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teaching, and regular courses of lessons presented to the scholars orally by the Teacher in such a manner so as to excite attention and inform the mind. The Master is a gentleman of large experience in private tuition, and is capable of higher things than this school gives him an opportunity of producing. The proper use of the black board would be found an important auxiliary in elucidating the lessons.

Long Bush or Mona School.

This is a small but well conducted School; the attendance is from sixteen to twenty. Everything about the School exercises denotes activity on the part of teachers and scholars. The Master, Mr J. B. Wardrop, is a well trained and efficient teacher. The information in English History, as far as the reign of Henry III, and in the outlines of Geography were both good; the copy-books were clean and well written, the spelling was good; the knowledge of the meaning of the words in their lessons was such as shewed that not only were the facts of the lessons acquired, but the import of the language in which they were conveyed carefully attended to. The principal truths contained in the Books of Genesis and Exodus in the Old Testament and of Matthew in the New, were known by the elder children.

The Arithmetic will require a little more attention to be equal to the other branches taught in the school; there is a good School House and Master’s House detached.

Aparima.

There is a good though small school-house recently erected at Gummy’s Bush; Mr. James Fullarton, M.A., is the master; it is situated in the centre of a most important and populous agricultural district. The school at present contains about twenty children, all of whom have for the first time in this district been brought under the influence of scholastic instruction within the last three months.

Myross Bush near Invercargill.

A School-house and Master’s House have been built, but no master has yet been appointed.

Waihopai, Oreti.

This School is situated between the Aparima and Oreti rivers; the schoolroom and master’s house have been built during the present year. The Schoolroom will accommodate thirty children; it is well lighted with six sliding sashes, and what is of equal importance, its ventilation is good. The master is George M’Leod, M. A. There are 18 children of both sexes in this school. The reading and spelling have much improved during the past year: the pitch of the voice in reading was formerly too high; at present it is a little too low. It is also rather lifeless; some degree of strength and energy are essential to produce good reading. Considering the ages of the children the progress is marked and, with the above qualification, satisfactory.

The writing is tolerably clean and, in some instances, neat; but the mode of teaching the earlier lessons not sufficiently methodic. As the school is not large all the earlier exercises should be written by the master, and the copies so set that the exercises of one copy should, when necessary, lead to the correction of previous defects. There are 14 children in writing.

The arithmetic will require the closest attention of the master. This branch of instruction is the most defective. It is not alone desirable that it should be well taught from the utility of the science, but especially in an elementary school for its disciplinary effect upon the pupil. On entrance into the school the children should at once be taught their tables. Progress in mental calculations are also desirable. Especial attention is needed to notation and numeration. The geographical knowledge, though limited, was clear and correct. There are 10 children receiving Bible lessons. It is desirable that more information be imparted, the direct aim of which should be the strengthening of the understanding. This kind of knowledge ought to be communicated so as to arouse the children to greater mental effort. If the pupils were to learn some suitable hymns and moral songs, such as Watts’ for children, the remembrance of such poems in after life could not fail to influence for good, while the singing of them three or four times a day, to suitable and lively tunes, would give relief and impart a tone of cheerfulness to less attractive studies.

It will thus be seen that there are eight Government Schools in the Province, with an attendance of 219 children.

W. F. TARLTON.