of £75 to complete the stipend of the teacher. The proportion in which the Government would aid in the payment of such salaries would of course be regulated according to the population in the neighbourhood of the school.

An arrangement based upon this principle would be far more just and satisfactory to the schoolmasters than the existing uncertainty of receiving their emoluments.

Sites and Buildings.—Few of the school-houses are really good and useful buildings, and in the construction of more than one of them regard has especially been paid to other local conveniences and plans rather than to the important purposes for which it is supposed they are erected.

I recently forwarded a memorandum to your Honor, recommending that in future, before any grant is made in aid of building a new school, a plan should be submitted for the approval of the Provincial Engineer and the Inspector of Schools.

Bad accommodation, as well as inefficient machinery and indifferent teachers, will spoil a good design and retard the progress of a school.

It is desirable that some regulations should be promulgated, regarding the hours during which each school is required to be open for daily instruction, the days that are to be observed as holidays, and the periods of the usual vacation.

There is often much confusion from schools, conducted under the same system and code, differing in these respects.

I have been cheered in the prosecution of my duties as Inspector by perceiving a gradual melting of that lethargic chill and apathy which too largely characterise the settlers of these lands. Nothing can be more discouraging to a zealous and painstaking teacher than to find his arduous exertions unrecognised and unappreciated, and doomed to fatal and saddening neglect.

I have to acknowledge the courtesies and friendly attention that I have invariably received from trustees and others interested in education in my visits to the several schools, and also to some of the most able masters in the province for the useful and valuable information that they have from time to time afforded me by correspondence.

I regret to relinquish a professional connection, whose brief tenure has afforded me so much gratification.

I have the honor to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient servant,

HENRY H. GODWIN,

Inspector of Schools.

His Honor the Superintendent,

Napier.