NELSON GOVERNMENT GAZETTE. 109

scarcely necessary to remark that the school has this year
fallen below its former standard of attainment.

Ranzau—Mr and Mrs Coombes.—The unflagging energy of
the teachers has been rewarded with a fair measure of success
in several branches. The children generally both read and
explain what they have been reading better than formerly, and
their acquaintance with geography and grammar is greater
than I expected. The arithmetic is still very poor.

Hope—Mr Ladley.—The reading of the upper classes is
much improved, and both geography and grammar are still
well taught. The elder children have also a fair notion of
letter-writing, but cannot do much in arithmetic.

River Terrace—Mrs and Miss Bryant.—This school holds a
very respectable place among our smaller schools. The read-
ing, writing, and spelling are excellent throughout, arithmetic
being the branch in which the scholars have made least pro-
gress. I believe that a smart daily drilling in mental arith-
metic would do much towards correcting the slowness and
want of exactness that I have observed in the slate perform-
ances at this and other schools. The kindly feeling that exists
between teachers and scholars is one of the most genuine
characteristics of this school.

Spring Grove—Mr and Mrs Edmunds.—This is a thoroughly
well-taught and well-organised school, in which the gradation
of classes is carefully preserved, and no undue prominence is
given to any special branch of instruction. The good intona-
tion of the upper classes in reading either prose or poetry, and
the ready and accurate arithmetic of all the classes struck me
as being worthy of special notice.

Lower Wakefield—Mr and Miss Chattock.—The excellent
pennmanship, and the clear understanding that the scholars
have of what they have been reading are the points that are
most noticeable here. The books of the older scholars, who
are learning the elements of book-keeping, are remarkably
neat. The children in the upper classes are also better
taught than formerly, so that a wide gap no longer exists
between the upper and lower divisions.

Eighty eight Valley—Mr Roby.—I know no school that has
made greater progress, under peculiar difficulties, than this.
Though only two years and a half have elapsed since it was
re-opened, several children who were then learning the alphabet
read now very fairly, our most advanced books. Great pains are
also taken to exercise the scholars in their tables and in mental
arithmetic. I still observe however, a tendency on the part of
the master to push his scholars on too fast. I think also that
the discipline might be somewhat relaxed without injury to
the school.

Upper Wakefield—Mr Phillips, assisted by Miss Tunnicliffe.
—A marked improvement has taken place in the reading here,
which has evidently been most carefully attended to. The
upper classes also explain very fairly the meanings of the
more difficult words in their lessons. The arithmetic, the
tolerably accurate as far as it goes, is still very backward, the
knowledge of geography and grammar very slight, and the
spelling indifferent. An explanation of these shortcomings is
not far to seek. Of the 50 children present at my last
examination all but two were under twelve years of age.

Foxhill—Mr Garliner.—The experiment of substituting a
master for a mistress at this school is of too recent date to
enable me to speak with any degree of confidence as to the
probable results. 19 children were present when I last ex-
amined the school, which had then been under the charge of
the master about two months. The backwardness of the
scholars in every respect, and their extreme disorderliness
impressed me very unfavorably. Indeed, it is not too much to
say that the school requires a thorough reorganisation.

Motupiko—Mrs Fugle.—The number attending here daily,
13, is rather less than it was last year. The reading is more
distinct than formerly and the drawl is fast disappearing.
The writing is fair, but the arithmetic, even in the simpler
rules, is very slow and inaccurate.

Waimea West, North Division—Mr and Miss Thorburn.—
Although only 8 out of the 56 children who are on the books
of this school have reached their twelfth year, the results in
every branch are very satisfactory. The school has mani-
festly gained both in orderliness and efficiency since a class-
room has been built. I have observed that the children in the
lower division, few of whom are more than seven years old,
occasionally write from dictation. It is possible that the
unusually good spelling of the older scholars may be partly
due to this very early training.

Waimea West Village—Mr Larchin, assisted by Mrs Hansen.
—The favorable anticipations that I formed last year as to the
progress of this school under the present master have been
fully realised. The good readers have been increased by fully
one half, the good writers have been trebled, while both
spelling and arithmetic are better than they were. The disci-
pline is also excellent. But while the master has done his
part towards the reformation of what was one of the most
backward schools in the Province, it does not appear to me
that his efforts have even yet been duly seconded by the
parents. It is true that the average attendance has been
raised from 50 to 64 per cent. during the year, but this, if
compared with the 73 per cent. attained at the neighboring
North Division, will hardly be accepted as a satisfactory rate of
attendance.

Upper Moutere—Mr and Mrs Cook.—A perceptible improve-
ment has taken place, both in reading and writing during the
past year. The arithmetic throughout the school is still
backward, and the multiplication table is very imperfectly
mastered. The excellent understanding between teachers and
scholars has long been a marked feature in this school. Though
many of the children live at a considerable distance, they
usually contrive to attend school with remarkable punctuality.

Neudorf—Mr and Mrs Desaunais.—So marked an advance
has been made in reading during the past year that it is
evident especial pains have been taken with this subject.
A slight improvement is also observable in both writing and
arithmetic, in neither of which branches, however, does this
school come up to the average. This backwardness is the less
to be wondered at when the irregularity of attendance is con-
sidered. The percentage for the year has been only 39, which
floods and bad roads reduced to 50 last quarter.

Lower Moutere—Mr Robson and J. Robson pupil-teacher.—
The numbers are steadily increasing here, the reputation of
the master having attracted pupils from other districts. The
children, from the beginners upwards read very distinctly, the
upper classes also can give a clear account in writing of what
they have been reading, and have a very fair knowledge of
geography and grammar. The handwriting is singularly good,
and the arithmetic quick and correct.

Motueka, 1st Division—Mr Bisley, pupil teacher, Miss
Leech.—I am glad to find that the reading here, which was
formerly somewhat indistinct, is becoming more audible. The
spelling and arithmetic are excellent. Good writing is also
very general. This is one of the few schools in which geo-
graphy of such a kind as is likely to be of some use in after
life is really well taught. The discipline is so good as to
deserve special mention.