Mr. I. Newton Watt, R.M., Dunedin, to the Hon. the Native Minister.

Sir,—

I have the honour to forward herewith the quarterly report of the Otago Heads Native School, for the period ended 31st December last, by which you perceive that the amount of Government subsidy claimed under the existing arrangement is £13 1s., this, with the fees received from the pupils, amounts to £17 8s. 6d.; and although this sum may and will no doubt be increased, it does and will (unless the Natives from other settlement in the Province where there are no schools, should be persuaded to send their children to Otago Heads) fall short of a maintenance there for a schoolmaster and his wife, and I much fear that we shall lose the services of Mr. Leask, if the amount cannot be considerably increased.

I therefore respectfully but strongly urge upon the Government the propriety of guaranteeing a minimum payment (including pupils fees), of £130 per annum for the master, and £20 for the sewing mistress, as I think that for less than this it will be difficult to retain the services of eligible teachers; the place being isolated, supplies with difficulty obtained, and there being no society other than Maori there. And I would further recommend, that in the case of the master (Mr. Leask), this should take effect from the 1st October last, and in that of the sewing mistress (Mrs. Leask), from the 1st January instant, as she only commenced at the end of the year.

If the Government should be pleased to accede to my recommendation, I beg that I may be apprised of it by telegraph, Mr. Leask being very anxious and unsettled at not seeing his way to a subsistence at present. I have forwarded salary abstract certified, but with the amount left blank for the insertion of such sum as shall be authorized.