EDUCATIONAL STATUS.

Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 102, 16 April 1907, Page 3

EDUCATIONAL STATUS.

WHAT THE CENSUS DISCLOSED. The Registrar-General (Mr E. J. Von Dadelszen) has just issued a return showing tho educational status of the people as disclosed by the last census. Of every 100 persons m New Zealand at the time of the census of 1906, 83.50 could read and write, 1.60 could read only, and 14.90 cojuld neither read nor write. The proportion able to read and write and that of persons able to read only, has increased steadily 'since 1874. The figures aro given for four censuses : —

To ascertain, however, how completely education is carried out, accepting as a test the knowledge of reading and writing, it is necessary to show the position at present m respect to age periods. At tho period under five years none are found to read and write, and only 0.37 were able to read, 99.63 being unable to do either on account of extreme youth. At five to r ten years 65.51 could read and write, and 10.14 Tead only, leaving -24.35 whp could not read. But . this last only includes three years of the school-going period. With the subsequent periods up to forty years the figures under "Read only" and "Cannot read" are reduced- to small fractions.

At forty to forty-five years those who " cannot read" aro over 1 per cent., and the production goes on increasing regularly, thus •. —

Tho improved conditions of tho young people are clearly shown above. At tho last two periods given 10.85 per cent, and 13.86 per cent, are found to be cither " reading only " or quito illiterate.

Read and Read Cannot Ages wiite. only. read. 50 to 55 96.32 1.53 2.15 60 to 65 94.05 2.53 3.42 70 to 75 89.15 5.12 5.73 80 and upwards 86.14 6.12 . 7.74

Read and Read Cannot Ages write. only. read. 10 to 15 99.45 0.22 0.33 15 to 20 99.63 0.02 0.20 20 to 25 90.56 0.08 0.36 25 to 30 99.43 0.13 .0.44 30 to 35 99.35 0.16 0.49 35 to 40 99.12 0.24 0.64

Read and Read Cannot write. only. read. 1874 68.15 8.09 23.76 1886 74.01 4.80 21.19 1896 80.60 2.89 16.51 1906 ... ... ... 83.50 1.60 14.90