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A Compendium of Official Documents Relative to Native Affairs in the South Island. Volume Two.

Enclosure No. 2 in No. 7. — Copy of a letter addressed by the Bishop of Christchurch, to His Excellency Sir G Grey, K.C.B., 23rd October, 1861

page 158

Enclosure No. 2 in No. 7.
Copy of a letter addressed by the Bishop of Christchurch, to His Excellency Sir G Grey, K.C.B., 23rd October, 1861.

Christchurch, October 23rd, 1861.

Sir,

In the year 1860, I received £200, being the contribution from the General Government towards the building of a Maori school in the Province of Canterbury.

This sum I have expended at Kaiapoi in the erection of a house for the schoolmaster, on a site of 20 acres of land set apart from the Maori reserve for church and school purposes, in connection with the Church of England; and a school has been opened, which meets for the present, though with great inconvenience, at the master's house.

I am desirous of erecting, on the same site, school buildings, with dormitory and offices, sufficient for the accommodation, if possible, of at least 20 Maori children; so that the benefit of education may be extended to the young of other parts of the Province, as well as to those of Kaiapoi.

Some contributions for this purpose may be obtained from individuals in this Province; but as the cost of maintaining the schoolmaster is at present defrayed entirely by such voluntary contributions, I cannot reasonably expect any such amount of assistance as will enable me to erect the proposed buildings.

I have ventured, therefore, to apply to your Excellency for an additional grant of £200, to be appropriated in the erection of these buildings.

The division of the Kaiapoi reserve among the Maoris, which is now being made under the sanction of the General Government, renders it highly probable that the Native population is that district will be considerably increased, and I need not remind your Excellency how needful it is that their children should be trained and fitted to use the advantages which such division of the land will place within the reach of the industrious and well-disposed.

With the earnest prayer that your Excellency may be the means, under God's blessing, of establishing in the Northern Island such relations between the Maoris and ourselves as ought to subsist between fellow subjects and fellow christians.

I have, &c.,

H. C. Christchurch.

His Excellency Sir George Grey, Governor of New Zealand, -&c.