Report of the Education Department.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5022, 7 June 1884, Page 3

Report of the Education Department.

[By Telegraph.] [from our special correspondent.] WELLINGTON, June 6. Tlie seventh annual report of the Minister of Education was laid upon the table of the House to-day bythe Hon Mr Dick. The information therein contained is brought down to the last day of December, 1883. The tables of attendance show a pretty marked increase in the number of scholars attending the public schools of the Colony in 1883 over the previous year, the respective totals being 92,470 and 87,179, or 5297 more than last year. Large as the total appears to be, it is considerably under the average increase of the past six years ; nevertheless, it is larger than during 1881 and 18S2, which is supposed to be due to the absence of epidemics last yeai\ As a matter of comparison, it seems that the Canterbury Provincial district is more heavily populated with school children than most of the other parts of this Colony In Auckland there are, in round numbers, 17,000, in Wellington 12,000 ; North and South Canterbury, 21,500; Otago and Southland, 26,500. In Auckland a number of Maoris take advantage of the public schools for their children, nearly 100 attending them, and 60 in Hawke's Bay. Altogether throughout the country more than 200 scholars of pure Maori blood are borne upon the books, while of half-castes there is a still greater number, no less than 548 being given as the total number of children of mixed races attending the schools. The number of schools in operation at the close of the year was 9<i3, an increase of 32 over the number open the year befoi'e. It will thus be seen that the increase in the number of schools has hardly kept pace with the increase in the number of scholars. Taking everything together — the cost of management, inspection, maintenance and school buildings— the average expenses per scholar are J& Bs, the amounts varying from £& 8s in Marlbomugh tj £1 l:.'s in North Canterbury. Tins total sum paid to teachers for salaries, &c, was .£249,2-Al. Drawing his conclusions from the reports furnished by the Inspector, the Minister asserts that it is evident that the quality of the instruction given in the schools is steadily improving, and that there is a corresponding advance in the thoroughness of the pupils' attainments. At the same time, there are defects, which are frankly criticised. With regard to Educational Reserves, some important changes are to take place. The Wellington Commissioners recommend that, Avhen private townships are laid off, reserves for schools shall be made compulsory, and in Canterbury the Commissioners have arranged with the Crown Lands Department for the subdivision into small faring of two large reserves of agricultural land, the leases of which will expire shoi-tly. Three more Native schools were added to the list this year. One very interesting portion of the year's educational proceedings is always contained in the report of the institution for deaf mutes at Suuiner, which has now been in successful operation for four years. At present the number of inmates is 33, and five fresh pupils were received during the year. They come from all the different Provincial districts of New Zealand, and the reputation of the institution seems to have spread even further, for the last pupil entered on the books is a deaf mute girl, who has been sent from Adelaide, South