Papers Past | Parliamentary Papers | Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives | 1925 Session I | EDUCATION: PRIMARY EDUCATION. [In continuation of...

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E.—2

1925. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: PRIMARY EDUCATION. [In continuation of E.-2, 1924.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

CONTENTS. Page Page Detailed Tables relating to Primary Eduoation .. 2 Appendix B—continued. Balance-sheets of Eduoation Boards —continued. Appendices. Taranaki .. .. .. .. .. 32 Wanganui .. .. .. .. .. 33 Appendix A—Eeport of Chief Inspector of Primary Hawke's Bay 34 Sohools .. .. .. .. .. 16 Wellington .. 34 Nelson .. .. .. .. .. 35 Appendix B, Canterbury .. .. .. .. 36 Reports of Education Boards— Otago .. .. .. .. 37 Auckland .. .. .. .. ..19 Southland !'. !! !! '.'.38 Taranaki .. ..' .. .. .. 20 Wanganui .. .. .. .. ..21 Appendix C—Reports of Inspectors of Schools .. 39 Hawke's Bay .. .. .. .. 22 Wellington .. .. .. .. .. 24 Appendix D, — Nelson .. .. .. .. .. 25 Training Colleges— Canterbury .. .. .. .. .. 26 I. Detailed Tables .. .. .. .. 70 Otago .. .. .. .. .. 27 11. Reports of Principals of Training Colleges— Southland .. .. .. .. .. 29 Auckland .. .. .. .. .. 72 Wellington .. .. .. .. 73 Balanoe-sheets of Eduoation Boards— Christchurch .. .. .. .. 76 Auckland .. ~ .. ~ ~ 31 Dunedin .. ~ ~ ~ ~ 77

I—E. 2.

E.—2.

DETAILED TABLES RELATING TO PRIMARY EDUCATION.

The following tables relate to primary education lor the year 1924.

Table A1.—Number of Public Schools, December, 1924, classified according to Grade.

Table B1. —School Attendance at Public Schools in 1924.

>» I i s ' -~* M 5 S? « *c .2 rS Grade of School -o - 2 <n -2 3 o §2S „ nrl O ® CC -O o3 £ 2 - &&& «3 c3 © g p 5h . ,—, ,Q • Average Attendance. 3 3 g> * g o _g o ~o| 3 3 >5l> ® i " o °f; <! H > M j ss 55 o O tEH° 0 1-8 .. .. 50 11 23 27 32 28 16 17 13 219 1 9-20 .. ..227 51 54 56 83 45 117 78 55 766 II 21-35 .. .. 152 30 j 36 29 42 25 92 59 47 512 fA 36-50 .. .. 116 29 26 15 19 17 53 32 29 336 III<j B 51-80 .. 69 22 28 17 18 10 37 18 26 245 IC 81-120 .. 41 14 8 16 12 7 18 20 6 142 fA 121-160 .. ..15 4 11 6 6 3 11 9 4 69 IV <| B 161-200 .. ..6 3 3 1 9 2 6.. 1 31 LC 201-240 .. ..5.. 2 3 4 4 8 2 5 33 ("A 241-280 .. ..8 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 21 V<| B 281-320 .. ..6 1 2 1 8 1 3 3 2 27 fC 321-360 .. ..6 1 5 3 4.. 6 3 1 29 fA 361-400 .. ..11 1 1 3 2 .. 3 2 .. 23 VI-J B 401-440 .. .. 8 .. .. 1 2 .. 2 3 1 17 fC 441-480 .. .. 3 .. 1 2 .. 1 7 fA 481-520 .. . . 3 1 2 3 3 .. .. 4 1 17 B 521-560 .. .. 4 .. .. 3 2 .. 2 3 .. 14 C 561-600 .. .. 7 1 1 .. 2 .. 7 3 .. 21 D 601-640 .. .. 5 2 .. 3 1 . . 11 E 641-680 .. ..4 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 13 VTT , F 681-720 .. .. 3 1 .. .. 3 .. 2 1 1 11 ' G 721-760 .. 1 .. . . 1 H 761-800 .. .. 4 .. 1 . . 1 6 I 801-840 J 841-880 .. 1 .. .. 1 .. .. 2 K 881-920 .. .. .. . . .. .. .. . . 1 .. .. 1 L 921-960 Totals for 1924 .. 753 172 209 187 258 144 395 260 196 2,574 Totals for 1923 .. 741 168 206 198 267 137 396 261 192 2,566 Difference.. .. +12 +4 | +3 -11 -9 +7 -1 -1 +4 +8 Note. —Part-time schools and main schools with side schools attached are counted separately, and are included in the separate grades determined by the separate average attendance of each school.

(Excluding Secondary Departments of District High Schools.) Average Attendance for ■Rnii Mnrnhm-B Mean of Average Weekly Roll Whole Year (Mean of of Four Quarters, 1924. Average Attendance of Four Average Quarters). Attendance Education District. . Percentage at at 01 Average 31st De- 31st De- Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. Girls. Total. _Wetikly cember, cember, Ko11 ' 1924 ' 192). 1924. Auckland.. .. .. 63,598 64,689 33,211 30,401 63,612 29,912 27,104 57,016 89-6 Taranaki.. .. .. 11,341 11,310 5,848 5,341 11,189 5,295 4,794 10,089 90-2 Wanganui .. .. 16,499 16,983 8,727 8,059 16,786 7,902 7,253 15,155 90-3 Hawke'sBay .. ; 15,849 15,865 8,159 7,461 15,620 7,487 6,780 14,267 91-3 Wellington .. .. 26,311 26,533 13,655 12,397 26,052 12,366 11,076 23,442 90-0 Nelson .. .. .. 7,072 7,074 3,687 3,310 6,997 3,366 2,976 6,342 90-6 Canterbury .. .. 37,131 36,853 18,692 17,639 36,331 16,862 16,222 33,084 91-2 Otago .. .. .. 21,845 21,749 11,082 10,209 21,291 10,359 9,478 19,837 93-2 Southland .. .. 12,314 12,234 6,390 5,599 11,989 5,863 5,138 11,001 91 8 Totals, 1924 .. .. 213,290 109,451 100,416 209,867 99,412 j 90,821 190,233 90-6 Totals, 1923 .. 211,960 .. 108,774 99,722 208,496 98,308 j 89,283 187,591 90-0 Increase .. .. .. 1,330 677 694 1,371 1,104, 1,538 2,642 0-6

K —2

Table B2.—School Attendance at Public Schools in 1924.

Table B3.— Average Attendance for the Year 1924 at the Public Schools as grouped in Table A1, as estimated for determining the Grades of Schools.

The average attendance as given in Table B3 differs from that in Tables B1 and 82, for the following reasons :— (1.) Under certain contingencies the regulations provide for the elimination of one or two quarters' averages in the case of any school or department if the grade of the school or department would be raised or maintained by calculating the yearly average attendance on the mean of the remaining quarter's average. The amended average attendance thus ascertained is reckoned for the sole purpose of determining the grade of the school, and consequently this amended average attendance is used in the compilation of Table 83, which gives the schools according to their grades. For statistical purposes the average attendance as given in Tables B1 and B2 should be taken. (2.) The totals of this table are for the mean of the four quarters of each school taken separately, not the mean of the gross quarterly totals of all schools. (3.) New schools, many of which were open for only part of the year, are included as having an averageattendance for the whole year ; whereas in Tables B1 and B2 the average attendance is included only for those quarters during which the schools were open.

(Including Secondary Departments of District High Schools.) Average Attendance for Mean of Average Weekly Roll Whole Year {Mean of of Four Quarters, 1924. Average Attendance of Four Average Quarters). Attendance ; j i as Education District. T>r,niia ! Percentage at at i of Average 31sfc De- 31st De- Boys. Girls. Total. Boys, j Girls. Total. cember, cember, " ! jsoii, ia-4. 1923. 1924. . Auckland.. .. ..164,472 65,652 33,745 30.961 64,706 i 30,403 27,664 j 58,015 89-7 Taranaki.. .. .. 11,341 11,310 5,848 5,341 11,189 5,295 1 4,794 10,089 90-2 Wanganui .. .. 16,667 17,133 8,815 8,152 16,967 j 7,982 I 7,339 15,321 90 3 Hawke'sBay .. .. 116,063 16,072 8,285 7,571 15,856 | 7,605 I 6,882 14,487 91-4 Wellington .. ..126,720 26,925 13,860 12,632 26,492 12,559 J 11,294 23,853 90-4 Nelson .. .. .. 7,172 7,189 3,747 3,372 7,119 3,422 j 3,032 6,454 80-7 Canterbury .. .. 37,776 37,504 19,041 | 18,034 37,075 j 17,184 j 16,582 33,766 91-1 Otago .. .. .. ! 22,214 22,110 11,265 : 10,421 21,686 1 10.534 ! 9,676 20,210 93-1 Southland .. .. 12,353 12,295 6,414 : 5,636 12,050 I 5,885 j 5,173 11,058 91-8 Totals, 1924 .. | .. 216,190 111,020 1102,120 213,140 100,869 | 92,436 j 193,253 90-7 Totals, 1923 .. 214,778 .. 110,295 jlOl,329 211,624 \ 99,704 [ 90,745 [190,449 90-0 Increase .. .. j .. 1,412 725 791 1,516 | 1,165 i 1,691 2,856 0-7 I I !

(Including Secondary Departments of District High Schools.) Primary Department. . -g £ : % § a -§ .a H Grade. t„hi« ft 8 Auck- Tara- Wanga- Hawke's Welling- jr-i,,,,. Canter- South- g« land. naki. nui. Bay. j ton. JNelson ' bury. ota ®°- land. Prl ™ ry |® I ! 0 1-8 ! 272 60 140 134 225 ] 197 110 90 91 1,319 .. 1,319 1 9-20 13,286 723 753 734 1,222! 647 1,788 1,074 816 11,043 .. 11,043 II 21-35 3,949 795 897 743 1,063 615 2,428 1,572 1,236 13,298 .. 13,298 fA 36-50 4,949 1,211 1,119 635 807 723 2,361 1,264 1,241 14,310 .. 14,310 III<; B 51-80 ! 4,248 1,288 1,748 1,095 1,171 634 2,346 1,145 1,644 15,319 26 15,345 [C 81-120 3,771 1,266 677 1,522 1,166 682 1,639 1,747 580 13,050 109 13,159 fA 121-160 1,957 594 1,492 822 882 404 1,407 1,292 565 9,415 204 9,619 IV-{ B 161-200 1,033 550 568 172 1,654 379 1,047 .. 189 5,592 171 5,763 C 201-240 1,177 .. 403 659 882 929 1,742 428 1.073 7,293 438 7,731 fA 241-280 2,011 252 756 269 722 264 772 277 .. 5,323 234 5,557 V<| B 281-320 | 1,823 347 577 308 2,361 282 944 925 502 8,069 193 8,262 lO 321-360 2,025 363 1,716 1,001 1,339 .. 2,039 994 405 9,882 215 10,097 fA 361-400 4,196 338 361 1,131 793 .. 1,129 729 .. 8,677 371 9,048 VI <j B 401-440 2,468 .. .. 403 838 .. 861 1,210 420 6,200 352 6,552 fC 441-480 2,325 .. 501 840 .. 434 4,100 145 4,245 fA 481-520 1,419 491 981 1,502 1,470 .. .. 1,959 539 8,361 54 8,415 B 521-560 '2,100 .. .. 1,613 1,055 .. 1,102 1,544 .. 7,414 139 7,553 C 561-600 ! 4,167 567 495 .. 1,208 .. 4,012 1.694 .. 12,143 101 12,244 D 601-640 1 2,867 .. .. .. 1,263 .. 1,771 602 .. 6,503 235 6,738 E 641-680 2,577 659 1,267 659 716 630 690 618 660 8,476 .. 8,476 VIIF 681-720 | 1,962 619 .. .. 2,072 .. 1,380 691 652 7,376 67 7,443 G 721-760 ! 703 .. .. 703 703 H 761-800 i 2,840 .. 766 .. 798 .. .. .. .. 4,404 .. 4,404 I 801-840 1 J 841-880 I 851 .. .. 794 .. .. 1,645 .. 1,645 K 881-920 : 922 .. .. 922 922 l_L 921-960 I Totals for Primary 57,422 10,123 15,217 14,253 23,707 6,386 32,827 19,855 11,047 190,837 .. Totals for Second- 1,005 .. 166 222 430 114 676 374 67 .. 3,054 ary ; : Totals, Primary and 58,427 10,123 15,383 14,475 24,137 6,500 33,503 20,229 11,114 .. .. 193,891 Secondary Notes.

E.—2.

Table C1.—Age and Sex of the Pupils on the School Rolls in the several Education Districts at the End of 1924.

(Excluding Secondary Departments of District High Schools.) ® an Years 6r ® un^ er 7 and under 8. 8 and under 9. 9 andunder 10. 10 and under 11. 11 andunderl2. 12 and under 13. 13 and under 14. 14 and under 15. 15 andunderl6. Over 16 Years. Totals of all Ages. Education District. 1 — j — .— Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. I Boys. J Girls. Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Total. . - - __ _ Auckland.. .. 2,299 2,042 3,221 2,954 3,655 3,352 3,774 3,578 3,704 3,521 3,766 3,677| 3,671 3,446 3,711 3,403 3,108 2,798 1,960 1,588 717 504 144 96 33,730, 30,959 64,689 Taranaki .. .. 398; 322 550 591 620 602 702j 636 648 622 662 551 650 612 665 572 574 525 326 264 110 82 16 lo! 5,921 5,389 11,310 Wanganui.. .. 589 471 916 804 983 921 1,001 956 972 939 994 930 954 940 974 927 800 752 486 373 153 116 23 9' 8,845 ! 8,138 16,983 Hawke'sBay .. I 494 457 827 790 870 857 932 919 992 868 964 883 915 784 870 835 778 650 443 378 181 125 39 14 1 8,305 ! 7,560 15,865 I i Wellington .. 989 875 1,352 1,269 1,564 1,518 1,656 1,510 1,382 1,271 1,577 1,447 1,412 1,434 1,488 1,416 1,406 1,241 833 495 208 137 31 22i 13,898 12,635 26,533 Nelson .. .. 272 280 393 347 384 369 441 347 405 410 394 397 436 375 372 376 341 276 187 152 65 39 11 5 1 3,701 3,373 7,074 | Canterbury .. ! l,28o! 1,250 1,850 1,801 2,062 1,991 2,099 2,049 2,185 1,971 2,080 2,128 2,112 1,964 2,074 1,967 1,772 1,635 1,064 886 348 224 32 29 18,958 17,895 36,853 Otago .. .. 779' 741 1,116 1,042 1,206 1,189 1,340 1,210 1,254 1,124 1,284 1,171 1,244 1,245 1,255 1,204 1,108 988 555 440 147 83 18 6 11,306 10,443 21,749 Southland.. .. 477 417 662 617 627 616 761 667 719 637 779 707 741 644 716 630 610 508 312 220 87 51 23 6 ! 6,514 5,720 12,234 Totals for 1923 .. 7,577 6,855 10,887 10,215 11,971 11,415 12,706 11,872 12,261 11,363 12,500 11,89ljl2, 135jll ,444 12,125 11,330 10,497 9,373 6,166 4,796 2,016 1,361 337 1 197111,178102,112 213,290 Percentage of pupils 6-8 9-9 11-0 11-5 11-1 11-4 11 1 11-0 9-3 5-1 1-6 0-2 100 of each age Totals for 1923 .. 7,923 7,334 10,852110,430 12,459 11,480 12,511|11, 617 12,404 11,603 12,22911, 363jll,995111, 287 11,529 10,632 10,266, 9,084 5,915j 4,998 2,083: 1,475 292 199 110, 458.101, 502121 1,960 Difference .. -346 -479 3»J -215 -488 -65 195 255 -143 — 240j 271 528 14oj 157 596 698 231 289 251' -202 -67 -114 45 -2 720! 1,330

E.—2

Table C2.—Standard Classes of Pupils on School Rolls in the several Education Districts at the End of 1924.

(Excluding Secondary Departments of District High Schools.) Pupils at End of Year in Standard Pupils in Preparatory — j Totals. Classes. Education District. I. II. III. IY. V. VI. VII. Boys. ! Girls. Total, i Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. Girls. | Total. Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. Girls, j Total. Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. Girls. Total. I 1 I ■ I II i i Auckland .. 10,832 9,510 20,342 4,522| 4,225 8,747 4,354j 4,027 8,381 4,296 4,123 8,419 3,827 3,596 7,423 3,339 3,064 6,403; 2,446 2,315 4,761 114 99 213 33,730 30,959 64,689 Taranaki .. ! 1,873 1,722 3,595 768! 687 1,455 789 660 1,449 782 : 694 1,476 664 610 1,274 562 566 1,128; 448 416 864 35; 34 5,921 5,389 11,310 Wanganui .. ! 2,866 2,436 ! 5,302 1,113; 1,048 2,161 1,095; 1,035 2,130 1,168 1,128 2,296 1,020 947 1,967 852 871 1,723 723 664 1,387 8! 9 17| 8,845 8,138 16,983 Hawke's Bay .. 2,610 2,413 5,023 1,135 1,106 2,241 1,121 987 2,108 1,065| 952 2,017 930 822 1,752 769 693 1,462 656 581 1,237 19 6 25 8,305 7,560 15,865 Wellington .. 4,394 3,949' 8,343 1,648 1,523 3,171 1,726! 1,578 3,304 1,563 1,689 3,252 1,732 1,472 3,204 1,489 1,308 2,797 1,340 1,111 2,451 61 5 ll| 13,898 12,635 26,533 Nelson .. .. 1,110 953 1 2,063 508 483 991 462, 424 886 484; 450 934 454 409 863 364 361 725 316 280 596 3 13j Id! 3,701 3,373 7,074 Canterbury .. j 5,767 5,27611,043 2,392 2,338 4,730 2,471! 2,316 4,787 2,507, 2,446 4,953 2,203 2,198 4,401 2,006 1,848 3,854; 1,608 1,466 3,074 & 7j 11 18,958 17,895 36,853 Otago .. .. 3,290 2,874 6,164 1,423 1,325 2,748 1,454 1,343 2,797 1,493: 1,355 2,848 1,317 1,332 2,649 1,322 1,194 2,516; 1,002 916 1,918 5 4 9 11,306 10,443 21,749 Southland .. 1,838 1,620 3,458 840 727 1,567 849| 746 1,595 886! 780 1,666 780 700 1,480 784 653 1,137 536 486 1,022 lj 8j 9: 6,514 5,720 12,234 Totals for 1924 34,58030, 753 ! 65,333 14,34913, 462 S 27,811 14,321 13,116 27,437 14,24413, 617 27,861 12,927 12,086 1 25,013111,487 10,558 ! 22,045; 9,075 8,23517,310 195 ! 185 1 380111, 178102, 112 213,290 Percentage of pupils 3CM5 13 12-9 134 1?8 84 ' 100 in each class Totals for 1923 35,980132,715,68,695 14,587112,942 27,529 13,777 12,864 26,641 13,818 12,943: 26,761 12,550 11,597 24,147 10,960110, 135121 ,095: 8,702| 8,158 16,860 84 148 232 110,458 101,502 211,960 I ! * 1 j : , Difference .. —1400j— 1962— 3362 —238; 520 282 544 252 796j 426 674| 1,000 377j 489 866t 527 423; 9501 373 77 450 111 37 48; 710, 610! 1,330 ; I ' I i ~ I I I I I 1 1 ; 1 j

E.—2.

Table C3.-Children belonging to Public Primary Schools classified according to Classes in Schools of the various Grades.

Table C4 .—Average Age of Pupils as at 31st December, 1924.

Table C5.—Proficiency Certificate Examination Results, 1924, in Public and Private Schools.

I I I I Schools Schools Schools Schools Schools Schools Schools Schools Schools Schools Schools of of of of Grade of Grade of Grade of Grade of Grade of of of Grade m_ f _i Grade 0. Grade I. Grade II. IIIa. IIIb. IYa. IVb. IYc. Grade V. j Grade VI. VII. dumber r, ... -.j — December. Attend- Attend- Attend- j Attend- Attend- Attend- Attend- Attend- j Attend- | Attend- Attend- 1924. ance ance ance ance ance ance ance ance ance ance ance 1—8. 9-20. 21-35. 36-80. 81-120. 121-160. 161-200. 201-240. 241-400. 401-480. above 480 J j l Class P .. 477 3,676 4,801 9,554 5,691 3,015 1,697 2,594 6,884 6,597 20,431 65,417 51 .. 204 1,619 2,011 3,924 2,507 1,246 675 1,172 2,969 2,864 8,627 27,818 52 .. 156 1,441 1,885 3,604 2,455 1,270 642 1,109 2,898 3,000 8,985 27,445 53 .. 187 1,561 1,906 3,837 2,388 1,290 670 1,117 2,874 3,072 8,962 27,864 54 .. 138 1,345 1,667 3,293 2,045 1,123 593 984 2,605 2,736 8,478 25,007 55 .. 120 1,018 1,446 2,898 1,744 1,071 495 940 2,267 2,529 7,521 22,049 56 .. 81 849 1,053 2,156 1,231 734 354 757 1,829 2,043 6,223 17,310 57 3 24 41 90 14 29 1 46 1 131 380 Totals, 1924 1,366 11,533 14,810 29,356 18,075 9,778 5,127 8,673 22,372 22,842 69,358 213,290 Totals, 1923 1,390 10,735 16,182 32,509 13,975 9,416 5,573 6,948 30,041 16,806 68,385 211,960 Difference -24 798 -1,372 -3,153 4,100 362 -446 725 -7,669 6,036 973 | 1,330

Average Education District. Average Ages of the Pupils in each Class. for 8 all Classes. P. SI. S2. S3. S4. S5. S6. Yrs. mos. Yrs. mos, Yrs. mos. Yrs. mos. Yrs. mos. Yrs. mos. Yrs. mos. Yrs. rnos. Auckland .. .. .. 7 1 9 1 10 2 11 3 12 4 13 3 14 1 10 0 Taranaki .. .. .. 7 2 9 1 10 1 11 4 12 4 13 1 13 11 10 0 Wanganui .. .. .. 7 1 8 11 10 0 11 2 12 2 13 1 14 0 10 0 Hawke'sBay .. 7 2 9 1 10 2 11 3 12 3 13 4 14 1 10 0 Wellington .. .. .. 7 0 8 10 9 10 11 1 12 1 12 11 13 11 10 0 Nelson .. .. .. .. I 6 10 8 9 9 11 11 0 12 1 12 11 13 11 9 11 Canterbury .. .. .. 7 1 8 10 10 0 11 1 12 2 13 2 14 0 9 11 Otago .. .. .. 6 10 8 8 9 10 10 11 12 0 12 11 13 10 9 11 Southland .. .. .. .. , 6 10 8 10 9 9 10 11 11 11 13 0 13 9 9 11 All Districts .. .. .. | 6 11 8 11 10 0 11 2 12 2 13 1 13 11 9 11 Range (difference between highest ! 0 4 05 04 04 05 05 04 01 and lowest) I

Endorsed Competency Number Proficiency Certificates. Competency Certificates. (toclMedln Education District. p* ji q I previous 2S, _ colamD >' Number. Percentage. Number. Percentage. Number. Public Schools. Auckland 5,311 4,207 79-2 419 7-8 156 Taranaki 989 742 75-0 126 12-7 20 Wanganui .. . • • • 1,452 944 65*0 216 15*0 30 Hawke'sBav .. .. 1,282 1,027 80-1 169 13-2 3 Wellington'.. .. .. 2,522 1,735 68-8 398 15-7 165 Nelson .. . . •• 614 449 73-1 113 18-4 18 Canterbury .. . . . • 3,344 2,240 i 67*0 544 16*2 124 .. .. •• j 2,003 1,572 | 78-4 213 10-0 8 Southland .. .. • • 947 678 71*6 168 17-7 13 i i | I |g .. .. 1 18,464 13,594 73-6 2,366 17-0 1 537 Private Schools. Auckland 531 411 77-4 43 8-0 14 Taranaki 96 68 75-5 17 18-8 5 Wanganui .. . • • • 190 .110 58*0 31 16*0 Hawke's Bay .. .. 223 170 76*3 25 11*2 1 Wellington . . . . . • 471 394 83*6 49 10*4 9 Nelson .. .. .. 100 71 71-0 20 20-0 Canterbury . . . . .. 438 302 68*9 93 21*1 2 Otago • • • • • • 214 181 84*0 21 10*0 .. Southland .. .. .. 118 67 56*8 26 22*0 Totals .. .. j 2,381 1,774 74-5 j 325 j 13-6 31 I I

E.—2

Table C6.-Number of Children who left the Primary Schools in 1923.

Table D1. Registered Private Primary Schools.—Number of Schools, Pupils, and Teachers.

Table D2.-Registered Private Primary Schools. —Ages of Pupils.

i s i lis „• i . I g 3 CS d te as Jzj g o O < w £ 5 ! (£ 8 ffl Ph I. Those who passed Standard VI:— Boys .. .. .. 1,999 381 552 493 930 224 1,229 942 417 7,167 Girls .. .. .. 1,785 338 514 464 827 216 1,175 818 409 6,546 Totals .. .. .. 3,784 719 1,066 957 1,757 440 2,404 1,760 826 13,713 II. Those who did not pass Standard VI but reached the age of 14 years:— Boys .. .. .. 751 156 237 165 282 84 423 288 178 2,564 Girls .. .. .. 630 137 224 151 218 80 386 238 117 2,181 Totals .. .. .. 1,381 293 461 316 500 164 809 526 295 4,745 Totals of I and II :—• Boys .. .. .. 2,750 537 789 658 1,212 308 1,652 1,230 595 9,731 Girls .. .. .. 2,415 475 738 615 1,045 296 1,561 1,056 526 8,727 Grand totals .. .. 5,165 1,012 1,527 1,273 2,257 604 3,213 2,286 1,121 18,458

Roll Number. | Number of Teachers. Number of Schools. —= —, I 1 % Total Eoll. | ||| !■§! B || District. — ; — "§« a* gw —i g;§Ji rgdjl •a-. • O • o . .So Oo 2 a oM" acjM.2^3w M 43® Mfi .co qO o 2 2 mi O flCO W § go O go § go 13 So l-g >H-g p boo lr dSo AHO O 2,~ o% 2 __. . a>:2.fllS33.fl- ,J 3.c2 o a jd S xi 5® "3 cs <x> I | aS,s «|a g I s III 4 M. j P. M. | F. M. F. Auckland .. 7 40 13 60 611 5,327 792 2,942 3,688 6,630 6,205-1 7 22 11 135 13 26 Taranaki 2 11 3 16 54 1,152 156 605 757 1,362 1,236-9 .. 2 .. 32 2 5 Wanganui.. 6 16 8 30 330 1,381 231 860 1,082 1,942 1,746-9 10 10 2 50 2 12 Hawke'sBay 7 12 12 31 155 1,604 368 1,028 1,099 2,127 1,613-7 5 5 .. 40 10 15 Wellington ' 6 31 11 48 445 3,757 776 2,198 2,780 4,978 4,198-6 2 16 22 91 7 24 Nelson ..2 5 2 9 37 573 26 313 323 636 587-2 .. 4 .. 17 .. 2 Canterbury 12 43 9 64 504 4,160 884 2,592 2,956 5,548 4,989-8 9 27 9127 2 28 Otago 3 18 4 25 122 1,651 258 895 1,136 2,031 1,800-9 .. 9 4 54 1 13 Southland.. .. 11 1 12 .. 993 55 462 586 1,048 1,018-2 35 .. 3 i__ 45 187 63 295 2,15820,598 3,546 11,895;14,407 26,302| 23,397*3 33 95 48581 37128 I I

! 5 to 6 I 6 to 7 7 to 8 8 to 9 9 to 10 10 to 11 { 11 to 12. | 12 to 13 13 to 14 j 14 to 15 Over 15 ( Tnt „, 8 * Years. | Years. Years. Years. Years. Years, j Years. ; Years. Years, j Years. Years, j Auckland .. 423 544 712 718 681 743 747 768 619 402 273 6,630 Taranaki .. 106 131 148 136 130 138 158 133 128 82 72 1,362 Wanganui .. 119 172 196 204 204 202 197 210 240 125 73 1,942 Hawke'sBay .. 122 194 214 187 176 215 215 227 193 146 238 2,127 Wellington' .. 278 382 494 553 523 545 562 580 482 327 252 4,978 Nelson .. 56 75 65 72 66 70 70 80 36 39 7 636 Canterbury .. 376 512 609 567 577 664 610 648 509 307 169 5,548 Otago ' .. 151 158 228 199 199 254 257 226 196 119 44 2,031 Southland .. 70 98 96 100 120 126 121 125 105 58 29 1,048 Totals .. 1,701 ' 2,266 2,762 2,736 2,676 2,957 2,937 2,997 2,508 1,605 | 1,157 26,302 Percentages 6'5 8'6 j 10-5 10-4 10-2 11-2 11-21 11-4 9-5 6'1 4-4

E.—2,

Table E1.—School Staff, December, 1924 (exclusive of Secondary Departments of District High Schools).

Table E2.—Classification of Teachers in Public Primary Schools at 31st December, 1924.

Table E3.—Details of Classification of Teachers in Public Primary Schools, December, 1924.

nm ? o O®o ?. !S2 >H J* 5-1 c6 'P co <Dfl . aj Sole Heads of Assistant Total Number of Pupil- <3 2 & "2° 50 TeacherB. Schools. j Teachers. Adult Teachers. teachers. 2 2 ■" n !?r? K >affl(32 SS Education Dis- ■§.§ ! 8S«« °? -5,5 ® >>•§ z * >J triot - if s8 gSH |s|® *=| •fCO "43 ■—I ®0 43 b>, ® ® W /%*■! ! I I j p-h i£n Q} *"** flK M 3 o ° M. j F. M. F. 1 M. V. M. F. Total. M. F. | f If J" |1 ®g| I EH S5 ft X Jltto JJ | j I """ 1'' " [ I ! ! i * i t Auckland .. ! 753 176 203 269 46? 201 825 6464,0741,720 41 105. 146 1,866 221 60-1 57,422 31 29-5 Taranaki .. j 172 31 62 46 32 19 152 96 246 342 7 16 I 23 365 46 39-0 10,123 28 J 26 Wanganm .. 209 42 66 79 15 40 222 161 303 464 21 33 54 518 62 53-1 15,217 31 i 29 Hawke's Bay ! 187 271 84 64 9 43 205 1341 298 432 14 21 35 467 61 44-9 14,253 32 ! 30 Wellington '.. j 258 32 1 109 78 22 77 380 187| 511 698 14 45 j 59 757 111 36-6 23,707 32-51 30 Nelson .. | 144 34! 62 34 9 10 89 78 160 238 3 11 14 ' 252 30 48-7 6,386 26 24'5 Canterbury .. 395 42, 172 145 27 111 461 298 660 958 42 51 1 93 1,051 136 45-1 32,827 33 31 Otago .. | 260 40j 108 100 8 68 278 208j 394 602 25 34 59 661 91 52-8 19,855 31 29 Southland .. 196 50 63 69 12 22 152 141] 227 368 13 17 j 30 398 47 62-1 11,047 29 | 28 Totals, 1924 (2,574 474 929i 884 180j 5912,7641,949(3,873 5,822 180 | 333 J 513 6,335 805 50-3 190,837 j 31 29 Totals, 1923 2,566 455 976; 881 1461 529 2,6691,865 3,7915,656 188 ! 323 i 511 6,167 850 49-3 190,439 j 32 ; 30 I I i ! !._ I I I _1 1 I Difference + 8 +19 -471+ 3+34j+62j +95 +84j +82 +166 j—8 J+ 10 !+ 2 +108 -45 + 1*0 + 398 |-1 j-1 * Reckoning two pupil-teachers as one adult, but excluding probationers. f Reckoning two pupil-teachers or two probationers as one adult.

All Schools. Excluding Schools of Grades 0 and I. Education ' Unclassified ! Unclassified District. Classified Holders of and Total Classified : Holders of and Total Teachers. Licenses. Unlicensed ioiai. Teachers, i Licenses. Unlicensed Teachers. ' Teachers. I (1) j (2) (S) (4) (5) I (6) (7) (8) Auckland .. 1,474 21 225 1,720 1,380 18 115 1,513 Taranaki .. 254 7 81 342 236 6 38 280 Wanganui . . 359 8 97 4(54 339 4 47 390 Hawke's Bav.. 336 4 92 432 313 3 35 351 Wellington " .. 623 5 70 698 569 4 18 591 Nelson .. 171 8 59 238 143 4 18 165 Canterbury .. 869 5 84 958 788 2 37 827 Otago .. 540 5 57 602 485 2 22 509 Southland .. 265 5 98 368 254 5 40 299 Totals .. 4,891 68 863 5,822 4,507 48 370 4,925

(Arranged according to Sex of Teachers and Class of Certificate held.) I Class A. Class B. , Class C. Class D. , Class E. Total. Education District. ; : i 1 ; : M. F. | Total. M. J F. .Total.| M. F. Total. M. F. Total. M. F. Total. M. F. Total. Auckland .. 12 4 16 84J 36 120 345 449 794133 360 493 4 47 51 578 896 1,474 Taranaki .. I . . 1! 8 5 13 41 70 111 25 93 118 2 9 11 77 177 254 Wanganui .. 11 2' 12| 10 22 76 110 186 38 95 133 3 13 16 130 229 359 Hawke's Bav .. 1 .. 1 19 6 25 70 108 178 28 92 120 I 1 11 12 119 217 336 Wellington .. 6 2 8 49 53 102 77 212 289 40 163 203 2 19 21 174 449 623 Nelson flj 8 17 35 48 83 17 48 65 1 5 6 62 109 171 Canterbury .. 19 2 21 69 26 95 133 360 493 64 175 239 3 18 21 288 581 869 Otago .. .. 10 31 13 42 22 64 93 238 331 40 90 130 1 1 2 186 354 540 Southland .. 3 .. 3 18 8 26 46 97 143 30 55 85 3 5 8 100 165 265 I I I I I 1 I Totals .. 53 12 65! 31o|l74 484916jl ,6922,008415 1,17l|l,586 2ojl28 ! 148 1,714 3,177 4,891 III I I III

S.—2

2—E. 2

Table E4.—Adult Teachers in Public Schools (excluding Secondary Departments of District High Schools) classified according to Salary, which for the Purpose of this Return includes House Allowance or an Equivalent Amount where a Residence is provided.—1924.

Male Teachers. Female Teachers Summary. Certificated. Uncertificated. Certificated. Uncertificated. i ( j j -RVmnip Certifi- Uncertifi- Total Sole and Sole and | Sole and Sole and I Tpaphpr<; cated. I cated. Head Assistants. Total. Head Assistants. Total. xeacners. Head Assistants. Total. Head Assistants. Total. Teachers. Teachers. Teachers, i Teachers. Not exceeding £140 .. . . . . 1 1 17 7 24 25 5 15 20 161 72 233 253 21 257 278 £141-£160 .. .. . . .. 2 2 6 7 13 15 2 51 53 31 i 88 119 172 55 132 187 £161-£180 . . . . . . . . 3 I 8 11 3 1 4 15 3 214 217 19 37 56 273 228 60 288 £181-£200 . . . . . . 2 48 50 74 5 79 129 5 221 226 88 I 73 161 387 276 240 516 £201-£225 .. .. .. 6 22 28 42 .. 42 70 12 885 897 ! 72 i 8 80 977 925 122 1,047 £226-£250 .. .. .. 66 44 110 31 2 j 33 143 119 375 494 20 2 22 516 604 55 659 Totals not exceeding £250 .. j 78 124 202 173 , 22 195 397 146 1,761 1,907 391 280 671 j 2,578 2,109 866 2,975 £251-£275 .. .. .. .. 78 i 39 117 12 3 15 132 148 193 j 341 4 .. j 4 345 458 19 477 £276-£300 . . .. . . . . 54 28 82 8 8 90 107 190 : 297 8 1 9 306 379 17 396 £301— £325 .. .. .. .. 34 47 1 81 10 10 91 47 82 i 129 5 4 9 138 210 19 229 £326-£350 . . .. . . . . 71 53 124 4 1 5 129 63 141 204 1 1 205 328 6 334 £351-£375 .. .. . . 105 57 162 .. .. .. 162 108 99 I 207 ! 1 1 ! 208 369 1 370 £376-£400 . . . . 157 98 255 1 1 256 52 6 ! 58 ; . . 1 1 59 313 2 315 £401— £425 . . .. .. . . 166 27 193 .. . . .. 193 24 2 26 j . . .. j 26 219 .. 219 £426-£450 .. .. .. .. 98 84 182 .... 182 1 2 j 3 I .. .. 3 185 185 £451-£475 .. .. .. 100 1 101 .... 101 3 3 I .. ... . . 3 104 104 £476-£500 .. . . .. .. 27 4 31 1 1 32 . . .... .. .. .. 31 I 32 £501-£525 . . .. .. .. 67 1 68 .. .. .. 68 1 .. I 1 -. j ■ ■ I 69 .. 69 £526-£550 .. . . . . .. 24 .. 24 .. . . . . 24 .. .. ....... J . . 24 .. 24 £551-£575 .. .. .. .. 25 . . 25 .. .. . . 25 . . .. .. .... . . . . 25 .. 25 £576-£600 .. .. .. .. 61 61 .. .. . . 61 .. . . .. .. .. ] .. | . 61 .. 61 £601-£625 .. .. .. .. 1 .. 1 . . .. .. 1 .. . . | ! . . i 1 .. 1 £626-£650 .. .. .. .. 2 .. 2 .. .. .. 2 1 .. 1 ! .. ! .. 1 3 .. 3 £651-£675 ........ 2 2 2 I i 2 2 £676-£700 .......... .. .. " I j j £701-£725 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. j .. .. .. .. ! £726-£750 ........1 1 1 1.. 1 H ! 1 [ " i L Totals, £251-£750 .. j 1,073 439 1,512 34 6 40 1,552 555 715 1,270 17 8 25 1,295 2,782 65 2,847 Grand totals .. ... j 1,151 563 1,714 207 28 I 235 I 1,949 701 2,476 ! 3,177 408 [ 288 j 696 j 3,873 4,891 931 i 5,822 _ ; ; I I I 1 i 1 i 1 1

E.—2

Table F1.—Receipts and Bank Balances of the several Education Boards for the Year 1924.

Receipts from Government. | - - - Public School Receipts Cash Education Teachers' and Buildings R p nt and from Workshop Total Balances, Board. Artmini*tr a - Relieving- Libraries Conveyance Incidental Training ManuaI Technical (including Maintenance Scholarships, T t , f Local Account. Receipts. 1st January, tion Grants. t 0ac (Capitation Expenses of ea ®^ ers Instruction. Instruction. gebuMmg), ofjjchooj Government. Sources - Allowances. 1 (1) (2| (3) (4) (6) (6) (7) (8) (9) O0) (11) (12) (IS) (11) I (15) (16) £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ Auckland .. 10,077 509,728 530 4,187 31,050 44,976 23,226 6,518 122,464 28,164 8,142 789,062 15,057 .. 804,119 14,024 Taranaki .. ! 1,401 93,558 129 751 5,986 240 4,090 .. 12,043 7,419 2,991 129,608 4,082 318 134,008 6,236 Wanganui .. 3,193 132,945 210 1,107 7,949 127 5,881 464 10,209 10,862 738 173,685 5,812 147 179,644 2,787 Hawke'sBay 3,108 123,228 82 3,113 7,264 390 5,588 4,579 26,866 7,611 3,047 184,876 4,030 145 189,051 7,545 Wellington .. 4,690 205,081 60 2,888 11,400 44,880 8,108 1,540 28,461 17,232 6,040 330,380 5,734 .. 336,114 Dr. 127 Nelson .. 1,806 64,911 101 1,211 4,027 213 2,613 18 5,528 4,859 2,053 87,340 1,608 .. 88,948 4,510 Canterbury .. 6,272 287,802 414 7,817 16,932 36,474 11,705 311 60,930 20,474 5,045 454,176 11,599 .. 465,775 3,010 Otago .. 4,136 178,563 230 3,879 10,495 38,606 7,943 216 9,759 14,324 2,112 270,263 4,877 .. 275,140 20,044 Southland .. 2,488 99,179 132 2,069 6,425 27 3,799 .. 11,225 7,248 1,355 133,947 8,458 .. 142,405 10,390 Totals .. 38,171 1,694,995 1,888 27,022 101,528 165,933 ! 72,953 13,646 287,486 118,193 31,523 2,553,337 61,257 610 2,615,204 68,419 i I Table WA. —Payments and Bank Balances of the seveeal Education Boaeds for the Yeae 1924. • Staff Salaries, ! Public School Education Alston! ! s S"d Caption anTSHf Tech ™ a » (including Penance SctlSLTps, Workshop Total Balances. BOard " Contingencies, * » sSL"' Teachers. Instruction. Instruction. SET * ' Furniture, <fec. J i I I I I I I £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ I £ Auckland .. 11,961 509,434 599 5,246 30,454 46,322 23,821 5,229 122,756 27,265 21,552 708 805,347 12,796 Taranaki .. 2,444 93,559 135 856 5,956 236 4,625 1,536 13,054 8,336 3,782 .. 134,519 5,725 Wanganui .. 3,903 132,907 271 958 8,088 248 6,337 559 13,123 13,656 2,153 .. 182,203 228 Hawke'sBav .. 3,042 123,556 202 3,232 7,169 595 5,633 5,149 31,428 6,127 5,910 .. 192,043 4,553 Wellington .. 6,580 204,993 354 2,508 11,784 43,782 7,482 1,518 24,321 14,655 6.649 .. 324,626 11,361 Nelson .. 1,979 64,659 119 1,229 4,009 194 2,538 197 5,246 6.150 3,222 .. 89,542 3,916 Canterbury .. 4,991 288,463 243 8,263 16,522 36,591 12,175 324 52,086 20,725 10,269 3,945 454,597 14,188 Otago * .. 4.584 178,603 221 4.491 10,184 38,126 7,029 164 18,300 14,442 4,641 1,381 282,166 13,018 Southland .. 2,698 99,164 707 2,087 6,516 26 3,953 57 13,044 12,855 i 3,656 .. 144,763 8,032 . !___ ! Totals .. 42,182 1,695,338 2,851 28,870 100,682 166,120 73,593 14,733 293,358 124,211 61,834 6,034 2,609,806 73,817

E.—2

Table F3.—Payments of Education Boards on account of Administration and of Incidental Expenses of Schools, 1924.

Cost of Administration. Incidental Expenses of Schools. Education Board. Attendance. Per Unit of Per Unit of Total. Average Total. Average Attendance. Attendance. f £ I s. £ s. Auckland .. .. .. 58,015 11,961 1 4-1 30,454 10-5 Taranaki .. .. .. 10,089 2,444 4-8 5,956 10-8 Wangarmi .. .. .. 15,321 3,903 5-1 8,088 10-6 Hawke's Bay .. .. 14,487 3,042 4-2 7,169 9-9 Wellington .. .. .. 23,853 6,580 5-5 11,784 9'9 Nelson .. .. .. 6,454 1,979 6-1 4,009 12-4 Canterbury.. .. .. 33,766 4,991 3-0 16,522 12'8 Otago .. .. .. 20,210 4,584 4-5 10,184 10-1 Southland .. .. .. 11,058 2,698 4-9 6,516 11-8 Totals .. .. 193,253 42,182 4-4 100,682 10-4

E.—2

Table F4. —Office Staffs of Education Boards as at 31st December, 1924.

Yearly Rate t> i „ | of Salary. ] Remarks. I Auckland— £ Secretary and Treasurer .. .. .. .. 800 Assistant Secretary .. .. .. .. 575 Accountant .. .. .. .. .. 600 Assistant Accountant .. . . .. .. 500 Chief Clerk .. .. . . .. .. 450 Clerks, 8—1 at £375, 1 at £315, 2 at £300, 1 at £180, 1 at 1,915 Plus £30 boarding-allowance. £175, 1 at £110, 1 at £100 ! Typists, 6—1 at £200, 2 at £190, 2 at £160, 1 at £130 1,030 Cadets, 3—1 at £110, 2 at £75 .. .. .. 260 One plus £40 boarding-allowance. Truant Officer .. .. .. .. .. 200 Architect's Branch. Architect .. .. .. .. .. 1,150 Resigned 31/12/24. Architect .. .. .. .. . . 700 Appointed 1/4/24. Draughtsmen, 2—1 at £300, 1 at £260 .. .. 560 Foreman .. .. .. .. .. 450 Typist .. .. .. .. .. .. 160 Manual and Technical Branch. Advisory Inspector and Supervisor .. .. .. 800 Clerk .. .. .. .. .. . . 360 Typists, 2—1 at £200, 1 at £160 .. . . . . 360 Total .. .. .. .. 9,870 Takanaki— Secretary .. .. .. .. .. 500 Assistant Secretary .. .. .. .. 300 Accountant .. .. .. .. . . 300 Clerk-Typists, 2—1 at £155, 1 at £140 .. .. 295 Typists, 2—1 at £130, 1 at £105 .. .. .. 235 Office Assistant .. .. .. .. .. 39 Caretaker .. .. .. .. .. 100 Truant Officer .. .. .. . . .. 131 Also employed as carpenter. Architect's Branch. Architect .. .. .. . . . . 525 Draughtsman .. .. . . . . .. 130 Workshop Foreman .. .. .. . . 320 New Works Foreman .. .. .. . . 312 Repairs Foreman .. .. .. . . 312 Total .. .. .. .. 3,499 Wanganui— Secretary .. .. .. .. .. 665 Assistant Secretary .. .. . . .. 410 Accountant .. . . .. .. 360 Assistant Accountant .. .. .. .. 235 Senior Typist .. .. .. .. .. 145 Typists and Clerks, 4—1 at £145, 1 at £120, 1 at £90, 420 1 at £65 Storeman .. .. .. .. .. 260 Attendance Officer .. .. .. .. 255 Plus actual travelling-expenses. Architect's Branch. Architect .. .. .. .. .. 575 Architect's Assistant .. .. .. .. 250 Foreman Joiner .. .. .. .. .. 312 Foreman Carpenters, 2 —1 at £312, 1 at £286 .. 598 Plus 5s. per day country allowance. Total .. .. .. .. 4,485 Hawke's Bay— Secretary and Treasurer .. . . . . .. 700 Accountant and Chief .. .. . . .. 440 Clerks, 3—1 at £350, 1 at £290, 1 at £225 .. .. 865 Typists, 3 —1 at £205, 1 at £195, 1 at £104 . . . . 504 Junior Clerk .. .. .. .. .. 85 Architect's Branch. Architect .. .. .. .... 660 Plus £200 travelling-allowance. Architect's Clerk and Draughtsman . . . . 330 Total .. .. .. .. 3,584 Wellington— — Secretary .. .. .. . . . . 750 Assistant Secretary .. .. . . .. 500 Supplies Clerk .. .. .. .. .. 350 Staffs Officer .. .. .. ... .. 325 Book-keepers, 2—1 at £220, 1 at £200 .. .. 420 Typists, 5—1 at £190, 2 at £160, 1 at £145, 1 at £80 .. 735 Assistant Supplies Clerk .. .. .. .. 145 Junior Clerk .. .. .. .. .. I 75 Attendance Officer .. .. .. .. 1 250

E.—2

Table F4. —Office Staffs of Education Boards as at 31st December, 1924 —continued.

| Yearly Bate Remarks { of Salary. uemarits. W Ellington-'—continued. Architect's Branch. Architect .. .. .. .. .. 500 Clerk of Works .. .. .. .. .. 375 Draughtsman . . . . .. .. .. 325 Typist .. .. . . .. .. .. 180 Junior Draughtsman .. .. .. .. 160 Clerks of Works, 2—1 at £180, 1 at £312 .. .. 492 Clerk, Training College .. .. .. . . 100 Total .. .. .. .. 5,682 Nelson— Secretary . . . . .. .. .. 550 Accountant .. .. .. .. .. 365 Chief Clerk .. . . .. .. .. 285 Clerks, 2—1 at £180, 1 at £100 .. .. . . 280 Attendance Officer .. .. .. . . 60 Architect's Branch. Architect .. .. .. .. . . 375 Painters, 2—1 at £270, 1 at £235 . . . . . . 505 Total .. . . .. .. 2,420 Cantebbuby— Secretary . . .. .. . . . . 550 Assistant Secretary .. . . . . . . 360 Accountant .. .. .. . . . . 350 Clerks, 2—1 at £280, 1 at £135 .. . . . . 415 Typists, 4—2 at £180, 1 at £170, 1 at £100 . . .. 630 Clerk and Typist .. . . . . . . . . 180 Cadet .. .. . . . . .. .. 85 Attendance Officers, 2—1 at £275, 1 at £265 .. 540 Architect's Branch. Architect .. .. .. . . .. 565 Assistant Architect .. .. .. . . 435 Draughtsman .. . . .. . . . . 310 Cadet .. .. .. .. . . .. 156 Foremen —2 at £435 .. .. . . . . 870 Workshop Clerks, 3 —1 at £125, 2 at £85 .. .. 295 Workshop Foreman .. .. .. . . 312 Official Buyer .. . . .. .. . . 275 Manual and Technical Branch. Manual Supervisor .. . . .. .. 545 Clerk .. .. .. .. .. . . 120 Total .. .. .. . . 6,993 Otago— Secretary .. .. .. . . . . 725 Chief Clerk .. . . .. .. .. 460 Clerks, 7 —1 at £416, 1 at £300, 1 at £255, 1 at £200, 1 at 1,496 £150, 1 at £110, 1 at £65 Typist .. .. .. .. .. .. 173 Attendance Officer .. .. .. .. 325 Architect's Branch. Architect .. .. .. .. . . 575 Draughtsman .. .. .. . . . . 410 Clerk .. .. .. . . .. . . 355 Workshop Foreman .. . . . . . . 324 Total . . .. .. . . 4,844 Southland — Secretary and Treasurer .. .. . . ,. 550 Assistant Secretary .. .. . . . . 450 Accountant .. .. .. .. .. 400 Clerk .. .. .. .. .. .. 135 Typist .. .. . • ■. • • .. 150 Junior Typist .. .. .. .. .. 65 Junior Clerk .. .. .. .. . . 90 Attendance Officer and Caretaker .. .. .. 225 Architect's Branch. jjfi Architect .. .. .. .. .. 475 Assistant Architect ... .. .. .. 375 Total .. .. .. .. 2,915

■E.—2.

Table G1.—Manual Instruction and Elementary Needlework, 1924.

I brf Sfb Subjects and Number of Schools on account of which Capitation was claimed | for 1924. liHiS : w .3 g e8 Public Primary Schools. Private Primary Schools. H w — — — — 33® g -2 3 T3 Education District. P 8 * a 2 c S* 58 5 03 £ £ 03 o s a-B| « s| I 8 ** .2 H 2 <» w t o O><D 27 5 o £0 S | ? » i== § a o£ 45 « .gjg j® I I o2 3 CO I— Q OHI F-1 OQ £3 Q O l-H fc ft £ S I ft Auckland .. ... .. 439 164 153 23 382 112 ' 28 32 Taranaki .. .. .. 138 41 45 25 157 23 8 8 Wanganui .. . . 180 29 30 2 180 36 7 6 Hawke'sBay .. .. 146 19 18 12 138 20 5 4 Wellington . . . . .. 161 56 59 20 | 133 26 3 2 Nelson .. .. 109 33 33 1 106 22 4 4 Canterbury .. .. 280 121 126 12 243 27 12 11 Otago .. . . .. 212 34 33 9 203 46 Southland .. .139 78 70 2 129 40 6 3 Totals, 1924 .. .. 1,804 575 567 106 1,671 352 73 70 Totals, 1923 .. .. 1,850 558 565 117 1,596 346 73 68

E.—2

Table G2.—Handwork and Manual Instruction.—Receipts and Payments, together with Monetary Assets and Liabilities, of Education Boards for the Year ended 31st December, 1924.

Receipts. Payments. Liabilities. Monetary Assets. Grants from Government. Education 1 | _ . Ne* BOard ' i Travelling- j TTsnftwnrk : Subsidies Receipts Tr £om erS Total Salaries Travelling- jAdministra- | Tranof( , r , j j j Balance. I allowances | j Grants for Sub f f' dles from other of allowances tion Worklne Buildings ! lra ?f ers Dr. Balance; Cr. Balance! .S® for I Capita- 1 Buildings, V nW»rv Sources. J 460 ® 1 ? 43 - Instructors, for ((including forking- Braidings, ; to . Totai a t31st Other ; at 81st Other instructors I tion. i BenUnd CoSn Accounts. including Instructors Salaries on S ses EoSoment Sch ol Payments. December, | Liabilities. December, Assets. ances - ! and ! Exp ?° ses ' : Equipment. Co t ?'" bu Sewing and j and Office on Uasses. Equipment. | School 1924. ! 1924. Students, j j Mistresses. Students. J Expenses). Boards. I I i i : £ £ ; £ £ £ £ | £ £ £ £ £ j £ £ ££ £;£;£ £ £ j £ Auckland 12,800 1,715 16,000 392 2,256 46 1,288 .. 24,497 13,448 1,803 ! 2,346 4,962 1,262 .. 23,821 .. 1,090 3,550 1,352 3,812 Taranaki .. 2,348 787 919 36 .. .. 71 .. 4,161 2,504 823 456 736 106 .. 4,625 .. 286 892 278 884 Wanganui 2,997 888 1,693 20 303 .. 245 .. 6,146 3,325 1,075 361 686 489 401 6,337 .. 371 3 j 452 84 Hawke'sBay 2,719 1 514 2,172 90 104 .. 210 100 5,909 2,779 972 350 i.040 503 .. 5,644 .. 468 1,188 : 179 899 Wellington 4,652 1,106 1,900 350 1,027 80 512 331 9,958 4,662 873 380 1,729 312 .. 7,956 * * ! * * * Nelson .. 768 372 625 52 526 250 53 .. 2,646 906 349 175 163 757 188 2,538 . . 176 i 170 ■ 372 366 Canterbury 7,096 742 3,092 212 578 .. 782 .. 12,502 7,539 1,164 863 1,426 697 439 12,128 .. 374 1,513 | 614 1,753 Otago .. 4,080 512 2,236 78 1,037 .187 .. 8,130 j 4,470 327 208 1,595 256 173 7,029 .. 99 2,447 182 2,530 Southland 2,156 134 1,352 53 108 6 193 .. 4,002 2,459 120 484 826 77 .. 3,966 .. Nil 651 213 864 i 1 j ____ ! ! . I ! Totals .. 39,616 6,770 19,989 1,283 5,939 382 3,541 431 I 77,951 42,092 7,506 5,623 13,163 4,459 1,201 74,044 ! .. .. I ; i ' i 1.1 11 i I * Returns not available.

E.—2

APPENDIX A. RE POET OF THE CHIEF INSPECTOR OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS. Sir, — Wellington, Bth June, 1925. I have the honour to present my report for the year 1924. There were several changes in the inspectorial staff during the year : Messrs. F. EL Bakewell, M.A., and A. L. Wyllie, M.A., Senior Inspectors in charge of Wellington and Southland Education Districts respectively, retired ; Mr. W. Bird, M.A., Senior Inspector, Hawke's Bay, was transferred to Wellington ; Mr. D. A. Strachan, M.A., was appointed to Southland, and Mr. M. McLeod, 8.A., to Hawke's Bay ; Mr. D. McCaskill, 8.A., was transferred from Westland to Hawke's Bay. The following head teachers were appointed Inspectors : Messrs. D. Leslie, B.A. (to Auckland) : J. Wyn Irwin, M.A. (to Wellington) ; and S. J. Irwin, B.A. (to Westland). I desire to here place on record my appreciation of the long and efficient service rendered the cause of primary education by both Mr. F. H. Bakewell and Mr. A. L. Wyllie. The following table shows the distribution of the inspectorial staff over the Dominion, and also the number of schools and teachers supervised in each education district: —

With the object of overcoming any tendency to parochialism in primary education, and with the further aim of securing greater uniformity in the grading of teachers, each of the Senior Inspectors spent three months during the early part of the year in another district, and typical schools were exchanged. In all some 120 schools were thus visited by the Inspectors stationed in an adjoining district. It is difficult to assess the results of these experiments, but there is no doubt that the indirect value of comparing the schools and the teachers fully compensated for the additional cost. As far as the grading of teachers is concerned the Senior Inspectors' reports of their impressions were very reassuring, inasmuch as they bore testimony to a very satisfactory degree of uniformity in the award of grading-marks. The exchanges, too, served to reveal points of weakness either that had escaped the notice of the local inspectorial staff or to which they had become accustomed. During July, August, and September I inspected schools in Fiji and Samoa, and also attended an Australasian Conference of Inspectors in Brisbane. The Conference was a most profitable one from many points of view, and I was enabled to secure at first hand information that has already proved of service to the Department. My report on the Conference has already been submitted to you, and copies have been forwarded to all the Inspectors. I feel strongly that association with our colleagues in Australia is well worth maintaining, and I trust that the Department will be able to send a representative to the next Conference, to be held in Hobart during Easter, 1926. During my visit to Australia I had the opportunity of visiting typical schools in Queensland and New South Wales, and of looking closely into the system in the latter State. I was much impressed with the simplicity and directness of the system of administration in New South' Wales, and am quite sure that it is a less costly one than our own, with its many ramifications and divided authority. The powers and duties of Inspectors in New South Wales are much wider than in New Zealand. An Inspector there is placed in charge of a district, and performs, in addition to the ordinary work of inspection, much the same administrative duties that in New Zealand fall to the lot of the Secretary of an Education Board. He has, however, nothing to do with the payment of teachers' salaries, which are paid by the central Department. In New Zealand the payment of salaries is, to my mind, a needlessly roundabout process, involving the employment of many clerks in different parts of New Zealand ; the New South Wales system is a much simpler one. The grading of teachers in New South Wales is also a simple process, and occupies much less of the Inspectors' time than our own. lam indeed

Number of Schools. Number of Teachers. District, Number of Public. Inspectors. Average Total in Public Private. Total. per and Private P T „ a | Above Inspector. Schools. -inspector, u. j Qrade Q Auckland .. 12 50 703 60 813 68 1,934 . 161 Taranaki.. .. 3 11 161 16 188 63 383 128 Wanganui . . 4 23 186 30 239 60 550 138 Hawke's Bay . . 3 27 160 31 218 73 507 169 Wellington ' .. 5|* 32 226 48 306 57 860 161 Nelson .. . . 2§* 28 116 9 153 57 261 98 Canterbury . . 7 16 379 64 459 66 1,160 166 Otago .. .. 5 17 243 25 285 57 683 137 Southland .. 3 15 181 12 208 69 406 135 45 219 | 2,355 295 2,869 64 6,744 150 * One Inspector shared by these two districts (Inspector since transferred to Wellington).

E.—2.

alarmed to find that the annual grading of teachers occupies, all districts taken together, not less than 158 days, irrespective of the time spent on interim gradings. In my opinion this expendidure of time is quite unnecessary, and demands either the simplification of the grading system or the substitution of a biennial or even a triennial grading for the present annual grading. I spent some five or six weeks in assisting in reorganizing the European schools in Fiji and Samoa. These are manned by New Zealand teachers, and I am pleased to be able to report that the best traditions of the New Zealand service are being worthily maintained. It is very gratifying to know that the work our teachers are doing in Fiji is earning the highest encomiums from both the administrative authorities and the people of Fiji. While in the islands I was privileged to go outside the recognized scope of my duties and to see something of the education of the Natives. This has been for many years in the hands of various missionary societies, and the work has been carried on with unflagging energy. It was soon clear to me, however, that much of the effort was misguided as far as education was concerned, and that the services of a skilled and trained educationist were urgently needed. This is a work that New Zealand could well undertake in co-operation with the various Administrations and missionary societies. During the latter part of the year it wa& my duty, in company with the Assistant Director, to inspect the four training colleges. I was much impressed by the zeal of the staff and the earnestness of the students. All the colleges were overcrowded, and the classes were in most cases too large to enable the lecturers to come closely enough into touch with individual students. An examination of the records indicates that the training-college course involves a greater amount of physical and mental strain than some of the students are fit for. PoSsibly some enter much too vigorously into the social life of the place and unfit themselves for study. At the same time there appeared clearly to me a tendency for the colleges to endeavour to cover too much ground, and that at too high a level. What should be the proper functions of a training college may readily be debated, but the essential function is surely to see that the students have a good knowledge of the primary subjects of instruction and of the principles of teaching those subjects. lam quite convinced that the colleges do provide an invaluable inspiration to their students, but I would suggest that much good would result if more attention were given to the actual problems the students will have to face in the positions they afterwards occupy. In some instances there appeared to me too great a similarity between the lectures delivered in the training college and those that might be given in a University college. Overlapping of this kind would not appear to be the proper function of a teachers' training college. The annual reports of the Inspectors will well repay careful study. The reports reveal not only an intimate knowledge of the actual work of the schools, but ability to grapple with the difficulties of teaching and to supply constructive criticism. lam glad to note that the higher functions of the Inspector are receiving wider recognition, though, judged by their reports, some of the staff are still inclined to follow the well-trodden paths. Education is not mainly the acquisition of information about the "rule of three " or the Elburz Mountains, or even the manufacture of superphosphates ; it is a process by which the capacities of a child are fully developed so that he will be able to play his part in this world's affairs to the extent of his natural gifts. It is a process that should aim to develop the child physically and spiritually as well as mentally. In the past the Inspector concerned himself with little more than the amount of information the pupil was able to reproduce ; to-day it is the Inspector's function to ascertain whether the pupil's knowledge is usable, whether in acquiring it the pupil has unconsciously developed in character. Has the teacher succeeded in touching the real life of the child, in broadening and deepening his interests 1 Is the child the more refined, and has he a deeper spirituality as the result of his contact with the teacher ? If not, the teacher has failed, even though he may have numberless scholarship-winners to his credit. Nor does this doctrine imply contempt for scholarship. On the other hand, the teacher who reaches the inner life of the child will be implanting an imperishable love for study and a desire to emulate the achievements of thinkers of the past. It is only educational veneer that merits contempt, and there is still too much of this in the world's schools. Along what lines, then, could our schools improve ? Undoubtedly, along those lines that lead to the development of character. Systems of partial self-government which provide that all pupils in turn shall have some responsibility in the life of the school; the study of literature that touches the heart of the child and reveals beauties and delights satisfying to the soul; music and pictures that awaken the purest emotions ; sport that stimulates pride of achievement, gives physical exhilaration, and draws the imagination away from the cesspits of life ; handwork that will revive the almost-lost pride in craftsmanship ; methods of teaching that will encourage self-achievement and so selfrealization —by these and such paths may the teacher lead the child to realize what he is and what he is capable of. To my way of thinking it is the function of the Inspector to point the way and to inspire the teacher, so that the schools may become what they undoubtedly should be—the trainingground for citizens of the highest type. We are still far from realizing the ideal faintly shadowed above, for in our schools the study of English literature is hampered by a slavish adherence to the technicalities of grammar, our arithmetic is in too many cases divorced from the practical and the actual affairs of life, our cultural subjects are treated by some as " frills," and our handwork is often devoid of aim. What are the remedies ? The most important appears to me to be the bringing of Inspectors and teachers together in consultation. To this end I continue to recommend the inspectorial staff to organize reading and discussion circles with the teachers, so that the seed of the " new education " ma v* lie sown and its growth fostered. Dr. Adams, who visited New Zealand during the year, commented on our He was right. Our schools are undoubtedly efficient in the narrower and more mechanical sense, but they need more of the new spirit, more of real life. It is significant that, with the exception of the method described in Lord and McClune's book, " Democracy in the Schoolroom," New Zealand has

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produced nothing original in methods of teaching. Her sister Dominion has the rotary and platoon schools ; New South Wales the Spaule writing-tester, the Jones system and the Ellis system of teaching reading, as well as the extraordinarily successful Caldwell system of number-teaching. lam continuing to urge Inspectors to encourage originality wherever an efficient teacher shows a desire to depart from the beaten track. I have also suggested that Senior Inspectors might recommend Boards to arrange for the trial of new systems of organization in selected schools. Numbers of our teachers and Inspectors are experimenting with the recognized intelligence tests, and work in this direction is well worth encouraging. The reliability of these tests is by no means established, and the standard tests have proved in some respects unsuitable for New Zealand children. Even in their present form, however, the tests form a useful check on the classification of pupils in accordance with the ordinary class examination tests. There is a very wide field for experiment in this direction, and it is to be regretted that New Zealand is lagging behind England and America in this respect. This line of educational investigation is quite important enough to justify the establishment of a special branch, the activities of which might also include the selection and education of children of subnormal mentality. It is pleasing to note that in all districts the Inspectors commend the work of the instructors of physical drill. Very few teachers nowadays fail to recognize the importance both to the formal drill exercise and of organized games. A return recently handed me by the Chief Physical Instructor shows clearly that a great improvement in the physique of school-children has been effected since the work was first begun. Some progress was made during the year in reorganizing existing classes for mentally retarded children and in establishing new classes. Miss W. A. Valentine did valuable work in this connection, and gathered a considerable amount of useful information bearing on the extent to which mental retardates are present in the ordinary schools. Two experimental classes were established at the Mount Cook schools, Wellington. Notwithstanding most unsuitable environment good work was done, and it was made quite clear to me that it would be an undoubted benefit to society to have such classes established wherever needed. A suitable environment is, however, of paramount importance, and, as city schools rarely provide this, the special classes should be held in separate buildings with more pleasing surroundings. Other special activities connected with the primary schools are the supervision of agricultural instruction, the teaching of woodwork and cookery, the training of unskilled teachers in supplementary model country schools, the work of the organizing teachers, and the holding of special classes of instruction for teachers. Space does not permit full comments on each of these, but it is satisfactory to record that each of these activities is of great service to the primary schools and well worth the money expended on it. All the Inspectors report most favourably on the work done by the organizing teachers, whose duty it is to spend some time with the weaker teachers in country districts and to endeavour to place the instruction on a satisfactory footing. There is lack of sufficient co-ordination between the work of the Inspectors and that of the agricultural instructors, and this weakness will have to be removed before really effective work can be done. At every opportunity I have stressed the importance of the Inspectors and instructors seeing that the instruction is truly scientific in character. No good will be done if the pupils' minds are burdened with a mass of ill-digested scientific information. What is needed is that the pupils shall adopt the right attitude towards the various scientific problems as they arise, and in the process learn something of scientific method. One very important duty of the instructors in co-operation with the Inspectors is to secure a pleasing school environment. The ground improvements should not be too extensive, but should be systematic and in accordance with a definite plan. I was surprised to find that some of the Inspectors report that in several large schools little attention is given to instruction in elementary science. In contrast to this I find that in the City of Dunedin nearly every school has its garden-plots and a systematic course of science instruction. The subject is of such importance to the Dominion that every effort should be put forward to secure efficient teaching. At present all pupil-teachers and probationers are rightly required to receive instruction in elementary agricultural science, whether or not they intend making this an examination subject. Further, all Education Boards are authorized to establish classes of instruction in science for uncertificated teachers ; but I think we should go further and arrange for special refresher courses for the benefit of all teachers who are meeting with difficulty in teaching the subject in their schools. The policy of encouraging refresher courses in this and other subjects is, lam convinced, a sound one, and well worthy of extension. I have, &c., T. B. Strong, The Director of Education. Chief Inspector of Primary Schools.

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APPENDIX 13. REPORTS (ABRIDGED) AND STATEMENTS OP ACCOUNTS OF EDUCATION BOARDS. 1. REPORTS. AUCKLAND. STR, — In accordance with the requirements of the Education Act, the Education Board of the District of Auckland has the honour to submit the following report for the year 1924 :— Board. —The members of the Board in office at the end of the year were as follows : Auckland Urban Area —Mrs. N. E. Ferner, Messrs. G. Brownlee, W. J. Campbell, H. S. W. King, J. P. McPbail, and T. U. Wells ; Hamilton Urban Area —Messrs. S. B. Sims and P. A. Snell; North Ward of the Rural Area—Messrs. J. D. McKenzie and R. Hoe ; East Ward of the Rural Area —Messrs. E. C. Banks and A. Burns (Chairman) ; West Ward of the Rural Area —Messrs. J. Boddie and J. Patterson. The Board's representatives on kindred bodies were: Auckland University College Council —Mr. J. Boddie; Auckland Grammar School Board of Governors —Messrs. G. Brownlee, A. Burns, and H. S. W. King ; Seddon Memorial Technical College Board of Managers—Mrs. N. E. Perner, Messrs. H. S. W. King and J. P. McPhail; " Elam " School of Art Board of Managers —Mrs. N. E. Ferner, Messrs. G. Brownlee and W. J. Campbell; Pukekohe Technical High School Board of Managers— Messrs. J. Roulston and J. B. Sim ; Thames High School Board of Governors—Mr. A. Burns ; Whangprei High School Board of Governors —Messrs. H. W. Crawford and J. D. McKenzie ; Hamilton High School Board of Governors —Messrs. J. Primrose, F. de la Mare, and F. A. Snell; Kowhai Junior High School Committee—Mrs. N. E. Ferner, Messrs. G. Brownlee and T. U. Wells ; Workers' Educational Association —Mrs. N. E. Ferner and Mr. G. Brownlee. The Board meets on the first and third Wednesdays in each month. Twenty-three meetings of the Board were held during the year, with an average attendance of eleven. Buildings.— During the year seventeen new schools were built and twenty-two schools were enlarged. Several schools were also remodelled. Three teachers' residences were also provided during the year, and four were enlarged. The grants made by the Department during the year enabled the Board to adopt a vigorous policy with reference to the provision of accommodation in the Auckland Education District. The Board is not yet, however, enabled to consider that the accommodation requirements have been even approximately overtaken. In many schools the accommodation is congested and inadequate. A large number of halls and other private buildings are still being used to provide school accommodation. In the Board's judgment the Department might well consider Ihe raising by loan of a sufficient sum to place the accommodation question upon a sound footing. The yearly needs could then be more easily met as occasion arose. The provision of teachers' residences is still a serious necessity in this district, especially in rural areas. The Board finds considerable difficulty in properly staffing the rural schools from lack of living-accommodation for the teachers. Finance. —The income for the year ended 31st December, 1924, totalled £797,255 ss. 5d., and the expenditure £808,447 Is. sd. Maintenance Fund.—During the year the Board has found that the monthly review of the position of the Maintenance Fund instituted the previous year has enabled the Board to keep expenditure within due bounds. Remodelling of Schools. —In pursuance of a definite policy the Board during the year remodelled, at the cost of the Rebuilding Fund, the Horahora, Thames South, and Paterangi Schools, and proposes to continue this policy until obsolete schools shall be brought into line with modern requirements. Training College.—During 1924 the number of students attending the Training College was 365 — namely, 124 men and 241 women. District High Schools.—The reports of Inspectors indicate that a steady and satisfactory improvement is being made in the tuition of the secondary departments of district high schools. Every year the district high schools are increasing in importance in the rural districts, and it is difficult to overrate the value of the influence they exercise in a community. The Board wishes to place on record its appreciation of the good work done by the Inspectors in connection with postprimary education. It is largely due to their efforts that the improvement herein noted is due. Junior High Schools. —The junior high school established in 1922 at Kowhai Road had a roll number at the end of the year of 781 and an average attendance of 720. So satisfied is the Board of the success of the junior-high-school movement that steps have been taken to ensure the establishment of junior high schools at Northcote and Matamata at the beginning of 1925, and at Whangarei at the beginning of 1926.

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Consolidated School.—-The establishment of the consolidated school at Piopio by the closing of a number of small schools in the vicinity, and the conveyance of pupils to a central school, was much in the nature of an experiment. The experiment has, however, proved successful. The residents are satisfied that the education given to their children is much betters/than when they were attending the|small isolated schools. They consider that the corporate spirit engendered among the children will make for their betterment as citizens in the future. So far as the Board is aware, no parent would be willing to revert to the old condition of^affairs. Conveyance of Children. —The experiment of a consolidated school|brought about a in relation to the conveyance of children. The Department recognized that where schools were disestablished in order that the pupils might attend a central school the onus of providing conveyance rested upon the Department. At Piopio three motor-vehicles were bought for the purpose, a motor mechanic was hired to look after the maintenance of the vehicles, and the teachers were granted an allowance for acting as drivers. This plan has been found to work well. Subsidies. —The Committees of the Auckland Education District still continue keen interest in the schools under their charge. This is clearly shown by the large amounts contributed by the residents of each district for the improvement of school-grounds, for the establishment of school libraries, and for other suitable school requirements. The increased interest is a most hopeful sign for the advancement of education in the future, and should be encouraged by the granting of liberal subsidies. School Fund Allowance.—During the year your Department authorized a special grant of £3,000 to be allocated fro rata in the va,rious education districts in aid of the School Committees. This allowance has proved a boon to many School Committees, and has allowed them to overcome difficulties which appeared insurmountable. Religious Instruction in Schools.—During the year the Rotorua School Committee was granted authority to establish the Nelson system of Bible-reading in schools in their district. This is probably the forerunner of applications for similar authority from other districts. In conclusion the Board desires to express satisfaction with the cordial relations existing between the Board, the School Committees, the teachers, and the Education Department. The School Committees have shown great interest in all matters that pertain to the welfare of the schools under their jurisdiction ; the teachers have done their utmost in the interests of the pupils under their charge ; and the Department has met the requirements of this Education District as far as was possible with limited financial resources. I have, &c., The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. A. Burns, Chairman. TARANAKI. Sir, — In accordance with the requirements of the Education Act, 1914, I have the honour on behalf of the Taranaki Education Board to present the following report of our proceedings for the year 1924. Board Members.—The personnel of the Board during the earlier part of the year was as follows : Central Ward —Messrs. R. Masters, M.P., and F. H. Sims; North Ward—Messrs. H. Dempsey and P. J. H. White ; South Ward —Messrs. H. J. Eaves and A. Lees ; Urban District of New Plymouth — Messrs. R. J. Deare and S. Gr. Smith, M.P. In August the biennial elections were held, and Messrs. Masters, White, Lees, and Deare were returned unopposed. In October, Mr. R. Masters, M.P., found it necessary to resign his position, my Board recording its hearty appreciation of the valuable service he had rendered to education. As a result of the subsequent election, Rev. J. L. A. Kayll, M.A., was elected to fill the vacancy. Fourteen ordinary, special, and extraordinary meetings have been held throughout the year, and individual members have given much valuable time to meetings of sub-committees, and in visiting various localities for purposes of administration. Representation. —The following were the Board's representatives on various educational bodies : Committee of Advice, Wellington Training College —Mr. H. Mclntyre, Feilding ; Council of Education — Messrs. J. R. Kirk, M.8.E., and T. U. Wells, M.A. ; Board of Managers of Technical Schools —Stratford Technical High School, Messrs. J. L. A. Kayll and H. Trimble ; Hawera Technical High School, Messrs. A. Lees and H. J. Eaves ; New Plymouth Technical College, Messrs. P. J. PI. White and R. J. Deare ; New Plymouth High Schools Board, Mr. H. J. Eaves (Otakeho). The Attendance Officer has paid two hundred visits to schools, and investigated twelve cases through the Court for infringements of the Education Act. Buildings. —The past year has been very active in building operations. As a result the Board are gradually having the school buildings brought up to a high standard. The following new work was completed : At Bell Block and Riverlea, additions and general remodelling ; additions in wood at Warea, Mahoe, and Okato, and in concrete at Vogeltown. A new residence was completed at Rahotu, and the old Fitzroy residence was removed and reinstated at Newall Road. The Board have also specialized in a movable type of school building. One was completed at Kaipikari, and one of two rooms at the Central School. The Board have quite a number of these buildings in different parts of the district, and they are proving very satisfactory. At Eltham and Westown two large schools in concrete were started, and are now nearing completion. In addition to the above, a considerable number of schools and residences received painting and general renovation. Board's Workshop. —The Board's workshop, established in 1916, has proved a complete success, and is now probably one of the best-equipped in the Dominion.

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Instruction Classes for Teachers.- —With the object of providing a suitable course of lectures and instruction to enable a number of teachers to qualify in the practical work for the D and C certificates, a summer school, more particularly for the benefit of those teachers at country schools who had been unable to attend for the required number of hours the classes in practical work held on Saturdays, was arranged early in the year at New Plymouth, and was attended by thirty-two teachers. School Libraries. —The majority of the schools have now an established library. Subsidies amounting to £185 were granted to schools during the year for this purpose. My Board also subsidized the establishment of a reference library for the use of teachers. The books are held in the Board room and distributed by the Bof<rd. Medical Inspection. -The School Medical Officer paid several visits to the district during the year, and was especially exercised during the epidemic of diphtheria. Conveyance of School-children.- —lt is estimated that no less than 340 children ride their ponies daily to schools, many travelling five or more miles. It speaks well for the stamina and enthusiasm of these little people that they are among the most regular attendants at school. Thirty-six children were conveyed daily by bus from the Glen Road to the Manaia School. The arrangements appear to work admirably, and the children should benefit in every way. A contract was also entered into to convey the children from Ngariki Road to the Rahotu School. The reports received show that the attendance is regular and the arrangements quite satisfactory. School Committees have rendered much valuable assistance in the administration of education throughout the district. Large sums have been raised by local effort for the improvement of grounds and buildings. In September delegates from this Board attended the Conference of Education Boards in Wellington. I have, &c., The Hon. the Minister of Education. Sydney G. Smith.

WANGANUI. Sir,— I have the honour to submit the following report of the proceedings of the Board for the year ended 31st December, 1924 : — Board. —Early in the year Mrs. N. Dunne, one of the members for the North Ward, resigned from the Board. At an election held on the sth March Mr. J. J. Pilkington was elected to fill the vacancy. At the biennial election, which took place on the 16th July, Mr. W. A. Collins was re-elected for the West Ward, and Mr. H. Mclntyre for the South Ward ; Dr. D. M. Mitchell was elected for the North Ward in place of Mr. A. J. Joblin ; Mr. E. V. Laws was re-elected for the Wanganui Urban Area, and Mr. W. F. Durward for the Palmerston North Urban Area. Except in the case of the North Ward, all the retiring members were returned unopposed. Mr. W. A. Collins was re-elected Chairman. The Board was represented on other bodies as follows : Wanganui Girls' College Board of Governors — Messrs. W. A. Collins, A. Fraser, and E. V. Laws ; Palmerston North High School Board of Governors — Messrs. J. W. Rutherfurd, W. R. Birnie, and T. R. Hodder ; Wanganui Technical College Board of of Managers—Messrs. W. Bruce and W. H. Swanger ; Feilding Technical High School Board of Managers —Messrs. H. Mclntyre and H. Tolly. Mr. H. Mclntyre represented the Wanganui, Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, and Nelson Education Districts on the Committee of Advice of the Wellington Training College. Conveyance and Board of Children. —The total expenditure for conveyance and board allowances was £952 9s. 3d. The average number of children conveyed was 149, in attendance at thirty-eight schools, and the average number of children for whom, boarding-allowance was paid was forty-seven, in attendance at twenty-six schools. Voluntary Contributions. — Voluntary contributions received during the year totalled £2,622 25., an increase of £320 Bs. 6d. over the previous year. The main purposes of the contributions were the improvement of buildings and grounds, the purchase, of new sites and additional land, the installation of septic tanks, the purchase of gramophones, pictures, and special equipment, and the establishment and enlargement of school libraries. Included in the above amount is a contribution for the purpose of establishing a central circulating library in the Rangitikei district. Health of Children. —As in previous years, excellent work was done by Dr. Elizabeth Gunn, School Medical Officer. On account of the absence from New Zealand of Mr. B. P. Lethbridge, the annual health camp was not held ; but it is hoped that these camps, which are for the purpose of dealing with those children requiring special treatment, will be again brought into being when circumstances permit. School Dental Clinics. —School dental clinics are now operating at several centres in this district, and I trust that the time is not far distant when it will be possible to give dental attention to every child attending school. Physical Instruction. —Due attention has been paid to the important subject of physical instruction, both by the teachers and the physical instructors. Organizing Teachers - - The two organizing teachers have been kept fully employed, and have done valuable work amongst the teachers of the small country schools. Model Country School. —This school continues to serve a useful purpose, but there is no doubt that, owing to the decrease in the number of uncertificated teachers, the time is not far distant when it will be possible to close the school. Owing to the curtailment of the allowances payable to teachers attending the school, some difficulty has been experienced in inducing teachers to attend.

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Correspondence Classes. —The Board has received good reports of the work of the Department's correspondence classes, and it is generally agreed that where the parents are able to give the children some assistance with their lessons, instruction by correspondence is to be preferred to the establishment of household schools in charge of persons with poor qualifications. Efficiency of Schools. —The report of the Inspectors shows that the general efficiency of only four schools was lower than satisfactory. As indicated earlier in my report, a considerable number of the country schools are in charge of uncertificated teachers, whose teaching experience in many cases is limited. In view of tips, the Inspectors' reports reveal that the condition of the schools generally was found to be highly satisfactory. Finance. —After taking liabilities and cash assets into consideration, the net balance at the end of the year was Dr. £348 Is. 9d. General. —I again desire to thank School Committees for co-operating with the Board in the improvement of the schools and their surroundings, and for valuable services which have been so willingly given in the interests of the children. To the teachers the Board's thanks are due for loyal and efficient service during the year. The Inspectors have at all times given all their best, and to them, and more particularly to Mr. Stuckey, Senior Inspector, I tender the thanks of the Board. I have to thank the Secretary and office staff, the Architect and staff, and the manual instructors, for the efficient manner in which they have carried out their duties. In conclusion, I would like to convey to the Minister and officials of the Department my appreciation of the courteous attention given to the Board's requirements. I have, &c., The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. W. A. Collins, Chairman.

HAWKE'S BAY. Sir, — In accordance with the provisions ol the Education Act, 1914, the Education Board of the District of Hawke's Bay has the honour to submit the following report of its proceedings for the year 1924 - The Board. —The personnel of the Board at the end of the year was as follows : Napier Urban Area—Messrs. J. Clark Thomson and R. C. Wright; Gisborne Urban Area—Messrs. G. Crawshaw and J. S. Wauchop ; Hastings Urban Area—Messrs. G. F. Roach and G. A. Maddison ; North Ward Rural Area —Messrs. W. Oates and J. R. Kirk ; Middle Ward Rural Area.—Messrs. G. McKay, M.P., and A. King ; South Ward Rural Area —Messrs. R. P. Soundy and W. Cuthbertson. The Board's representatives on other educational bodies are as follows : Dannevirke High School Board—Messrs. R. P. Soundy, T. H. G. Lloyd, and Rev. G. B. Stephenson ; Napier High School Board—Messrs. G. F. Roach and J. Clark Thomson ; Gisborne High School Board—Mr. L. T. Burnard ; Napier Technical High School Board—Messrs. A. King and J. Clark Thomson ; Waipawa Technical Classes Association —Mr. C. H. Critchley. Finance. —The receipts for the year totalled £190,316 ss. 6d., and the payments £193,307 13s. 2d. The credit cash balance on all accounts on 31st December, 1924, was £4,553 Bs. sd. Replacement of Long Desks.—The Board learns with gratification of your decision to provide funds for the replacement of long desks, of which, unfortunately, we have so many in our schools. The replacement of these desks with dual desks of a modern type will effect an immediate improvement in the conditions of many schools —an improvement which will be effected at a much earlier date than could be hoped for under your policy of remodelling annually a certain number of the school buildings. In fact, in many instances this " remodelling " of the furniture is more important than the remodelling of the buildings. Salaries of Teachers. —Two new scales came into operation in 1924, one on the Ist February and one on the Ist April. Considerable changes have been effected by these scales, the most important being differentiation in the salaries of men and women assistants. Other important changes are the reduction in the number of grades of salaries of assistants, and the introduction of special payments to sole teachers and assistants in the remoter schools. The reduction in the number of grades has had the immediate effect of reducing the number of changes in school staffs. The provision of remote allowances has already greatly benefited many schools by inducing better-qualified teachers to take up these positions, although another factor operating in this direction has been the regulation providing a bar to increments in the lower grades until at least two years' country service has been completed. Another important change last year was the amendment of the Education Act providing that except in special circumstances no teacher is eligible for appointment to another permanent appointment until the 31st December of the year following the year of appointment. On the whole, it may be said that the changes made last year have secured the greatest advantages to the country schools, and the Board desires to congratulate the Department on its efforts to ensure that emoluments for these schools will attract a more efficient class of teacher. Notwithstanding the improvements made, however, there are still many anomalies in the salaries scales and regulations, which have a consequential effect on the appointment of teachers. The Teachers' Institute put certain proposals before you last year which were found to be impracticable. The Board is of opinion, however, that an improvement on the present system should be adopted, and suggests that the whole question should be investigated and reported on by a committee representing the Department, the Boards, and the Teachers' Institute.

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Organizing Teachers.—The Inspectors report most favourably on tlie efficient state of the smaller country schools, and in a great measure this happy result is due to the efforts of the organizing teachers, who have carried out their duties whole-heartedly and to the complete satisfaction of the Board and the Inspectors. During the year two organizing teachers were employed, one in the northern and one in the southern portion of the district. Training of Teachers.—Saturday classes for training pupil-teachers and probationers in elementary science, drawing, and handwork, were held at Gisborne, Napier, Hastings, Waipawa, and Dannevirke, Central classes for remote pupil-teachers and probationers were held at Gisborne, and for uncertificated teachers taking D and certificated teachers taking C science subjects at Hastings. A refresher course in science was also held at Gisborne. In this district we have found some difficulty in securing efficient instructors for the special subjects for Saturday classes ; and, further, the train services and other means of communication are such that it is impossible to concentrate teachers at Saturday classes with a minimum of inconvenience and expense. In its report to you last year the Board made some criticism of the Department's policy concerning the admission of Training-college students and in regard to the Wellington Training College. The Board sees no reason to modify its criticism, and considers the questions then raised of sufficient importance to warrant some further reference to them. The Board is definitely of opinion that all students should serve a probationary period prior to admission —i.e., it favours the Division A student to the Division B student. It was pointed out last year that the Department had made no definite pronouncement on the subject, but its action at the end of last year in authorizing the admissions of so many Division B students to the training colleges may be taken as a fair indication of its views. The immediate result was that many pupil-teachers and probationers who had qualified academically for admission, and who were recommended therefor by the Inspectors, were told there was no room for them, and it was only after urgent representations made by the Board that they were admitted. It is sincerely hoped that the Department will not permit such a position to arise in future, and that it will not only encourage the admission of all qualified Division A students, but will provide for a greater number of admissions of this type to the exclusion of Division B students. The Board is of opinion that a great weakness in the present training colleges is the lack of training for service in country schools. Instead of such training being a feature of the colleges, some students, we regret to learn, receive no training whatever in the organization and management of a country school. They have not had the special difficulties of organizing such schools explained to them, nor even been shown how to draw up suitable time-tables. They are not unwilling, as a rule, to undertake service in the remoter districts, but there is a, reluctance to do so in many instances on account of their lack of training in the management of this class of school. A teacher fully competent to undertake sole-charge work is fully competent to take an assistantship in a town school, and the Board is strongly of opinion that it would be in the interests of the teaching service if all students were given special training in country-school work. District High Schools.—At the end of the year there were five district high schools in operation. The average attendance of the secondary department for each district high school for the year was as follows: Te Karaka. 40; Waipawa, 77 : Waipukurau, 32; Wa-iroa, 32; Woodville, 42: total, 223. Manual and Technical Instmction.—Classes in elementary handwork were conducted in all schools. Needlework was satisfactorily taught in all schools. Special classes were conducted in twenty schools in sole charge of male teachers, but in six schools no instruction was given, as it was impossible to arrange for competent teachers. In agriculture, dairy science, and elementary agriculture 186 classes (primary and secondary) were recognized for capitation purposes in 1924. The capitation grant made by the Department for equipment and material for science subjects has proved adequate for the purpose, and during the past year the Board has been able substantially to increase the equipment and material in each school. Woodwork, cookery, and dressmaking classes were conducted at centres to which pupils from the surrounding schools came for instruction. Medical and Dental Inspection.—The work has proceeded steadily throughout the year. The School Medical Officer reports that there has been a marked increase in the interest and sympathetic co-operation of the teaching staffs with the work of medical inspection. This, he states, is reflected in a general improvement in the standard of cleanliness amongst the children, and also in their dietary and general well-being, which has resulted in a marked general improvement in the standard of health of the children in the Hawke's Bay District. School Committees have co-operated admirably with the Medical Officer in the carrying-out of his suggestions, while in practically all cases the improved standard of cleanliness, not only of the school but of the out-offices, reflects great credit on the Committees, and the Medical Officer records his gratification at the high standard of school hygiene existing in this education district. Conveyance and Board of School-children.—At the end of the year the number of children in receipt of allowance (excluding those conveyed on the railways) was as follows : Conveyance allowance, 425 ; horseback allowance, 20; boarding-allowance, 115 : total, 560. The total expenditure on the above services in 1924 was £3,232 7s. lOd. School Committees. —The Board greatly appreciates the valuable co-operation of the School Committees, who have practically without exception taken the greatest interest in their schools and in the well-being of the children. Reference is made above to their hearty co-operation with the work of the School Medical Officer. A general improvement in the school-grounds is manifest throughout the whole district, this being almost entirely due to the School Committees, who, with the assistance of the teaching staffs, have raised large sums of money voluntarily in order to obtain the Government

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subsidy for the purpose of carrying out comprehensive and effective beautifying schemes. In addition, much has been done by Committees in raising funds for the establishment of or additions to school libraries, for the purchase of pictures to adorn the school-walls, for the supply of gramophones, and for the provision of hot cocoa or hot lunches for the children. A number of School Committees find it difficult to carry on with the amount allowed them for incidental expenses, and were it not for moneys raised locally many of them could not have met their ordinary liabilities. The .special additional grant made by the Department has enabled the Board to give some relief in the most necessary cases. In conclusion, I desire to extend to you and to the officers of your Department the thanks of the Board for the attention given to the many requests it has submitted during the year. I have, &c., The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. G. F. Roach, Chairman.

WELLINGTON. Sir, — In accordance with the requirements of the Education Act, 1914,1 have the honour to submit the following report of the Education Board of the District of Wellington for the year 1924 : — Board.—The membership at the end of the year was : Wellington City —Messrs. Thomas Eorsyth (Chairman), R. A. Wright, M.P., J. J. Clark, and A. J. White ; Hutt and Petonc —Messrs. G. T. London and J. Stonehouse ; Hutt-Horowhenua Ward —Messrs. C. I. Harkness and L. H. Atkins ; Wairarapa Ward —Messrs. T. Moss and R. McLeod ; Marlborough Ward —Messrs. E. H. Penny and D. McCallum. Board Representatives on other educational bodies : High schools —Wellington Colleges, the Chairman ; Marlborough College, Messrs. R. McCallum, C. Ferguson, and W. D. Pike ; Masterton High School, Messrs. R. McLeod, A. Donald, and T. Jordan ; Hutt Valley High School, Messrs. G. T. London, E. P. Rishworth, and the Mayor of Petone : Technical Schools —Wellington, Messrs. T. Forsyth, J. J. Clark, and A. J. White ; Masterton, J. M. Calwell; Petone, Messrs. G. T. London and D. McKenzie. Training College. —The Board last year drew attention to the need for increased accommodation and staffing to ensure the efficient training of the greatly increased numbers under instruction in recent years. It has recognized the financial difficulties, and appreciates also the efforts made to meet the requirements of the institution. Those latter, however, by no means adequately meet its needs. The steps taken for the amelioration of the conditions of overcrowding are but temporary, and the Board respectfully urges that the measures it has already recommended are an essential element of educational efficiency, and should no longer be delayed. Progress here is safe, sound, and necessary in view of the certainty of steady increase of population in the district the institution serves —namely, Nelson, Taranaki, Wanganui, and Hawke's Bay, in addition to Wellington itself. Secondary Education. —The average attendances for the year 1924 at the district high schools in the district were : Carterton, 39 ; Eketahuna, 39 ; Featherston, 32 ; Greytown 23 ; Hutt, 54 ; Levin, 97 ; Martinborough, 22; Pahiatua, 52; Petone, 67; total 425. In addition, a secondary class of five pupils was conducted at the Pongaroa Public School. Manual and Technical. —Instruction in elementary handwork was given in all schools as prescribed by the syllabus. At twenty-five schools in sole charge of male teachers classes in needlework were carried on by special instructresses. Additional centres are urgently required for cookery and woodwork, so as to permit of more convenient access from the schools served and of saving time. The proposed centre at Coutts Street (authorized since the end of the year) will be of great benefit to the eastern area of Wellington. The Featherston district requires a centre ; at Martinborough, where a secondary department is now well established, properly equipped rooms are required for science, woodwork, and cookery. Picton can obtain instruction at Blenheim only by spending a whole day at a time. In agriculture a more clearly defined course is being pursued. In a few schools a starthas been made with forestry. The assistance of the Forestry Department has been offered, and some supplies of trees obtained from the State nurseries. The Board has for a number of years supplied free to Committees shelter and hedge trees where these can be well cared for. It invites the hearty co-operation of Committees and teachers everywhere in the effort to create the elevating influence of beautiful school surroundings. Medical and Dental Service. —The public appreciation of these services increases. Frequent requests have been received for a more rapid extension of the dental service to new centres and to country schools than the numbers under training as dental nurses permit of. School Libraries. —Wellington City continues its wise policy of providing wholesome literature in plenty. Nearly ten thousand volumes were supplied to thirty-three schools, an increase of more than eight hundred over the previous year's numbers. The management is excellent. The group schemes of Featherston, Carterton, and Masterton show great self-reliance, and their success is a tribute alike to local generosity and to the well-directed labours of the teachers who manage the schemes. Conveyance. —The Board has tried out the conveyance of children at Levin, Shannon, and elsewhere. The educational benefit is unquestionable, but the monetary allowances are in many instances much below requirements. Making the best financial arrangements possible, the Board has found that at two centres it has had to supplement the grants by well over £800 in five years. Relief is thus urgently necessary if the system of conveyance is to be continued.

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School Committees. —The Board thanks Committees very heartily for their friendly co-operation, and for their praiseworthy honorary activities, which too seldom receive public recognition. The receipt of 109 applications for subsidy, or a total of £2,085 15s. 6d., in addition to many gifts of service and material, gives some indication of their efforts. •Junior High School.- -The Board awaits approval of its proposals for the establishment of a junior high school at Coutts Street to serve the eastern area. The growth of population here is so rapid that a new primary school must be established unless the rapidly growing schools of this district are relieved of their upper standards. I have, &c., The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. T. Forsyth, Chairman.

NELSON. Sir, — In accordance with the requirements of the Education Act, 1914, I have the honour to present the following report of the activities of the Education Board of the District of Nelson for the year ended 31st December, 1924 : — Board. —The personnel of the Board at the end of the year was as follows : Nelson Urban Area — Messrs. F. W. 0. Smith (Chairman) and E. E. Boyes ; North Ward—Messrs. W. C. Baigent and S. B. Canavan; East .Ward — Messrs. H. J. Hill and E. J. Scantlebury; West Ward — The Hon. W. H. Mclntyre, M.L.C., and Mr. J. H. Harkness. The Board's representatives on other educational bodies were as follows : Nelson Technical School Board — Messrs. F. W. 0. Smith and E. J. Scantlebury ; Westport Technical High School Board—Mr. J. H. Harkness and Hon. W. H. Mclntyre ; Board of Governors, Nelson Colleges —Mr. F. W. 0. Smith ; Council of Victoria University College— Mr. F. W. 0. Smith. Two special meetings and nine ordinary meetings were held during the year. District High Schools.—There were 115 pupils on the roll of the secondary departments at Motueka, Reefton, and Takaka at the end of the year, an increase of fifteen. Towards the end of the year applications were received from Karamea and Granity for the establishment of district high schools in those centres, and in the case of Karamea provisional authority to establish the school has been obtained. Conveyance and Boarding-allowance.—Conveyance allowance was paid on account of 186 children attending thirty-three schools, and boarding-allowance to forty-two children in attendance at twenty schools. The total expenditure in respect of these allowances was £1,229 Bs., an increase of £191 lis. lid. over that for the previous year. Voluntary Contributions and Subsidies. —It is pleasing to again record the activities of the School Committees in raising moneys towards ground improvements, libraries, &c. Contributions were received from seventy Committees, and the subsidies paid by the Department totalled £830 14s. 9d. The supplementary grants paid from the Board's General Fund towards school libraries amounted to £21 9s. 6d. Health of Children. —To the School Medical Officer and his two assistants the Board desires to express appreciation of the excellent work carried out in all parts of the district. The dental clinics established at Nelson, Motueka, Murchison, and Westport continue to do splendid work, and are greatly appreciated, but the need is felt for extending the facilities to the more remote portions of the district. Physical Instruction.—Our efforts to secure the appointment of a permanent instructor have so far been unsuccessful. Two instructors come over from Wellington periodically, and during their short visits do excellent work, but it is hoped that in the near future an instructor will be allotted to the district. Manual Instruction. —Manual-training classes were conducted at Denniston, Millerton, Motueka, Nelson, Reefton, Takaka, Wakefield, and Westport. Classes in agriculture were conducted at 107 schools, and instruction given to 1,597 pupils. The agricultural instructor reports that much good work is being carried out. Handwork instruction was given in every school. The material supplied by the Department was of a better quality than that in the previous year, but in some lines the rate of supply is quite inadequate —particularly in regard to brushes and modelling-boards. Needlework and Dressmaking. —Special instructresses in needlework were employed at twenty-two schools which were in sole charge of male teachers. Technical Instruction. —The schools at Nelson and Westport continue to be controlled by Boards of Managers. The Board continues to conduct technical classes at Motueka and Takaka. Teachers' Classes.—Saturday instruction classes in elementary science, agriculture, drawing, and handwork were held at Motueka, Nelson, and Westport, and were attended by pupil-teachers, probationers, and uncertificated teachers. The efficiency of these classes is proved by the number of young teachers who obtained the D, and even C, certificates in the recent teachers' examinations, no less than eighteen of the Board's pupil-teachers and probationers having gained a full teacher's certificate. A winter school was held in Nelson from the 13th to the 22nd May, inclusive, at which classes in agriculture, hygiene, and first aid were conducted. Twenty-five teachers attended the agricultural classes, one student being recommended for exemption from examination in agriculture for Class D. Classes in hygiene and first aid were conducted during the evenings throughout the course. The teachers greatly appreciated the opportunity thus afforded of obtaining their practical certificates for science subjects. One of the country teachers who had previously been unable to complete his examination on account of inability to secure his practical certificate in agriculture obtained special mention at the examination held infAugust,

4—B. 2.

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School Committees. —The Board desires to express its appreciation of the valuable assistance rendered by the School Committees. The supplementary grant for incidental expenses made by Cabinet during the year enabled the Board to give financial assistance to Committees where, by reason of local circumstances, caretaking, fuel, or sanitation expenses were heavy. Finance. —At the end of the year, after taking liabilities and cash assets into consideration, the net credit balance was £3,681 Bs. Id. The actual bank balance on the 31st December was £3,916 7s. 10d., of which £2,500 was on fixed deposit. Difficulty continues to be experienced in keeping our expenditure on administration within the limits of the grant received. The large number of small schools with so few pupils in the higher standards to earn capitation makes the task of financing manual classes a particularly hard one. General. —To the Inspectors for their unfailing assistance and advice, to the teachers for the loyal manner in which they have carried out their duties, and to the secretary, office staff, architect, and manual instructors for the efficient service they have given, the sincere thanks of the Board are due. In conclusion, I desire to express the Board's appreciation of the courtesy and consideration at all times received from the Minister and officers of the Department. I have, &c., The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. F. W. O. Smith, Chairman.

CANTERBURY. Sir, — I have the honour to present the following report of the proceedings of the Board for the year ended 31st. December, 1924 : — The Board. —During the early part of the year the respective wards were represented as follows : Christchurch Urban Area —Messrs. E. H. Andrews, A. Peverill, C. S. Thompson, and W. H. Winsor ; Timaru Urban Area —Messrs. J. G. Gow and J. Maze ; Middle Ward —Messrs W. A. Banks and W. P. Spencer ; North-west Ward —Messrs. H. J. Bignell and R. Wild ; South Ward —Messrs. G. W. Armitage and T. Hughes. At the election in August Mr. Walter Johnson replaced Mr. Peverill as a representative of the Christchurch Urban Area. At the August meeting Mr. Bignell was re-elected Chairman. During the year the Board held twelve ordinary and two special meetings. The Board's representatives on other educational bodies were as follows : Ashburton Technical School —Messrs. R. Galbraith and G. W. Andrews ; Banks Peninsula Technical Association —Mr. J. D. Bruce ; Christchurch Technical College —Messrs. E. H. Andrews, C. H. Opie, and A. Peverill ; Fairlie Technical School —Mr. W. J. Ormandy ; Greymouth Technical School —Messrs. H. J. Bignell and P. H. Kilgour ; Kaiapoi Technical Association —Mr. W. Doubleday; Pleasant Point Technical Association —Mr. J. Maze; Temuka Technical School —Mr. G. W. Armitage ; Timaru Technical School —Messrs. J. G. Gow and G. J. Sealey ; Waimate Technical Association —Mr. S. I. Fitch ; High School Board Representatives — Akaroa, Messrs. A. H. Westenra and L. J. Vangioni; Ashburton, Messrs. R. Kennedy and R. Bell ; Greymouth, Mr. W. R. Kettle ; Hokitika, Hon. H. L. Michel, M.L.C.; Rangiora, Messrs. W. J. Stalker, H. Boyd (until August), and D. R. Hutchison ; Timaru —Mr. J. Maze ; Waimate, Messrs. W. Lindsay and J. G. A. Shackleton. Finance. — The total expenditure on all services was £472,026 7s. lid., an increase of £16,208 2s. 9d. over the previous year. In all accounts, with the exception of those for conveyance of children and for incidental expenses of primary schools, the income has been sufficient to meet the expenditure. Since the close of the year the supplementary grant made by the Government has placed the latter account on a satisfactory footing for the time being. The conveyance of pupils continues to be a drain on the Board's Administration Fund, and, with the increasing demand for this method of providing for the education of country children, the position seems to call for review. Motor conveyance, although it is much more speedy and enables pupils to be brought in from more distant parts, is nevertheless more costly, and in no instance has it been possible to arrange for transport at the capitation rates allowed. Although by exercising the strictest economy the Board can make its building-maintenance grant meet the most pressing demands, it should be recognized that the sovereign will pay for much less labour and material to-day than when the basis of payment was fixed many years ago. Consequently, it is not possible with the money available to keep properties in a good as condition as could be wished. Another matter that might receive consideration is the Board's Administration Fund. The increased staffing of schools, the extension of conveyance facilities, subsidy applications (with the consequent stricter audit of Committees' accounts), and the general increase in the cost of all services seem to indicate that a more liberal grant should be made to Boards for administrative purposes. Conveyance and Boarding.—The number of children who were receiving the conveyance grant was 1,600, while 150 received boarding-allowance. The total expenditure on these services was £8,262 19s. 6d., of which sum the Board contributed £393 9s. from its Administration Fund. The conveying of pupils from outlying districts is extending rapidly, and during the ensuing year operations on a larger scale will be inaugurated in Mackenzie, Methven, and Oxford districts. In the latter area four of the smaller schools are to be closed. School Attendance. — Notwithstanding the epidemic of mumps and measles, that was prevalent in most parts of the district during the latter part of the year, the attendance has been well maintained. An average attendance of nearly 90 per cent, of the average roll is very satisfactory when all the circumstances are taken into consideration. The Board employs two attendance officers, and to them is due a good deal of the satisfactory results indicated above.

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Manual and Technical Instruction. —As in former years, at the 380-odd schools in the district the material supplied in connection with the different branches of elementary handwork was profitably made use of in the matter of providing concrete examples for the better illustration of ordinary kclasswork. As the Department supplied a quantity of kindergarten material to be distributed amongst the larger schools, it was possible to make greater use of kindergarten methods in the infant classes. All handwork material was again sent from the Department, purchased through the High Commissioner in London. In most lines supplies were ample for the Board's requirements, the quality was good, and the material arrived in time to enable a distribution to be made before schools started. At thirty-two small schools needlework instruction was given by an outside instructress. Advanced Handwork. —In the upper standards advanced handwork received as much attention as heretofore. About 3,500 boys were instructed in woodwork and drawing at the twenty-two manual-training centres in the district. Combined courses of woodwork and ironwork were conducted at the Normal and Phillipstown centres. Domestic-science courses were also conducted at the twenty-two different centres, where about 3,400 girls were in attendance. The Board was unfortunate in losing valuable cookery equipment at Southbridge, when the Southbridge District High School was burnt to the ground. Towards the end of the year Miss E. M. Burns, of the Training College, was appointed supervisor of needlework instruction in the Christchurch area. During the last four months of the year she did valuable work in improving the quality of the needlework instruction given at primary schools. It is hoped that the success of the experiment will warrant its adoption at other suitable centres. Agriculture.—Activities in agriculture, nature-study, and its allied subjects were just as great as in the past. Agricultural and horticultural societies in the district helped to keep up the interest in the work by promoting competitions, and thus providing a stimulus for greater effort. Foresttree culture was given a fillip principally through the assistance of the State Forestry Department. The rural course of instruction was carried 011 at the eleven district high schools in the district with an attendance of about Iwo hundred and eighty pupils. Teachers' Glasses. —In accordance with the regulations, teachers' classes were again successfully conducted at Ashburton, Christchurch, Greymouth, and Timaru in the different branches of drawing, agriculture, and general science, with considerable benefit to pupil-teachers, probationers, and uncertificated teachers. Physical Instruction.- This branch of school-work is carried on systematically throughout the year. The three departmental instructors endeavour to visit every country school at least twice a year for the purposes of instruction and inspection. The Training-college students are given a week's intensive training at the beginning of the first term, and thereafter a weekly lesson. In this way the benefits of the instruction are being gradually extended to the smaller schools, and a general improvement is noted throughout the district. It is suggested that the value of the work would be considerably enhanced if the area to be covered by the instructors were reduced. Three instructors cannot possibly do justice to the whole of Canterbury, Westland, and parts of Nelson and Marlborough in the' time at their disposal. Conclusion.—The Board desires to thank the Minister for the courteous and ready manner in which he has considered any matters placed before him, the departmental officers for assistance and advice, and the School Inspectors and Instructors for the willing co-operation they have manifested in all matters relating to the Board's activities. I have, &c., The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. H. J. Bignell, Chairman.

OTAGO. SIK, — As required by the Education Act, 1914, I have the honour to present the following report of the Education Board of the District of Otago for the year 1924: — Board.- During the year there has been no change in the personnel of the Board, which comprises the following : Urban Area- -Messrs. James Wallace, J. H. Wilkinson, It. H. S. Todd, and Leonard Sanderson;' North Ward-- Messrs. George Livingstone and G. K. Graham; Central Ward—Messrs. James Smith and James Horn, M.P. ; South Ward—Hon. D. T. Fleming, M.L.C., and Mr. George W. K. Wood. Mr. James Wallace continues to fill the office of Chairman, it being now his seventh year in that position. Thirty-seven meetings of the Board were held during the year, the average attendance being nine. The following were the Board's representatives 011 various educational bodies : Council of Education —Hon. D..T. Fleming, M.L.C. ; Council of the University of Otago—Mr. J. Wallace ; Otago High Schools Board —Hon. D. T. Fleming, M.L.C., and Mr. W. R. Brugh ; Waitaki High Schools Board —Mr. George Livingstone : Boards of Management of Technical Schools—Dunedin, Messrs. J. Wallace, J. H. Wilkinson, and James Horn, M.P. ; Oamaru, Messrs. George Livingstone and A. G. Robertson ; Milton, Mr. George G. Menzies. Number of Schools- At the close of the year there were 258 schools in operation—the same as in the previous year. Eighteen (including ten household schools) had an average attendance below 9, seventy-seven had an average from 9 to 20, fifty-eight from 21 to 35, forty-nine from 36 to 80, twenty from 81 to 120, nine from 121 to 160, two from 201 to 240, one from 241 to 280, three from 281 to 320, three from 321 to 360, two from 361 to 400, two from 401 to 440, and fourteen above 440.

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Finance. The statement of the Board's income and expenditure for the year will be found below (page 37.) The main items of expenditure are shown below, in comparison with the figures for the previous year : —

For the conveyance of children to school and for the board of children who had to.live away from their homes in order to attend school the Board expended £4,549 135., of which the Department contributed £4,040 6s. lOd. and the Board contributed £509 6s. 2d. out of its General Fund. The expenditure shows an increase of £760 os. 2d. as compared with the previous year. Conveyance allowance was paid in respect of 635 children, and boarding-allowance for eighty-five children. The expenditure on school buildings included : General maintenance, repairs, alterations, small additions, and rents, £14,441 13s. sd. ; new buildings, £12,411 Is. lOd. ; rebuilding, £3,883 Bs. 3d. ; purchase of sites, £2,120 lis. Id. ; manual and technical purposes, £331 Bs. lOd. At 31st December, 1923, the net balance to credit of all accounts was £20,043 19s. 9d. ; the total receipts for the year 1924 amounted to £290,419 195., and the total payments to £297,446 2s. 3d. The net balance to credit at 31st December last was £13,017 16s. 6d. The Board's General Fund. —The Board regrets being compelled to report that its General Fund is proving inadequate to meet the calls upon it. For the past four years the amount of the Board's necessary expenditure upon office salaries and contingencies has exceeded by £1,800 the total departmental capitation grants it has received for administrative purposes — an average deficit of £450 per annum. In 1922 the administrative expenses of every Board in the Dominion exceeded the Government capitation grant, while in 1923 only three of the Boards managed to keep their expenditure within their income, and that only by small margins. No increase in the capitation rates for this fund has been made for many years, while, owing to the greater complexity and intricacy of educational law and administration, Boards are obliged to employ larger staffs and higher-salaried officers. In view of the foregoing, the Board is strongly of opinion that a capitation grant on a more liberal scale should now be sanctioned by the Government. Weight seems to be lent to this contention by the fact that the Department has found it necessary during the past seven years (March, 1917, to March, 1924) to increase its own office salaries and contingencies bill by 130 per cent. Agricultural Instruction.—lnstruction in elementary agriculture continued tojform an integral part of the work of the majority of the primary schools of the province, and the rural-science course has been followed in the district high schools. It is gratifying to note that each succeeding year marks an increase in the number of schools at which the garden and grounds present an improved appearance. Much, of course, still remains to be done before we approximate to our ideal in this relation, but the increasing sense of appreciation among teachers of the value of the aesthetic side of this phase of education has already been reflected in a very pleasing manner, and gives promise of the school environment becoming not the least of the elevating influences with which the child is brought into contact. As contributing to this objective, the Board's annual assistance during the past ten years in distributing trees and shrubs from the Training-college students' plots has been much appreciated by the recipient schools. School-books. —As in previous years, free grants of books were made to the children of parents in necessitous circumstances, and also to pupils coming to Otago schools from other district's where different books were in use. Supplies of suitable continuous readers were also forwarded to all schools in the district. For the purchase of school-library books and pictures for the adornment of the schoolwalls Subsidies amounting to £155 lis. were paid by the Board out of its General Fund, sixty-one schools participating in these grants. Truancy and Irregular Attendance. —Sixty-four notices were served on parents and guardians for infringements of the Education Act. Ninety-three cases of irregular attendance were investigated, and it was found that they were due more or less to illness or to unavoidable causes. For many years past the necessity for issuing penalty summonses for breaches of the Education Act has been gradually diminishing, and for the first time over a period of nearly twenty-three years it has been found unnecessary to issue any penalty summonses under the Education Act. This is a striking indication that parents are realizing the great benefits that their children receive by regular attendance at school. Junior High Schools. —During the period under review one of these schools was established in Oamaru under the control of the Waitaki High Schools Board. The arrangements under which the now school (or rather schools, for there are separate establishments for girls and boys) has been started are such as the Board will watch with great interest. It seems as if the charge of cheeseparing, so often laid against the Department, cannot be made in this case. The Board desires to make it quite clear that it has never raised any objection to the system of junior high schools, though it has criticized various details in connection with the recently established school at Oamaru. The Board hopes that

1923. 1924. Difference. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Teachers'salaries and lodging-allowances .. 169,063 11 2 171,950 19 0 +2,887 7 10 Payments to School Committees for incidental 10,065 J3 0 10,184 8 11 +118 15 11 expenses School buildings, purchase of sites, manual and 29,176 13 1 33,188 3 5 +4,011 10 4 technical buildings and apparatus Administration .. .. .. .. 5,364 17 7 5,080 3 6 -284 14 1

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before this year closes at least one other of these schools will have been sanctioned in Otago. The effect of the junior high schools upon the primary schools affected is still somewhat vague, Board hopes that the new scheme will be allowed a fair trial, and it will do its utmost to Department in making them in every way successful. Adult Teachers in 'place of Pupil-teachers. —The Minister's decision to reduce the size of school classes and to effect the early abolition of pupil-teachers as an integral part of the staff, placing a trained adult teacher in charge of every class, are reforms which must commend themselves to all educationists. No doubt considerations of finance have delayed these reforms, as they entail largely increased expenditure, not only for salaries but also for providing new class-rooms and for dividing or remodelling existing ones. The remodelling of the large stone schools, of which there are quite a number in Otago, has, in the case of those in which this work has already been carried out, been very costly, necessitating, as it has done, extensive alterations to walls and windows to bring the classrooms into conformity with modern ideas respecting lighting and ventilation. Medical Inspection of Schools.- -The School Medical Officers are assiduous in the visitation of the schools, and carry out their duties in a tactful and helpful manner. They furnish to the Board, through the Senior Inspector, reports on their work, and personally attend the Board meetings for the purpose of discussing with the members the results of their investigations relative to the health of the pupils. Dental Clinics.—The establishment of these clinics at Dunedin and Mosgiel and short-period clinics in some of the country schools has proved very beneficial, and has been greatly valued by the parents. The extension of the system is hoped for, and the Minister's recent decision to subsidize locally raised money for the erection of suitable rooms at schools where rooms for dental work are not available is viewed by the Board as foreshadowing further provision for improving the physical wellbeing of the school-children by skilled dental treatment. Conclusion The Board again desires to express its appreciation of the manner in which School Committees have co-operated with the Board in the administration of the Act and in the cause of education generally. The interest of the School Committees in the welfare of their schools is evidenced by the considerable sums which year by year are contributed locally for the maintenance of the schools. The thanks of the Board are due to the Minister and his officers for the courteous, careful, and sympathetic consideration Invariably given by them to its applications and representations. Very cordial relations continue to subsist between the Board and the departmental Inspectors, who are at all times most willing to co-operate with the Board in matters concerning which it has occasion to invite their opinion and advice. I have, &c., The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. J. Wallace, Chairman.

SOUTHLAND. Sib, — In accordance with the requirements of the Education Act, 1914, the Education Board of the District of Southland has the honour to submit the following report of its proceedings for the year 1924 :■- The Board- The members in office at the end of the year were Messrs. A. Bain, G. E. Johnson, P. de la Perrelle, M.P., A. W. Jones, H. Smith (Chairman), J. C. Thomson, M.P., S. Rice, and J. D. Trotter, The Board's representation on other educational bodies was as follows : Southland Boys' and Girls' High Schools Board —Messrs. P. de la Perrelle, M.P., and J. C. Thomson, M.P. ; Gore High School Board- Messrs. H. Smith, T. Taylor, and S. Rice ; Southland Technical College Board — Messrs. H. E. Niven and J. D. Trotter ; Otago University Council- Mr. J. C. Thomson, M.P. ; Dunedin Training College Committee of Advice —Mr. J. C. Thomson, M.P. Model Country School. —During the year several inexperienced teachers have spent at least two weeks at this school for the observation of and practice in methods of teaching and school-management. The reports received from the teacher of the model school have in the majority of cases been of a very satisfactory nature. District High Schools- During the year the Department approved of the opening of a district high school at Wyndham. There are now in this district two district high schools, which are serving a useful purpose in affording to the young people of the localities in which they are situated satisfactory tuition in secondary subjects. The attendance at the secondary department of the two district high schools, Riverton and Wyndham, was forty-three and eighteen respectively. Consolidation of Schools. —The question of the conveyance of children from small country schools to a central school should not be lost sight of. The Board is firmly convinced that if the difficulty regarding the cost of transport can be overcome the innovation will prove conclusively that the education of the children so conveyed will be a distinct improvement upon that received in the small country school. Instruction of Teachers. —Classes for the instruction of pupil-teachers, probationers, and uncertificated teachers were held during the year at Gore and Invercargill. Elementary Handwork.— The usual subjects of handwork received attention during the year, the necessary materials being sent out to permit of instruction being given in plasticine-modelling, paperfolding and paper-cutting, cardboard-work, and colour-work. It is pleasing to record that owing to the date of arrival of handwork supplies being much more satisfactory than for the previous year, schools were enabled to receive most of their requirements immediately the work of the year began. A quantity of kindergarten material forwarded under instructions from the Department was very

E.—2

much appreciated by those schools fortunate enough to participate in the distribution thereof. The only regret is that the supply was so small as compared with the teachers' wants. Undoubtedly, however, the mere examination of these latest materials and teaching aids was of considerable benefit to many teachers in providing them with new ideas which they could work out and elaborate for themselves. Needlework. —In forty schools having no female teacher 011 the staff instruction in elementary needlework was carried on by specially appointed sewing-mistresses, the number of girls so receiving instruction totalling about 380. In a number of schools, however, it was not found possible to secure the services of a suitable person willing to undertake the work. Classes in advanced needlework were carried on in forty-two schools, 1,015 girls receiving instruction. Woodwork and Cookery. —Work in these subjects was carried on at the three manual-training centres —Invercargill, Gore, and Eiverton. Agriculture. —Recognized classes in elementary agriculture were carried on during the year at 129 schools —an increase of one over the corresponding figures for the previous year. Physical Measurements.- This subject was taken in two schools where facilities are not available for carrying out the practical work in connection with the course in elementary agriculture. The number of children who received instruction was sixty-three. Correspondence Classes. —During the year several applications were received for enrolment in the correspondence classes conducted by the Department. Although this form of instruction of pupils is favoured by the Department as against the establishment of small household schools in charge of inexperienced teachers, it has to be pointed out that tuition by correspondence requires supervision of the children's work by the parents, who in many instances, owing to household duties, are unable to devote the necessary time to the work. Conveyance and Board of Children.- Although the system under which conveyance and boardingallowances are granted is working satisfactorily, the Board is strongty of the opinion that riding-horses, in cases where the road is dangerous for vehicles driven by children, should not be excluded from the means of conveyance on account of which the allowance is made. Physical Instruction. —Physical instruction is carried out in all our schools, and receives due recognition at the hands of our teachers. The report of the Inspectors shows that in physical instruction a commendable standard is maintained. School Libraries. During the year thirty-six applications were received for subsidy on contributions raised for the purpose of purchasing books for school libraries. The contributions forwarded amounted to £135 15s. In addition to a pound-for-pound subsidy from the Department, grants amounting to £33 14s. were made by the Board. The total sum thus available for expenditure on school libraries totalled £305 4s. Subsidies on Voluntary Contributions. —During the year 101 applications werejreceived from Committees for subsidy on money raised voluntarily, the total sum paid into the Board amounting to £1,683 ss. 2d. The various objects for which the money was raised were as follows : Improvements to grounds, &c., £943 os. lid. ; purchase of pianos, &c., £217 16s. 3d. ; to supplement allowances for incidental expenses, £138 1 Is. Id. ; school libraries, £135 15s. ; purchase of equipment, pictures, &c., £109 Is. lid. ; additions to sites, £57 15s. ; purchase of gramophones, £56 ss. ; provision of hot-water services in residences, £25. With a pound-for-pound subsidy from the Department and grants from the Board in the case of school libraries, it follows that a sum of £3,400 was thus made available for expenditure within the district. It is gratifying to note that of this amount £1,886 was to be spent 011 improvements to school gardens and grounds. Conclusion. —The Board is pleased to report that, generally, the progress of education in this district during the past year has been in most respects eminently satisfactory. I have, &c., The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. Hugh Smith, Chairman.

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2. STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE, AND ASSETS AND LIABILITIES, AND BALANCE-SHEETS OF EDUCATION BOARDS. AUCKLAND. Statement of Income and Expenditure, and Assets and Liabilities, for the Year ended 31st December, 1924.

Balance-sheet, 31st December, 1924. Debit Bank Balances and Moneys owing by Board. Credit Bank Balances and Moneys due to Board. Amounts owing— £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Special accounts .. .. .. .. 2,490 17 11 Cash at bank on current account 13,014 18 10 General Account .. .. .. .. 1,233 12 9 Less unpresented cheques .. 1,053 12 3 Credit balances— — 11,961 6 7 Special accounts .. .. .. .. 22,638 19 2 Cash in hand .. .. .. .. 600 0 0 General Account .. .. .. .. 3,146 12 4 Fixed deposits .. .. .. .. 150 0 0 Contractors' Deposit Account .. .. .. 85 0 0 Amounts due— Special accounts .. .. .. .. 14,005 5 8 General Account .. .. .. .. 2,708 9 11 £29,510 2 2 £29,510 2 2

As at 31st December, 1924. Name of Account. 31 at, December 1923 Income. Expenditure. Amounts due to Board. I Amounts owing by ' " ' Balance. i —jT ; ~~ ~ iioard. Due from Department. [Due from other Sources, j Special Accounts; £ g. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. I £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Teachers' salaries .. .. .. .. ,. .. 480,216 14 7 .. 73 3 3 House allowances .. .. .. .. .. .. 16,085 17 3 16,085 17 3 . .. ! .. I 25 7 II School libraries .. .. .. . . .. 171 9 5 530 0 0 599 8 8 102 0 9 .. .. j Conveyance, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. 17 1 J 4,515 6 5 .. 843 18 4 Grants to School Committees .. ... .. .. 31,049 13 5 31,049 13 5 .. I .. .. 596 2 6 Training Colleges .. .. ... .. .. .. 46,322 7 9 46,322 7 9 .. 2,337 5 7 Scholarships —National .. .. .. .. .. 3,654 8 9 3,654 89 .. .. .. 353 District High School salaries .. .. .. .. 13,124 17 11 13,124 17 11 .. 224 Manual instruction .. .. .. .. 3,874 7 0 22,892 16 1 23,216 15 9 3,550 7 4 1,351 12 2 .. 1,089 19 3 Technical instruction .. .. .. .. Dr.1,017 4 .5 5,507 4 3 5,145 0 7 Dr. 655 0 9 1,723 3 4 Rebuilding .. .. .. .. .. 23,498 12 4 160 7 7 9,866 7 10 13,792 12 1 .. .. [. V. ■ Buildings —Maintenance .. .. .. .. 4.583 0 0 ! 28,139 7 4 26.873 7 7 i 5,848 19 9 694 1 0 .. I 590 3 8 New buildings .. .. .. .. . . .. | 112,907 18 1 j 112,907 18 1 ... " I 6,979 19 8 .. I 100 19 4 Workshop Account .. .. .. .. .. <jj 0 2,886 12 6 Sites sales .. .. .. .. .. .. =T i f. !! ' r 1,276 3 6 \_ 50 0 0 J Contractors' deposits .. .. .. .. .. 474 0 0 474 0 0 .. .. .. 85 0 0 Total of special accounts .. . . .. 31,110 4 4 | 769,743 15 5 778,215 0 7 22,638 19 2 14,005 5 8 ., 2,490 1.7 11 f 1,009 4 9*1 General Account .. .. .. .. 5,867 3 2 i 27,511 10 0 1,226 3 6f J=- 3,146 12 4 2,708 9 11 ' .. 1,233 12 9 27,996 12 7 J Grand total .. .. .. .. 36,977 7 6 j 797,255 5 5 808,447 1 5 25,785 11 6 16,713 15 7 .. 3,724 10 8 * Transfers to General Account. + Transfers to Suspense Account.

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TARANAKI. Statement of Income and Expenditure, and Assets and Liabilities, for the Year ended 31st December, 1924.

Balance-sheet, 31st December, 1924. Debit Bank Balances and Moneys owing by Board. Credit Banic Balances and Moneys due to Board. Amounts owing— £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Special accounts .. .. .. .. 2,614 6 7 Cash at bank on current account 3,508 15 9 General Account .. .. .. .. 29 5 4 Less unpresented cheques .. 183 16 6 Credit balances— 3,324 19 3 Special accounts .. .. •. .. 8,624 7 4 Fixed deposits .. .. .. .. 2,400 0 0 General Account .. .. .. .. 1,762 3 4 Amounts due—■ Special accounts .. .. .. .. 7,124 1 8 General Account .. .. .. .. 181 1 8 £13,030 2 7 £13,030 2 7

As at 31st December, 1924. Name of Account. si R t, number' 1923 Income. Expenditure. Amounts due to Board. I Amounts owing by * ' Balance. ; ~~ j Board. Due from Department. Due from other Sources. J . . . Special Accounts. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Teachers' salaries .. .. .. .. .. .. 90,745 9 2 90,745 9 2 .. 59 2 11 .. .. House allowances .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,813 12 4 2,813 12 4 j .. 2 13 4 .. School libraries .. .. .. .. . . 149 1 2 128 12 9 242 14 4 : 34 19 7 0 17 0 .. 108 3 8 Conveyance, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. 902 9 4 902 9 4 .. 147 6 5 .. 46 1 4 Grants to School Committees .. .. .. .. 5,998 17 9 5,998 17 9 .. 56 18 8 .. 43 2 0 Teachers' classes .. .. .. .. .. 66 15 7 226 5 4 238 15 8 54 5 3 204 16 11 .. 59 10 9 Scholarships —National .. .. .. .. .. 541 5 0 541 5 0 .. 128 15 0 Manual instruction .. .. .. .. 1,284 3 5 4,119 16 8 4,511 10 8 892 9 5 278 1 3 .. 286 4 4 Technical instruction .. .. .. .. .. 82 14 5 45 17 0 36 17 5 51 18 2 ■ 0 10 0 25 16 5 Rebuilding .. .. .. .. .. 2,643 6 11 Dr. 165 8 7 662 18 7 1,814 19 9 .. .. 248 18 8 Buildings—Maintenance .. .. .. .. 5,100 0 10 7,889 16 1 8,446 17 0 4,542 19 11 1,279 2 8 .. 512 10 9 New buildings .. .. .. .. .. .. 12,667 5 11 12,667 5 11 .. 1,598 7 9 37 10 0 1,038 19 7 Workshop Account .. .. .. .. 988 8 9 6,074 13 7 5,822 16 4 1,240 6 0 .. 3 ' 2 ®® ® 5 8 6 Sites sales .. .. .. .. .. j .. 7 10 0 .. 7 10 0 .. 7 10 0 Contractors' deposits .. .. .. .. .. 500 500 Subsidies .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,818 13 5 2,818 13 5 j .. j .. .. 239 10 7 Total of special accounts .. .. 10,231 16 8 134,856 13 2 ! 136,464 ~2 6 8,624 7 4 ! 3,808 0 1 3,316 1 7 2,614 6 7 General Account .. .. .. .. .. 1,383 19 0 . 3,316 12 11 2,938 8 7 1,762 3 4 .. 181 1 8 29 5 4 Grand total .. .. .. .. 11,615 15 8 138,173 6 1 139,402 11 1 10,386 10 8 3,808 0 1 3,497 3 3 j 2,643 11 11 * Stock in hand.

E. 2,

5—E. 2

WANGANUI. Statement of Income and Expenditure, and Assets and Liabilities, for the Year ended 31st December, 1924.

010 NH GO co <N GO CO O CO 00 CO CD C 5 CO • Crt (MO o GO <N 05 r-i (N tH § CO* TfT (§ « ' 0 <M • ; • . S COCOO CO 05 i—<i Ss>c+i l> »C 05 : : si s e1: • • a Z -5 y gO2 § 1 § go H +y cr 1 § CQ P! 2 • • <D r-H . . fc 0 .3 £ dii o s I §3 ® $"g 3 ad &, g§ 00 •— 3 o ."t§ co oj J O O .J" -"S r**} © Q <£> O O M 1? CS 0 3 2<! H >~ tsg< §"0 J g § "3 5"3 jS jS "§ m a c's » HH CO -+3 p © fl O <0 £oPU <g « -Sgajo H Q ft <1 H xn I —l -jojco co go CO 03 >0 .-4 CD CO H I—H rH _ § . 00 <N 10 CD a o<N 10 co 1 W h«t)® IO -rH 9 J « H c+) § S . . . 3 s 5 <{ •§ W | <*> >5 ; ; ; § © 55 . . . e =o <a 0 S e 'e .' ! : cq 1 iff 11 rS &P 3 O TO O "s Go o <D O •r< o o o o •"» £ 2 <\ rt <rf ~0 O e3 c<3 GQ '_jo 3 tii H -+J .2 *h _D f- 1 do® o 3 © A .-e c 5 A ® O | 00 C 5 a> C 5 <j O

As at 31st December, 1924. Name of Account. 31st December' 19?3 Income. Expenditure. 1 Amounts due to Board. Amounts owing by * Balance. j — - — Board ] Due from Department. iDue from other Sources-; Special Accounts. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. j £ s. d. Teachers' salaries .. .. .. .. .. j .. 127,001 4 10 127,001 4 10 .. 78 0 2 .. | 134 14 8 House allowances .. .. .. .. .. 3,602 18 0 3,602 18 0 .. .. 1 15 0 School libraries .. .. .. j Cr. 207 1 8 220 3 4 368 6 9 Cr. 58 18 3 31 14 3 97 7 11 Conveyance, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. 945 7 11 945 7 11 .. 110 16 9 .. 259 16 9 Grants to School Committees .. .. .. Cr. 40 18 0 8,075 4 1 8,107 14 1 Cr. 8 8 0 96 7 6 130 3 0 Teachers' classes .. .. . . .. Cr. 47 14 7 259 7 6 257 1 5 Cr. 50 0 8 130 13 1 . . 8 14 0 Scholarships — National .. .. . . .. .. .. 747 19 6 747 19 6 .. 36 5 0 Special .. . . .. • .. .. .. 660 660 District High School salaries .. .. . . .. 2,254 14 0 2,254 14 0 .. 0 6 8 Manual instruction .. .. .. .. Cr. 34 12 3 6,033 0 6 6,064 10 9 Cr. 3 2 0 397 19 8 54 4 7 370 16 2 Technical instruction .. .. .. . . Dr. 400 0 0 664 0 0 464 0 0 Dr. 200 0 0 Rebuilding .. .. .. .. .. .. j .. .. .. ! .. .. j Buildings —Maintenance .. .. .. .. Cr. 982 6 0 13,691 13 7 13,653 0 10 Or. 1,020 18 9 645 15 4 186 5 0 1,264 4 5 New buildings .. .. .. .. .. .. 10,396 4 9 10,396 4 9 .. 1,291 15 11 52 3 4 684 1 6 Workshop Account .. .. .. .. Dr. 1.650 12 4 3,623 9 6 3,411 2 2 Dr. 1,438 5 0 .. 33 15 11 29 17 4 Sites sales .. .. .. .. .. Cr. 458 19 9 .. .. Cr. 458 19 9 | Contractors' deposits .. . . .. .. .. 51 15 0 51 15 0 .. . . .. 15 5 0 Wanganui School sites* .. .. .. . . Dr. 694 19 4 998 16 0 1,281 15 10 Dr. 977 19 2 .. .. .. Prize fund and miscellaneous .. .. .. j Cr. 92 6 9 121 9 1 101 7 6 Cr. 112 8 4 .. .. 912 0 0* Total of Special Account .. .. Dr. 881 12 8 178,693 16 7 178,715 9 4 Dr. 903 8 5 2,819 14 4 326 8 10 | 3.908 15 9 General Account .. .. .. .. .. Cr. 629 15 11 4,069 4 9 4,143 14 0 Cr. 555 6 8 .. 209 0 1 22 11 3 Grand total .. .. . .. .. Dr. 251 16 9 182,762 1 4 182,859 3 4 Dr. 348 1 9 2,819 14 4 535 8 11 j 3,931 7 0 • . . ■ • i * £912 received from Department on account of Wanganui Technical College site and playing-grounds.

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HAWKE'S BAY. Statement of Income and Expenditure, and Assets and Liabilities, for the Year ended 31st December, 1924.

Balance-sheet, 31st December, 1924. Debit Bank Balances and Moneys owing by Board. Credit Bank Balances and Moneys due to Board. Amounts owing— £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Special accounts .. . . . . 4,132 7 7 Cash at bank on current account 2,003 11 9 General Account 36 19 4 Less unpresented cheques . . 1,333 14 7 Credit balances— 669 17 2 Special accounts . . . . . . 3,897 8 10 Cash in hand . . . . .. . . 28 6 8 General Account .. .. .. . . 3,353 19 1 Fixed deposits .. .. .. .. 2,180 0 0 Post Office Savings-bank . . .. • • 1,675 4 7 Amounts due— Special accounts .. .. .. .. 5,174 14 7 General Account .. .. .. .. 1,692 11 10 £11,420 14 10 £11,420 14 10 ===== I —— WELLINGTON. [Returns not available.]

As at 31st December, 1924. Name of Account. Income. Expenditure. . ! Amounts due to Board. 1 Amounts owing by ' Balance. I ' j ' ~ i Board. | Due from Department. jDue from other Sources. | I I i i Special Accounts. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Teachers' salaries .. .. .. .. .. .. 116,917 17 6 116,917 17 6 ... .. .. 54 16 1 House allowances .. .. .... .. .. 3,153 1 9 3,153 19; .. .. .. 218 School libraries .. . . .. .. .. 81 2 0 186 6 0 266 18 5 0 9 7 111 7 0 . . 100 8 8 Conveyance, &c. .. .. .. ,. .. 3,232 7 10 3,232 7 10 .. 93 15 8 32 3 10 Grants to School Committees .. .. .. 2 14 2 7,226 10 0 7,229 4 2 .. .. j .. 98 19 3 Teachers' classes .. .. .. .. .. 16 19 2 521 0 1 526 11 5 11 7 10 518 18 1 6 12 0 22 5 6 Scholarships —National .. . . .. . . . . 783 9 6 783 9 6 District High School salaries .. .. .. .. 3,434 3 9 : 3,434 3 9 .. .. .. 2 10 10 Manual instruction .. .. .. .. 1,624 13 8 5,638 18 8 6,075 13 7 1,187 18 9 176 8 4 2 18 10 467 17 0 Technical instruction .. .. .. . 347 14 9 5,258 13 9 5,236 10 5 369 18 1 340 10 2 27 11 10 161 16 10 Rebuilding .. .. .. .. 3,505 5 7 164 3 5 2,828 8 0 841 1 0 .. 18 9 4 493 10 0 Buildings—Maintenance .. .. .. .. 82 16 5 7,678 16 5 6,658 19 6 1,102 13 4 9 13 0 2,180 11 6 1,213 0 7 New buildings .. .. .. .. .. 27,822 7 5 27,822 7 5 .. 1,655 15 0 Workshop Account .. .. .. 208 ; 6,671 2 8 6,443 19 10 j 229 3 6 Sites sales .. . . . . . . .. 7 10 0 147 6 9 .. 154 16 9 Contractors' deposits .. .. .. .. 310 0 0 310 0 0 I .. .. j .. 45 0 0 Voluntary contributions and subsidies .. .. .. 3,536 8 10 3,536 8 10 .. .. 1,470 1 2 Total of special accounts .. 5,670 16 5 [ 192,682 14 4 194,456 1 11 3,897 8 10 i 2,906 7 3 2,268 7 4 4,132 7 7 General Account .. .. .. .. .. 3,000 2 9 | 4,545 13 7 4,191 17 3 ; 3,353 19 1 j 44 13 4 1,647 18 6 36 19 4 Grand total .. .. .. 8,670 19 2 j 197,228 7 11 : 198,647 19 2 I 7,251 7 11 2,951 0 7 3,916 5 10 | 4,169 6 11 . I I . < I \_ t_M»

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NELSON. Statement of Income and Expenditure, and Assets and Liabilities, for the Year ended 31st December, 1924.

Balance-sheet, 31st Decembek, 1924. Debit Bank Balances and Moneys owing by Board. Credit Bank Balances and Moneys due to Board. Accounts owing— £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Special accounts .. .. .. .. 1,102 9 10 Cash at bank on current account 1,601 10 1 Credit balances— Less unpresented cheques .. 185 2 3 Special accounts .. .. .. .. 3,389 7 4 1,416 7 10 General Account . . . . . . .. 292 0 9 Fixed deposits . • ■ . .. . . 2,500 0 0 Amounts due— Special accounts .. .. .. .. 683 18 7 General Account . . .. ., 183 11 6 £4,783 17 11 £4,783 17 11

j | As at 31st December, 1924. Name of Account. December 19 9 3 Income. Expenditure. j Amounts due to Board. ! Amounts owing by Balance. — j~ ~ ~ Board. Due from Department. jDue from other Sources. Special Accounts. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Teachers' salaries .. .. .. . . .. .. 60,873 8 10 60,873 8 10 .. .. .. 224 6 10 House allowances .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,474 15 9 2,474 15 9 . . .. .. 4 6 8 School libraries .. .. .. .. .. 19 0 5 103 17 0 114 2 2 8 15 3 5 19 5 .. 84 19 0 Conveyance, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,222 6 0 1,222 6 0 .. 3 5 6 Grants to School Committees .. .. .. 160 4 7 4,037 4 10 4,008 18 10 188 10 7 Teachers' classes .. .. .. .. ..Dr. 5 13 1 253 12 11 231 6 7 16 13 3 180 7 2 .. 95 10 6 Scholarships —National .. .. .. .. .. 657 17 9 657 17 9 District High School salaries .. .. .. .. 1, 500 14 8 1,500 14 8 .. 0 10 0 Manual instruction .. .. .. .. 23 7 3 2,686 11 11 2,539 14 9 170 4 5 371 18 10 .. 175 11 11 Technical instruction .. .. .. .. 146 3 2 58 2 3 197 91 6164 20 16 0 Rebuilding .. .. .. .. .. 1,360 0 4 65 6 8 126 9 8 1,298 17 4 .. 33 6 8 Buildings—Maintenance .. .. .. '.. 2,302 1 3 4,949 5 10 5,596 6 1 1,655 1 0 67 15 0 .. 285 15 0 New buildings .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,237 15 4 5,237 15 4 .. .. .. 118 12 6 Sites sales .. .. .. .. .. 92 16 1 19 0 0 67 6 11 44 9 2 .. .. 18 8 0 Contractors' deposits .... .. .. .. 29 0 0 29 0 0 .. .. • • 23 0 0 Voluntary contributions and subsidies .. .. .. 1,619 5 1 1,619 5 1 .. .. •• 71 19 5 Total of special accounts' .. 13 l j 3 85,788 4 10 86,496 17 6 3,389 7 4 650 11 11 33 6 8 1,102 9 10 General Account .. .. .. .. .. 273 4 9 2,692 12 7 2,673 16 7 292 0 9 183 11 6 Grand total .. .. .. 4 ' 37 g Jg j- 88,480 17 5 89,170 14 1 3,681 8 1 834 3 5 33 6 8 1,102 & 10

E.—'2.

CANTERBURY. Statement of Income and Expenditure, and Assets and Liabilities, for the Year ended 31st December, 1924.

Balance-sheet, 31st December, 1924. Debit Bank Balances and Moneys owing by Board. \ Credit Bank Balances and Moneys due to Board. Amounts owing— £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Special accounts .. .. .. .. 19,946 2 10 1 Cash at bank oil current account 11,719 14 9 Credit balances— Less unpresented cheques .. 681 11 8 Special accounts .. .. .. .. 12,953 10 5 11,038 3 1 General Account .. .. .. . . 4,066 12 2 Cash in hand Fixed deposits .. .. .. .. 2,110 0 0 Investments .. . . . . . . 1,040 0 0 Amounts due— Special accounts .. .. .. .. 22,438 17 0 General Account .. .... ., .. 339 5 4 £36,966 5 5 j £36,966 5 5

As at 31st December, 1924. Name of Account. 81st December 1923 Income. Expenditure. . Amounts due to Board. I Amounts owing liy Balance. 7 Board Due from Department. jDue from other Sources. Special Accounts. £ s. d. £ s. rl. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Teachers' salaries .. .. .. •• •• •• 274,112 5 0 274,112 5 0 .. 171 17 3 House allowances .. .. .. .. •• •• 5,551 16 5 5,551 16 5 .. 41 13 4 School libraries .. . . .. . • . • Or. 75 8 8 414 9 0 233 13 11 256 3 9 Conveyances, &c. .. .. .. .. .. • • 8,325 15 6 8,325 15 6 .. 94 1 3 .. 62 16 0 Grants to School Committees .. .. .. .. 17,145 13 1 17,145 13 1 .. 64 10 5 2 16 0 623 6 4 Training colleges .. .. .. .. . • ( Or. 4 3 7 36,377 10 10 36,381 6 5 0 8 0 295 10 3 .. 77 12 7 Teachers' classes .. .. .. .. •. Or. 1 6 11 206 7 5 176 4 9 31 9 7 119 9 11 Scholarships —National .. .. .. .. • • 1,548 7 0 1,548 7 0 Scholarships —Special .. . . .. .. • . 319 10 0 319 10 0 .. .. .. 624 7 1 District High School salaries .. .. ..Or. 1 3 6 8,644 8 4 8,645 11 10 .. 37 8 0 116 13 4 1 5 5 Manual instruction .. .. .. .. Or. 1,867 5 3 11,865 13 6 12,219 10 6 1,513 8 3 488 4 0 126 0 3 373 15 7 Technical instruction .. Or. 7 15 11 310 17 0 3.13 18 7 4 14 4 Rebuilding .. .. .. .. .. Or. 4,844 2 9 178 7 0 3,485 13 0 1,536 16 9 .. .. 350 0 0 Buildings—Maintenance .. .. .. .. Cr. 764 2 0 19,267 4 6 20,225 0 10 Dr. 193 14 4 1,505 18 8 454 6 7 New buildings .. .. .. .. .. .. 64,762 16 2 64,762 16 2 .. 4,629 16 2 175 1 3 17,259 5 8 Workshop Account .. .. .. .. 31,393 3 5 21,588 19 4 9,804 4 1 .. 13,963 10 8 214 6 10 Sites sales .. .. .. • . • • • • .. . • .. .. 151 19 8 Contractors' deposits .. .. .. .. •• 124 15 6 124 15 6 I .. .. .. 43 5 0 Hororata Bath Trust .. .. .. .. . 8 4 5 8 4 5 Subsidies .. .. .. .. •• .. 6,856 19 9 6,856 19 9 .. .. .. 316 2 4 Totals of special accounts .. .. 7,565 8 7 487,414 3 10 482,026 2 0 12,953 10 5 7,448 9 3 14,990 7 9 19,946 2 10 General Account' .. .. .. .. .. 2,985 12 9 8,180 18 9 7,099 19 4 4,066 12 2 31 3 6 308 1 10 Grand totals .. .. .. .. j 10,551 1 4 495,595 2 7 489,126 1 4 17,020 2 7 j 7,479 12 9 15,298 9 7 19,946 2 10

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OTAGO. Statement of Income and Expenditure, and Assets and Liabilities, for the Year ended 31st December, 1924.

Balance-sheet, 31st December, 1924. t Debit Bank Balances and Moneys owing by Board. Credit Bank Balances and Motleys due to Board. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Debit balance at bank .. 1,184 9 5 Fixed deposits .. .. .. .. 7,700 0 0 Add unpresented cheques .. 2,222 5 7 Investments .. .. .. .. 8,724 11 6 3,406 15 0 Amounts dueAmounts owing— Special accounts .. .. .. .. 15,033 16 7 Special accounts .. .. .. .. 4,927 11 1 General Account .. .. .. .. 4,546 16 3 General Account .. . . .. . . 139 7 0 Credit balances— Special accounts .. .. .. .. 18,976 13 8 General Account .. .. .. .. 8,554 17 7 £36,005 4 4 £36,005 4 4

As at 31st December, 1924. _ Name of Account. 31st Decemhpr' 1093 Income. Expenditure. j Amounts due to Board. ! Amounts owing by i Balance. j~ " Board. Due from Department. Due from other Sources. Special Account i. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Teachers' salaries . .. .. .. .. .. 171,946 8 3 171,816 11 9 129 16 6 House allowances .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,132 1 3 2,125 19 7 6 1 8 School libraries .. .. .. .. .. 31 7 11 230 0 0 220 17 1 40 10 10 .. .. 123 7 5 Conveyance, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,549 13 0 4,549 13 0 .. 1,134 15 7 143 0 8 965 2 10 Grants to School Committees .. .. .. .. 10,494 10 0 10,494 10 0 .. .. .. 316 8 0 Training colleges .. .. .. .. .. 15 6 5 38,178 12 2 38,117 19 6 75 19 1 74 18 2 Trust Account .. .. . . .. .. 200 0 0 7 18 4 7 18 4 200 0 0 Teachers' classes .. .. .. .. .. .. 339 .. 339 Scholarships— National .. .. .. .. .. 1,138 13 7 1,138 13 7 .. 258 15 0 1 5 0 Scholarships— Special .. .. .. .. 447 2 0 27 4 8 33 1 0 441 5 8 District High School salaries .. .. .. .. 4,519 9 0 4,509 1 10 10 7 2 Manual instruction .. .. .. .. 2,392 12 4 7.063 18 5 7,009 14 6 2,446 16 3 181 19 2 .. 98 18 2 Technical instruction .. .. .. .. .. 215 19 11 215 19 11 .. .. .. 52 8 7 Rebuilding .. .. .. .. .. 15,376 7 6 463 4 9 4,945 11 11 10,894 0 4 .. .. 2,100 0 0 Buildings —Maintenance .. .. .. .. 1,610 15 9 15,093 13 2 14,491 13 5 2,212 15 6 107 15 0 3,660 12 5 300 0 0 New buildings .. .. .. .. .. 466 5 4 14.282 17 9 14,266 17 9 482 5 4 7,114 18 3 2,251 1 10 Workshop Account .. .. .. .. 709 10 11 12,323 0 11 12,09110 8 941 1 2 .. 78 3 11 668 11 5 Sites sales .. .. .. .. .. 406 9 8 30 0 0 114 15 2 341 14 6 Contractors' deposits .. .. .. .. .. 7 10 0 7 10 0 .. .. .. 7 10 0 Other accounts .. .. .. .. .. 101 19 8 2,678 18 0 2,030 1 9 750 15 11 26 8 7 .. 295 4 8 Total of special accounts ... .. 21,757 17 6 285,406 16 11 288,188 0 9 j 18,976 13 8 8,899 9 9 6,134 6 10 4,927 11 1 General Account .. .. .. .. .. 9,637 18 0 10,098 11 4 11,181 11 9 | 8,554 17 7 25 14 1 4,521 2 2 139 7 0 Grand total .. .. .. .. 31,395 15 6 295,505 8 3 299,369 12 6 27,531 11 3 8,925 3 10 10,655 9 0 5,066 18 1

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SOUTHLAND. Statement of Income and Expenditure, and Assets and Liabilities, for the Year ended 31st December, 1924.

Balance-sheet, 31st December, 1924. Debit Bank Balances and Moneys owing by Board. Credit Bank Balances and Moneys due to Board. Amounts owing— £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Special accounts .. .. .. .. 342 15 10 Cash at bank on current account 2,248 4 5 General Account .. .. .. .. 13 7 Less unpresented cheques .. 1,215 11 2 Credit balances— 1,212 13 3 Special accounts .. .. .. .. 9,075 15 10 Cash in hand . . .. .. .. 69 1 0 General Account .. .. .. .. 2,387 16 0 Fixed deposits .. .. .. .. 6,750 0 0 Amounts due—■ Special accounts .. .. .. .. 3,159 1910 General Account ,. .. .. . . 615 17 2 £11,807 11 3 £11,807 11 3

As at 31st December, 1924. Name of Account. <n TW»mhpr' i o?s Income. Expenditure. _ Amounts due to Board. 1 Amounts owing by Balance. j j Board. Due from Department. Due from other Sources, j Special Accounts. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Teachers' salaries .. .. .. .. .. .. 96,572 8 6 96,572 8 6 .. .. 1 6 8 105 14 2 House allowances .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,892 11 9 1,892 11 9 .. 0 8 4 School libraries .. .. .. .. .. 512 2 9 256 17 5 706 13 8 62 6 6 Conveyance, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,084 3 7 2,084 3 7 .. 10 6 0 Grants to School Committees .. .. .. 162 5 10 6,496 3 9 6,515 18 11 142 10 8 62 7 6 Teachers' classes .. .. .. .. .. 249 3 0 27 6 0 26 2 10 250 6 2 27 6 0 Scholarships —National .. .. .. .. . . 628 15 0 628 15 0 Scholarships —Special .. .. .. .. .. 500 500 District High School salaries .. .. .. •. 802 4 2 802 4 2 Manual instruction .. .. .. .. 606 5 7 3,997 14 7 3,952 18 0 651 2 2 212 18 3 Technical instruction .. .. .... 0 19 4 56 14 5 56 14 5 0 19 4 .. 4 17 4 Rebuilding .. .. .. .. .. 2,587 18 3 138 2 6 316 15 2 2,409 5 7 .. .. 156 7 10 Buildings—Maintenance .. .. .. .. 4,808 0 3 13,632 15 4 12,881 10 2 5,559 5 5 1,362 16 3 156 7 10 26 17 1 New buildings .. .. .. .. .. .. 12,370 2 4 12,370 2 4 . . 1,145 6 7 Workshop Account .. .. .. .. •• 9,659 19 7 9,659 19 7 Contractors' deposits .. .. .. .. •. 82 13 6 82 13 6 Free school-books for boarded-out children .. .. .. 10 3 7 10 3 7 . . 22 10 5 Subsidies .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,104 14 1 2,104 14 1 .. 153 8 8 Total of special accounts .. .. 8,926 15 0 150,818 10 1 150,669 9 3 9,075 15 10 2,997 8 0 | 162 11 10 342 15 10 General Account .. .. .. .. .. 2,000 5 4 3,944 13 4 3,557 2 8 2,387 16 0 28 0 9 . j 587 16 5 1 3 7 Grand total .. .. .. -• 10,927 0 4 154,763 3 5 154,226 11 11 11,463 11 10 3,025 8 9 | 750 8 3 343 19 5

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APPENDIX C. REPORTS OF INSPECTORS OF SCHOOLS. AUCKLAND. On the 31st December last the total number of public schools in operation was 753, an increase of twelve on the previous year's total. Forty private schools, inclusive of Roman Catholic diocesan schools, were inspected. Proficiency Examination, A similar method to that of the previous year was adopted in connection with the examination of Standard VI pupils for the award of certificates of proficiency and competency. During the latter part of November and during December most of the schools were visited by Inspectors, who conducted the usual examination and granted certificates thereon. In certain schools pupils were accredited on the results of their year's work as evidenced by headmasters' periodical examinations. In such cases the pupils were given to understand early in the year that the reward of regular attendance, a keen spirit of work, good conduct, and conscientious and successful effort would be the granting of a certificate without examination. The headmasters concerned report very favourably 011 the method adopted and on the stimulating effect resulting therefrom ; they also favour the system as tending to raise their professional status in the eyes of both pupils and parents. Under sufficient safeguards the system might reasonably be extended ; many teachers, however, mark too leniently, and their estimate of the pupil's capabilities cannot be accepted. The Standard VI scholars in schools remote from large centres were examined by the synchronous method. Questions were set by the Inspectors ; the pupils attended at a central school and were examined under the supervision of the head teacher of such school, who also awarded marks for reading, and forwarded the papers to the Inspectors. We feel that this synchronous examination is to some extent unsatisfactory, as the Inspector has not the opportunity of getting into personal touch with those examined ; but the time that would be thus expended can be used by the Inspectors to better advantage. Another defect for which we shall this year seek some remedy is the unduly high marks awarded for reading by some of the teacher supervisors. The Proficiency work submitted was in the large schools and in many of the smaller ones of very good quality. We desire to point out that in our opinion the Proficiency Examination occupies too large a place in the teacher's and the child's perspective. The result is that nearly all our schools are " type " schools : they conform almost without exception to a definite plan in organization, management, curriculum, and methods. Little real initiative is displayed or experimentation attempted even in a large city school. We have a syllabus that lays claim to the encouragement of initiative, and we have teachers that are more or less willing to experiment, but looming large at the end of the primary course is the Proficiency Examination. The pupil's whole school career, and to some extent his subsequent one, depend upon his being able to measure up to this standardized test —to fail to do so usually means the termination of school education altogether. Small blame can therefore be laid on the conscientious headmaster who so organizes, manages, and teaches that his pupils may qualify for further State education. The remedy appears to be to abolish altogether the examination at the age of fourteen, and to substitute therefor a test given two years earlier—not to determine whether a child shall or shall not have further education, but to determine the kind of education from which he is most likely to profit. Something in this direction has already been done by the establishment of the junior high school, and in the spread of this movement lies the improvement of the primaryschool system. Classification and Promotion of Pupils. Headmasters in general exercise care and judgment in the promotion of their pupils. In many of the smaller schools, however, especially in those taught by inexperienced and relatively inefficient teachers, pupils are found who are hopelessly at sea, through a want of knowledge of the lower-class work. An inspection of such a teacher's marking of the periodical examination-papers leads one to the conclusion either that the teacher's standard is too low or that he is too anxious to placate parents by the liberal award of promotions. In nearly all schools, moreover, teachers still make their promotions at only one time during the year. Even in the largest schools it is rare to find pupils promoted in the standard classes during the year. It is recognized by all such teachers that primer pupils should be promoted to a higher class so soon as they are sufficiently forward in their work to warrant such promotion, and now such pupils are seldom retarded. This retardation of the bright pupils is a much more serious evil than the retardation of the duller ones. Inspectors cannot help thinking that the non-promotion of bright pupils is due in large measure to the fact that head teachers, and class teachers also, with the grading scheme ever ill view, are keen to make a good showing of their pupils before the Inspectors on what they incorrectly term " examination " day. With the increased staffing allowed by the recent regulations, and with the remodelling of many of our large schools, we hope to find that headmasters will be able to deal in a more modern fashion with the interesting problem of " acceleration " and " retardation."

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District High Schools. There are now twenty-five district high schools in operation in this district, the number of such schools, and the number of secondary pupils enrolled therein, having increased considerably during the past few years. Special attention is given by Inspectors to these schools, in view of the fact that their establishment makes it possible for large numbers of country pupils to receive some form of secondary education. The pupils cover for the first two years a rural course, and in the third or fourth year the Matriculation course. The work presented by the secondary departments of those schools can, on the whole, be classed as good ; the success of pupils at examinations reflects credit on the teachers and their school. The work, however, varies considerably from school to school, the variation being due to the class of secondary teacher obtainable. Prior to the establishment of junior high schools the position of secondary assistants in a district high school was somewhat of a " dead end," with the result that a relatively poor type, of teacher was obtained for these positions ; now, however, with the increased salaries for secondary assistants, and with the prospect of promotion to a junior high or secondary school position, more efficient teachers should be available. Generally speaking, the weakest work in these schools is done in the junior divisions, and frequently at the end of their first year the pupils' work is not much in advance of that of a good Sixth Standard. The success of the high-school department depends in very large measure on the personality and efficiency of the headmaster, who should at all times realize that the secondary department is just as important a branch of his school as the primary division. Of the subjects of instruction, arithmetic is in general only fair; this is due probably to two causes : firstly, there are insufficient blackboard illustrations, too little instruction in short methods and in quick mental arithmetic, and a lack of insistence on accurate and neat setting-out of all work ; and, secondly, there is a lessened amount of time given to the subject. Mathematics, both algebra and geometry, are somewhat better, but here again too great a reliance on books, too little blackboard exercise, and a lack of application of matter taught to practical examples are weaknesses which should be eliminated. English receives better treatment. The grammatical portion of the subject, however, requires more attention ; a test given to district-high-school pupils on formal grammar, even that of a practical kind such as correction of sentences, sequence of tenses, difference between active and passive, &c., gives disappointing results. Literature is much better treated ; the essays written are of good quality and full in matter, while there is abundant evidence that the pupils are encouraged to read widely. In nearly if not all such schools a good library has been established, and a complete record is kept of the books read by the pupils. One would like to see on the shelves of such libraries more books of travel, biographies, and some useful reference-books in geography and history. Oral expression is grievously neglected ; as far as fine, accurate speech and the reading of poetry and plays are concerned the pupils are virtually dumb. It is unfortunate that after Standard VI is passed no oral test is ever applied in examinations. Debates should be a regular feature of secondary-school work. Science is well taught, and the Board's instructors kept in close touch with the work. Frequent visits are paid, and the instructors devote the major portion of their time during such visits in giving advice and assistance to the class -teachers. Geography and history are satisfactory. In history a serious weakness is that too little attention is paid to New Zealand history, while the civic instruction is of too formal and mechanical a nature. French is taught fairly well, the best results being obtained where the teacher adopts the conversational method. In a very few cases Latin is taught. Organizing Teachers. We desire to record our appreciation of the valuable work done by the organizing teachers in this district. Each organizing teacher has a group of some twelve to fifteen schools, which are situated in remote places and staffed by inexperienced but promising young teachers. Several visits, varying in length from two days to a week at a time, are paid to those schools during the year. The organizing teacher takes charge of the school and either himself teaches or watches the teacher at work, giving helpful advice and assistance. So soon as a teacher becomes efficient in his control and conduct of the school the organizing teacher ceases his visits, and another school is added to his list. A report as the result of each visit is forwarded to the Senior Inspector, and a copy of such report is submitted to the Inspector of the area, who is thereby enabled to keep in close touch both with the organizing teacher and the teacher of the school visited. Schemes of work and time-tables for sole-charge and part-time schools have been drawn up by the organizing teachers, and are available on application to the Board. The work of the organizing teachers is arduous and in some degree uninteresting, but they continue to display a keenness and enthusiasm which merit commendation. Our thanks are due to the Board for granting these officers permission to spend a week during the year in visiting the best city schools to enable them to keep in touch with modern methods. At the end of each year the organizing teachers submit a joint report indicating clearly the weaknesses noted by them and the methods suggested for improvement. A separate report by each organizing teacher is also forwarded to the Senior Inspector, giving in detail the work done by each school, a brief statement of the efficiency of the teacher, and suggestions as to future work. School Environment. We note with pleasure the improvement in school environment. Many schools are surrounded by grounds which are exceptionally well kept, reflecting credit on Committees, parents, teachers, and scholars. The influence of interior environment seems also to have been fully recognized by the majority of teachers, for most class-rooms have been rendered attractive by displays of pictures, potplants, and flowers. The good work done by School Committees and teachers in raising funds to

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improve the conditions under which the children are working is worthy of high commendation : schoolgardens, tennis-courts, basketball, cricket, and football apparatus, gramophones, and the extension of school libraries are all evidences of the keen interest taken by the parents in the educational welfare of their children. Physical Instruction. The physical instructors continue to do good work, paying visits to schools as frequently as possible, and instructing both teachers and pupils. A fillip would be given to this important branch of school-work if opportunities could be given for the instruction of teachers in " refresher " classes. It is only on rare occasions that one Sees these exercises taken in school on wet days, and teachers still appear in front of their squads with books, which they consult for each exercise in the series for the day. They might well prepare brief cards and give some evidence that they have made adequate preparation for the day's work in this subject. Moreover, in different schools the exercises are taken at different times of the day, sometimes at assembly in the morning, sometimes before or after the play interval, and sometimes at assembly in the afternoon. A definite pronouncement by the physical instructors as to the most suitable time of the day for these exercises to be taken would be of advantage. In connection with this Subject we desire to express our appreciation of the good work done by teachers in the encouragement of school games, and of the value placed upon the playground in the education of the pupils. Efficiency of the Schools. A high Standard of efficiency has been in general maintained in the schools of this district. The city and suburban and larger country schools are ably taught and efficiently controlled ; good work is secured. In the smaller schools, especially those of Grades 1 and 11, some improvement is noticeable, but owing to the remoteness of these schools it is difficult to obtain suitable teachers, and frequent changes militate against continuously efficient work. The greatest need for improvement in this district is in schools of Grades I, 11, and III; and, while giving teachers every credit for their efforts in performing their onerous duties, we are of opinion that in too many cases there is a lack of insistence that their pupils should put forward their best efforts at all times. Evidence of this is seen in poorly expressed answers in oral work, in slovenly writing, in bad figuring, in incomplete statements in arithmetic, and in the general attitude of pupils towards their work. Good work cannot be produced unless the relations between teachers and pupils are cordial and there is a spirit of cooperation ; but teachers should remember that it is their business to set the standard in all things. If the teacher will make the formation of character his chief aim, he will have little difficulty in fulfilling the requirements of the syllabus. Dalton Plan. In several schools a modification of the Dalton plan has been in operation, but In no case with unqualified success. Generally speaking, a good spirit of work is in evidence, and the pupils seem interested in their studies, but the results are more or less disappointing, the young students often failing to display a good knowledge of the subjects they have been studying. The plan imposes a considerable extra strain on the teacher ; and, unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, it is, with few exceptions, not our most efficient class-teachers who have adopted the plan. The method presupposes a thoroughly reliable class, plenty of accommodation which can be easily rearranged at will to suit group work, and, above all, a fully equipped library in each Subject. Such conditions are for the greater part entirely lacking in our schools, especially in the city schools. Where such conditions are wanting, we are of opinion that the traditional method gives the more effective results ; and always so in the case of all but the most skilful teachers. These remarks, however, must not be interpreted as meaning that we do not realize the great need for more independent research and study on the part of the pupils. We feel that while it is, under present conditions, very difficult to run a school entirely under the Dalton plan, yet it is highly advisable and should not be difficult for the teachers and pupils to adopt a modification of the plan in one or two subjects (say, history). Finally, it should not be forgotten that independent work only is not enough ; every subject profits much through being supplemented and inspired and tested by regular bright oral work. Failure of the plan has too often been due to the almost total neglect of such work. Subjects of Instruction. Reading. —Reading is in general a good subject in our schools, especially in the larger ones. In the primer departments a falling-off is noticeable in those schools where the " look-and-say " methods have been too extensively used. The Live Readers provide a good teaching medium for the experienced teacher who is energetic and enthusiastic enough to provide sufficient extraneous aids, but in the hands of the inexperienced teacher who relies solely on the matter provided in the books they do not yield satisfactory results. This is especially noticeable in P 3 class, where pupils frequently display quite unsatisfactory ability to deal with new words. Look-and-say methods should be used extensively for the first few months of a child's school career, but word-building methods should be introduced early, and should proceed along systematic lines if ability to read new books is to be developed. In some schools the pupil's progress in reading in the primer class is inordinately slow, and teachers have seemed satisfied if, after six or nine months at school, their pupils could read two-letter or three-letter words from the blackboard. During the first year the pupils might reasonably be expected to read at least Books 1 and 2 of the Live Reader or the New Beacon Reader, and during the second year Books 3, 4, and 5 and a considerable number of short stories. In the standard classes there is little fault to be found with the oral reading, which is usually fluent and correct; but expression is frequently lacking, and the reading lesson becomes dreary and unprofitable owing to the neglect by the teacher to keep

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the pupils mentally alert. Pupils do not receive sufficient training in questioning their classmates and in discussing important points arising out of the reading lesson, nor in giving explanations of the subject-matter of the paragraph or of the whole lesson under consideration. In individual schools, and often in certain large areas, the pupils read with a dreary, monotonous accent which seems to be part of the popular speech. In such localities the teacher needs to fight this tendency to deterioration, not only in the pupils but also in himself. In fact, in all schools the subject could profit by more attention to correct and pleasing accent. Comprehension of the passages read is very poor in some schools. From the first the pupil should be trained to look for the meaning of the sentence or passage as a whole. In the lower classes constant practice is necessary in reading aloud in order to ensure that the child can recognize words and speak them accurately. With older children an additional aim in view is to ensure that the pupils appreciate the literary excellence of the passage read. The plan of breaking up the class into sections for reading and allowing the better readers to work by themselves, even if used only occasionally in the infants' classes, should be adopted with increasing frequency in the standards. It makes considerable demands on the skill and resource of the teacher, but the risks of partial failure are less harmful than the certainty of concealed inattention, which will be the case if the reading lesson consists solely of allowing child after child to read aloud a few lines in turn. A bright scholar largely teaches himself to read after very little direct instruction. The best use is not made of the time allotted to silent reading unless tests are applied and reasonable care taken to ensure that the pupils are reading with profit. It is gratifying to note an increase in the number of school libraries, but in a large number of schools the grant of 3d. per head has not been expended. We would again stress the imperative need for the greatest care in the selection of the school library. Most teachers seem unaware of the extraordinary output of wholly interesting books in geography, history, science, and nature-study. There is 110 subject the teaching of which a modern library does not illumine and complete. Yet our school libraries continue to be absolutely dominated by fiction. Perhaps our training colleges could build up a special library of school-books so that the young teacher could carry away with him a list of the most valuable. Recitation ranges from moderate to good. After lack of expression, the chief weakness is poor memorization. In some schools the pieces are never thoroughly learned or revised frequently enough to keep them fresh in the pupil's memories. Probably far too much time is allowed for the learning of a poem —weeks, when days should suffice. The children lose all interest in it long before they reach the end. Few teachers ask their pupils to learn the poem as a whole, but follow the time-honoured custom of a verse per week. The name of the author should be known, and the main " pictures "in them should be understood as far as children can appreciate them. There is very little variety in the selection of pieces. Few teachers appear to purchase books containing suitable selections of poetrv, or even to make a collection of such pieces, but are content to take those they find in the reading-book or in the School Journal. Opinions may differ greatly as to the type of poetry suitable for senior pupils, but undoubtedly the best type for young children is narrative poetry in the form of ballad, and. that descriptive of the more striking aspects of nature and of experiences of childhood. With the seniors, a poem which in one school and under one teacher may be keenl)' appreciated, in another may prove a failure. Many pieces, like Gray's " Elegy " and some of the rhetorical passages from Shakespeare, presuppose a much riper experience of life than children generally possess, but the music of such verse may captivate the mind of the child. Teachers would be well advised to consider the subject thoughtfully and select pieces which the pupils will like, which can be readily learned and understood, and which contain gems of language and, to some extent, of thought. Above all, the work of poets now living should not be neglected. Different rhythms should be carefully studied, and much practice given in the reading of poetry for the sake of the rhythm and the music ; and the poems of one vear, if of good quality, should certainly be revised in the next. The practice of allowing pupils to select their own pieces without guidance of the teacher is of doubtful value. Oral expression in its various forms varies from very good to moderate. Although much of the inferior speech is found in the country schools, there are several schools in rural areas which are bright exceptions. The dominating factor in determining the result is undoubtedly the teacher, and it is doubtful whether a teacher with slovenly speech should be employed, for the effect of bad example is so pernicious as to cause the habit to be well nigh ineradicable once it has been formed. It is a sound dictum that there should be no impression without its corresponding expression. Yet we find teachers permitting pupils to read silently in a desultory fashion ; they frequently have no definite object in view, such as the oral reproduction of the matter in the form of a lecturette or as argument during a debate or in essay form. Such purposeless reading is often worse than valueless, for it engenders and fosters an inattentive habit of mind. The ideal to aim at is the reproduction of several pages of printed matter after a single reading ; with systematic training this is within the powers of almost every child. Spelling is in general a satisfactory subject; it is weak in those schools where direct teaching is not adopted. Where education extends over many years, and is largely concerned with book learning, spelling is often learned unconsciously, but owing to the short time during which the pupils attend the primary schools it is impossible to dispense with direct instruction. In addition to giving attention to selected lists of words, the intelligent teacher will deal with spelling during the course of the reading, the composition, and other lessons. In particular the pupils should receive much practice in the spelling of familiar names and terms in geography, history, and science, and the pronunciation and the spelling of Maori words should not be neglected. Divorcing spelling from reading and composition renders the task of learning to spell unduly burdensome both for child and teacher. The good teacher will have no difficulty in making the teaching of spelling through other subjects thoroughly systematic though apparently incidental. Teachcrs are still found who use dictation as a means of teachingspelling instead of as a means of testing it. In some quarters the traditional method in the dictation exercise is giving place to a method which develops concentrated attention : the paragraph or page is

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read as a whole, and the pupils required to rewrite it, as closely as possible to the original, after the one reading. The advocates of this method claim that the ordinary dictation lesson has no virtue in the teaching of spelling. In teaching spelling and word-building insufficient attention is given to the teaching of prefixes and suffixes and to the roots of common words. Experiments in spelling and dictation would be welcomed. Writing. —The standard of writing varies a good deal from school to school. Much of it lacks that regularity, uniformity, and care which comes of systematic teaching and insistence upon neatness in all written work. Many regard it merely as a means to an end, and not as in itself a training in the formation of character and in the development of taste. Print writing in the standard classes seems to be on the ebb ; the first wave of enthusiasm has spent itself. Teachers have been unnerved by public criticism of the innovation. Many have introduced it without having studied the fundamentals underlying the successful teaching of the subject. Without system the subject is chaotic ; with system it can be a thing of beauty, fostering neatness, precision, despatch, and artistry. In the primer departments, because of its obvious advantages, print will continue to be taught. In Standards I and II there is a great lack of uniformity in the writing, due largely to the variation in practice in teaching the subject. Some use copybooks —most do not; some use lead-pencils in both classes, others pens in both ; the pupils in some Standard I classes are required to use single-lined paper, while others write between double lines even in Standard 111. Lead-pencils and double-lined paper might well be used in Standard I, the best writers being allowed to use pens towards the end of the year. In Standard II pens should be used with double-lined paper till the middle of the year, and subsequently all work should be done on single-lined paper. Judging by the marks awarded to pupils in the periodical examinations in this subject, some teachers have a poor appreciation of what good work is. When copybooks were in general use it is probable that the headlines in them served as a useful standard to aid the teacher's judgment of the quality of the writing in his school or class. In the highest standards some very good writing is done, more especially in the large schools ; possibly the formal formation of letters is persisted in too long, for when the child leaves school there comes a break before a running hand is developed, a.nd as a consequence the public bemoans the fact that the writing of the son is vastly inferior to that of the father. Perhaps so ; but the ultimate product may not be. Possibly the transition period should begin earlier, when the pupils are still under the teacher's care and instruction. Composition is improving, and in few schools is it unsatisfactory. In the primer classes oral composition is well taught, but in Standards I and II there are serious defects in the teaching of this branch. For purposes of instruction the plan of calling upon some one or two children to give a full connected account of any lesson is preferable to the method of question and answer ; the latter is more appropriate to examination than to teaching. In these classes also too much written composition is done. Glover's English Class-books and Nisbet's Self-help English Cards will be found to be extremely useful to the teacher in both oral and written composition. Essay-writing in Standards 111 to VI is on the whole good, especially in those schools where the instruction has not been of too formal a nature. Imaginative subjects are generally well done, but the progress in this type appears to have been at the expense of another type, the descriptive. Pupils are seldom able to give (say) a clear concise description of some industrial process, or to give explicit directions for making a garden, without being subject to serious literary lapses. The. revolt against the wholly prosaic essay of former years appears to have swept away the little good that was commingled with the much bad ; it now appears necessary to reinstate that good. The essays of many pupils are too short, and this largely because the teacher cramps their flow of words. If a pupil writes with such zeal that the subject becomes breathlessly interesting, he may write page after page without effort. But if his mind is centred upon spellings, handwriting, and the mechanical side of composition, his matter becomes more correct and less interesting. Quantity of work leads to quality, and not vice versa. We frequently hear teachers say, "Do ten lines well rather than fifty lines badly." Such a teacher is apt to forget that the pupil who writes a little invariably does it with painful effort. There is always hope for the boy or girl whose literary output is prodigal. In letter-writing originality and brightness of expression are very rare —formalism holds sway ; but this, unfortunately, is not displayed where one might reasonably expect to find it—in the superscription and the conclusion. The very appearance of a letter should be attractive. Grammar is taught with a fair measure of success. Too much attention is given to analysis and too little to sentence-structure. If each passage used for analysis were reconstructed and the pupils led to see the reasons for the placing of the clauses they would gain some ideas of sentence-structure, and their composition exercises would improve accordingly. Analysis, moreover, is still taught too much by rule of thumb ; too frequently the " hunt " for sign words supplants reasoning ; a clause introduced by " where " is immediately set down as an adverbial one. This kind of teaching renders the study of the subject valueless. Arithmetic continues to be a strong subject, but inaccuracy is still too common. This is probably due to faulty teaching in Standard I. Too many teachers still persist in this class in dealing with large incomprehensible numbers before their pupils have received a thorough grounding in the smallnumber work in the form of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division tables —the foundation of all sound arithmetic. It is doubtful whether too much is not expected in the way of number work from pupils preparing for Standard I. The work is done at the expense of the pupils' manual dexterity ; of his physique, as that is fostered by dancing, organized games, and play ; and of his intelligence, in so far as that is developed by reading, acting, and discussion. In Standard I oral arithmetic is often weak ; this is due largely to the fact that the teacher relies too much on an arithmetic-book, the pupils being condemned to spend nearly an hour a day attempting to work problems, instead of occupying their time with tables and straightforward mechanical work. In the upper classes the work varies considerably from school to school, but it is generally of a high standard.

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It is, as a rule, neatly set out: the use of a column on the left or right of the page, instead of scraps of paper, for detailed calculations is fairly well established. Teachers have recognized that clearness of arrangement is conducive to clearness of thinking. The setting forth of a problem might well be regarded as an exercise in clear and orderly English. Geography is, in general, a well-taught subject, but a surprising number oi teachers do not recognize that it should be taught on a scientific basis, for there is still a good deal of work done that is the mere memorizing of unrelated facts. The ready access that teachers and scholars have to text-books written in good literary style should have a beneficial influence. Comparatively little practical work is done, and such maps as the pupils make are seldom designed to illustrate important geographical truths. The political map is good, but maps showing elevation, rainfall, products, density of population, means of communication, &c., should be constructed, and the clos.e inter-relation of these things should be noted. Even in Standards 111 and IV a beginning on these lines might be made in connection with the study of New Zealand. In Standards V and VI similar maps would show the close relationship existing between geographical facts and historical movements and incidents. The schemes of work in this subject are often drawn up with little intelligence and skill : a definite portion[of world geography is taken each year, but provision is seldom made for revising the preceding year's work. As a result, it is frequently found that the pupils in Standard VI have but a meagre knowledge of New Zealand and Australian geography. History is a disappointing but improving subject. In the best schools good progress is made but in too large a number the pupils' knowledge is meagre and uncertain. There is a lack of vigorous oral instruction ; but even where the oral lesson is given teachers frequently fail to supplement, it by allowing the pupils to read from a suitable text-book. Complete and full oral answers are not asked for as often as they should be ; in testing their classes a number of teachers ask too many questions, and thus unintentionally supply information which should come from the pupils. We should like to see more attention paid to the history of the Dominion, and to world history in relation to it. The teaching of civics is too often dry and uninteresting, and consists in the memorizing of certain facts that are often quite unintelligible to the pupils. To lecture on this subject to children of from eleven to fourteen is often futile, and is certain evidence that the lecturer knows little of child pyschology. The only really effective way to treat much of this work is by dramatization. It is to be regretted, too, that in many schools little notice is taken of current events —of history and geography in the making. Much may be learned per medium of a pair of scissors applied to the daily newspapers. Notwithstanding the adverse criticism written herein, we are of opinion that history has received more attention during the past year than it did formerly, and that the general level of attainment is higher than in previous years. Drawing and Handwork. —In very few schools can it bejsaid. thatjdrawingjisjgood, or even satisfactory. In general, the instruction is not skilful, thejobjects are not well chosen or carefully graded, and the pupils' work is often of poor quality in respect to proportion, quality of line, finish, and general attractiveness. No other subject in the curriculum is so calculated to develop good taste ; yet even in otherwise good schools much of the drawing is very crude, and destitute of any artistic value. The scope of the treatment is too limited ; little opportunity is afforded the child of expressing its own view of. what it sees. Still more infrequently does one find a pupil being allowed to develop his natural bent. If a boy shows bent as a comic artist, a cartoonist, a landscape-painter, or a designer {e.g., of linoleum or wall-paper patterns), why should he be denied the exercise of his art 1 An art training does not consist simply in drawing in outline a bucket or a broom. Some formal instruction there must be, but it should not, as it is at present, be restrictive ; it should be imparted to teach the principles underlying the art. If true education consists in revealing to the pupil the powers that lie latent within him and encouraging the development of these powers, then the teaching of drawing must be considered at the present ineffective. There seems also to be an inclination to neglect simple geometrical and instrumental drawing. Many children in Standard VI are quite ignorant of the meaning of such common terms as vertical, horizontal, a.nd oblique lines, isosceles triangle, &c. The " plan and elevation" question set in the synchronous Proficiency Examination was apparently new to many. The liberal use of colour in geometrical drawing, and the practical application of the subject to design and handwork, would much enhance its popularity and effectiveness. Handwork that is really educational is not a popular subject. It is a rare experience to find a country teacher teaching woodwork, and yet country boys would derive invaluable benefit from a good course of instruction in this subject. Nature-study. —The instruction in this subject depends for its success upon the enthusiasm of the teacher, and naturalists in the service are very rare. So, too, is interesting work. The seasons, the parts of a plant, the dispersal of seeds, and suchlike topics form the scheme in most schools for primers, Standards I and 11, and sometimes for Standards 111 and IV also. The same topics are dealt with for two or three years, and must become very stale to the children. Nature-study in its wider and more interesting aspects is not touched. The birds of the district, their names, plumage, cries, nests, and habits ; the trees, the wild flowers, the weeds, and the insects do not receive due attention. A few schools, in charge of enthusiastic teachers, are working on good lines, and the pupils have made " discoveries " that are of great interest. The agricultural instructors might with advantage issue notes to teachers suggesting lines of study, and giving advice to those who are willing to do field-work but who are uncertain of the best means of carrying it out. Teachers might well read to their pupils nature stories written for children by keen naturalists. There are many books containing suitable stories that should find a place in the school library. Such would lead to more first-hand study than the usual school-room presentation of a nature-study topic.

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Singing is still the Cinderella subject of the curriculum. In a large percentage of our schools the subject is badly taught; in some it is not taught at all. Very seldom is there an attempt at imparting systematic instruction on a definite plan, progressive from class to class ; the work of Standard I often suffices for Standard VI. In the former class, indeed, the vocal work is often better, for the reason that the spoiling process has not gone so far. There is no reason why almost every class-teacher should not have at least a dozen songs on his list, and in the upper standards there should be at least two part-songs. A lesson of fifteen minutes each day is preferable to one or two long lessons weekly. The excessive use of the piano and of vocal support on the part of the teacher is of doubtful value ; it often fosters flat singing by the children. Improvement is urgently needed in this subject; the remedy seems to lie in following in the footsteps of other countries by appointing experts to train our teachers and to supervise the instruction, not only in vocalization but in musical knowledge and appreciation. In schools where the staff possesses a first-class teacher in this subject it would be well if the supervising and perhaps the greater part of the practical work were delegated to him. Health and Temperance. —These subjects are included in the courses of work in all schools, and are taught, incidentally, when opportunities offer or in special lessons. The Service. During the course of this report we have deemed it desirable to point out for the consideration of teachers what we consider to be weaknesses in the teaching of the different subjects. We desire to express our hearty appreciation of the good work done by teachers, and of their earnest efforts in the cause of education. TARANAKI. Schools. .During the year 1924 there were open in this district 173 public primary schools and sixteen private schools. Of the public schools fourteen were in Grade 0. Most of these were in remote areas not near other schools, and consequently we had no opportunity of inspecting any of them. All the schools above Grade 0 were visited at least once, and the great majority more than once. In accordance with the Department's arrangements we inspected also nine schools in the Wanganui District, and the Wanganui Inspectors visited seven Taranaki schools. Our Teachers. In Taranaki, at the end of 1924, 342 teachers were employed in our public schools. In addition, there were sixty-two pupil-teachers and probationers. Most of the uncertificated teachers improved their examination status during the year; the services of some who did not were dispensed with by the Board. The Training and Instruction of Teachers. Throughout the year Saturday classes for the instruction of uncertificated teachers, pupilteachers, and probationers were conducted regularly at New Plymouth, Stratford, and Hawera. All pupil-teachers and probationers of the first year were required to attend these classes ; those that had passed in any subject were freed from a second year's instruction in that subject. The only subject that seems to need greater attention is geometrical drawing. The instructors conducted these classes with interest and zeal, and many of the students attained improved status through examinations. Once again we carried on our plan of grouping our junior teachers in centres for criticism lessons, and again we are bound to express our opinion of the high value of these lessons to the trainees, and of their importance as a factor in developing confidence and teaching-skill. A most successful summer school for uncertificated teachers was held in New Plymouth during the latter part of January. Meetings with Teachers. Throughout the year the Senior Inspector met with the teachers at different centres in the district, and laid before them suggestions for securing more efficient service. The establishment of a teachers' library in New Plymouth has supplied a ready and convenient means of circulating professional books and magazines amongst the teachers. In this movement the Board and the Educational Institute showed a fine spirit of co-operation. Advance in Educational Methods. Our more thoughtful teachers are by their wise reading keeping abreast of progressive movements in education. We should like to see their number steadily increase. We still find in some schools a " speeding up " of the pupils, and a feverish preparation of special display for the Inspector's visit. And after that visit work may go on almost anyhow ; the stimulus to secure results is gone. Not a few of our teachers, some in large schools, some in small, are trying experiments in methods of teaching in such subjects as spelling, and writing, and composition, often with happy results. We are glad to find our young teachers from the training college eager to press forward in methods and to acquire skill in dealing with each subject effectively.

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Model School. The model country school at Stratford continued its operations throughout the year, and undoubtedly its efficiency is gradually improving. Some thirty-two teachers visited the school during the year, each spending from three days to a fortnight there. The succeeding efforts on the part of some of these showed improvement in their powers of handling their classes. The observation school at Moturoa was also visited by several teachers, and the free methods in use there appealed greatly to most of the visitors. We should welcome an extension of these methods throughout the district. Infant-rooms. In general, the infant divisions of our schools have been very well taught, and in all our largest schools, at least, the most modern methods have been adopted with entire success. Indeed, in no other department of our school-work has such progress been noted. It would appear that there is still ample scope for experimentation in the management of, and methods adopted in, the middle and senior divisions. We are always pleased to record cases where initiative and originality have been shown. We express the hope that during the forthcoming year some of our most capable teachers will be willing, even in the face of probable failure, to try out such new methods as may appear to them worthy of experiment. So might progress in the upper divisions keep pace with that in the infant division. In all the larger schools the head teachers should take the greatest care to secure continuity of work and treatment of lessons when pupils pass out of the primer classes into the junior division. There should be close co-operation between the teachers of-the highest primer class and Standard I, especially in such subjects as spelling, writing, and number work. Otherwise the pupils from the primer classes are hindered in their progress, and seem to be less well prepared than they really are. Schemes of Work and Work-book. Teachers are realizing more and more that, if properly drawn up, their schemes and work-books, instead of being a useless waste of time and energy, may become not only important aids in the successful carrying-on of the school-work, but will also enable more thoughtful treatment to be meted out to the various subjects of the syllabus. Where the courses to be covered, the methods to be adopted, and the aims are carefully considered beforehand it is self-evident that in the course of a year much unnecessary waste of time may be saved and much purposeless teaching avoided. If the scheme-books have been fully drawn up so as to show in detail the steps of the methods employed, much unnecessary daily repetition of method and treatment can be avoided. , Proficiency Examinations. The percentage of passes was somewhat greater this year than in previous years, mainly due to the evenness of the tests in arithmetic. The system of accrediting pupils was again adopted. For the purposes of arriving at a correct estimate of a pupil's attainment marks allotted by teachers were taken into consideration where such marks were found reliable. We would impress upon teachers the necessity for exercising greater care in awarding marks, not only in the case of Standard VI pupils but also throughout the school. In every case written tests were set in history, civics, geography, science, and hygiene, and the marks awarded by the instructors in cookery, woodwork, and agriculture were taken into account in the award of certificates. Physical Instruction. It is pleasing that we are able to say that most of our schools devote much attention to the physical well-being of their pupils. By organized games for both boys and girls, by the ordinary physical exercises, and in less degree by attention to posture in school and out of school, the pupils are afforded opportunities for developing their bodies in healthy fashion. The greatest weakness lies in the smallest schools, where it is not easy to organize games which may be played by boys and girls together. Next year we expect to find in every school visited by a physical instructor a report on the value of the instruction given in the school. Once again we place on record our opinion that- a physical instructor should be stationed in Taranaki. Temperance Teaching. In a gseat number of our schools this subject receives full attention, though we must admit that the degree of attention depends largely upon the personality of the teacher. Our tests, as set to Standards V and VI, usually reveal that the pupils have a good knowledge of the instruction given in Pamphlet 13. But in some cases we feel that the instruction is given only perfunctorily. Self-government and Discipline. In an increasing number of our schools are being tried experiments in self-government by the pupils, usually with the happiest of results. In these schools the discipline practically establishes itself, and the pupils are contented and eager to learn. Frayed nerves do not exist amidst such conditions, and a sound working-spirit prevails generally. In a few other schools neither teachers nor pupils have yet distinguished between freedom of action and inattention and time-wasting frivolity.

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Subjects of Instruction. Reading. —A very steady improvement in the teaching of this subject has been noticeable through the year, especially with respect to the comprehension of reading-matter and an appreciation of beauty in expression. A very common source of faulty, mechanical reading lies in pressing children forward too fast into difficult books. In such cases children, finding the phrase beyond them, revert to the word as a unit, and produce as a result reading without fluency, expression, or understanding. As it is the business of the teacher to teach all pupils to speak standard English, and to speak it clearly and with expression, the teacher must be ever on the alert to correct such errors as constantly drift into the pupils' speech. It is suggested that for reading purposes larger classes might very well be divided into sections, the brighter pupils being allowed to read silently by themselves, while the teacher devotes more attention to the dull and backward. In this way the better readers will cover much more literary matter in the course of the year, while the others will be benefited by the greater attention received. Writing. Last year we reported adversely on the quality of writing in our schools : this year we have to report that no advance has been made. Indeed, to such an extent has this subject deteriorated during the past few years that we intend to impose severe strictures on such schools as continue to produce work that is distinctly below average. Script-writing has been tried out with varying success. In some few cases excellent results have been obtained ; in other schools it is feared that prejudice has resulted in neglect. Whichever system (script or cursive) is adopted, there must be definite and persistent teaching. No scribbling should be allowed in any exercise written in the school; neatness should always be insisted on. Dictation and Spelling.—Greater accuracy in the spelling and dictation tests has been in evidence during the year. Teachers are beginning to realize that children have no interest in words when divorced from their context, and hence the practice of drawing up long lists of words and submitting these as the course in spelling is to be roundly condemned. Most of the spelling required can be taught in connection with the reading and the composition, in which subjects words well within the comprehension of the children can be best dealt with. A teacher should not be too ready to correct mistakes in spelling occurring in the composition exercise. It is much better, especially in the higher classes, to require the child to use a dictionary wherewith to make his own corrections. Where this plan is adopted the children become more self-reliant, and at the same time acquire the habit of using a book of reference. There is still too much tendency to regard errors in spelling in other written exercises as less faulty than errors in the set spelling exercises. A wise teacher pays special attention to such errors, keeps a list of them, teaches the words, and makes them the basis of future tests. Only by repetition can the necessary familiarity with form and the necessary muscular action of writing the words be correctly attained. Composition. —This subject is well handled in many of our schools, but, nevertheless, in a considerable number the written essays are often of a stilted and scrappy nature, clear evidence that sufficient attention has not been given to oral expression throughout the school. If our composition is ever to reach a high standard more actual teaching must be undertaken with a view to widening the vocabulary of the child and giving him a good command over his mother-tongue. This can be best secured by cutting down long written exercises to a minimum, and spending more time over oral instruction. Almost every lesson affords ample scope for training in free expression, and the teacher who does not avail himself of it is certainly losing a golden opportunity whereby the child would gain the power to express himself freely and fully. The crudeness of some of the essay work in the upper standards is unpardonable in these days of cheap books and well-established school libraries. Punctuation. —Although this might well be dealt with under the heading of " Composition," yet we feel that it is of sufficient importance to warrant a special reference. Seldom does punctuation receive sufficient treatment in our schools, and it is sometimes lamentable to see the lack of knowledge with regard to it, as evidenced in the essay-writing. Correct punctuation is comparatively easy of attainment even in Standard 111 if taken in conjunction with the reading lesson and the essay work. The importance of the blackboard in demonstration cannot be exaggerated. Arithmetic. —In the teaching of number work a very considerable improvement (especially in the infant division of our schools) can be recorded. At the expense of repetition we cannot too strongly emphasize the necessity for accuracy in calculation throughout the standard classes. In the lower classes we find that the tendency is to overdo the concrete and neglect the abstract, the resultant consequence being slowness in making ready calculations in small numbers. The foundation of success in arithmetic in the upper standards ought to be laid in the lower classes : to that end the memory of the child should be called upon as an aid —in short, tables should be thoroughly memorized. Mental arithmetic shoidd be more frequently given—not mental gymnastics, but such calculations as might be expected to arise in the everyday life of the average adult. In some cases, too, the exercises given have little or no relation to the written arithmetic exercises of the day. History. —Very seldom have we cause to complain of the unsatisfactory nature of the course drawn up by the teacher in this subject. We find that the failure to teach history successfully does not arise so much from the want of a suitable programme as from the lack of skilful treatment of the work undertaken. Many teachers are still inclined to depend too much on the lecture method only. The children themselves must take an active part in the lesson, and not be mere passive listeners. These activities can best be stimulated by children being called upon to ask questions, tell stories, act the parts, and by drawing, modelling, and writing stories. We are sure also that in some schools not enough use is made of maps, pictures, and charts as teaching-aids. In most of our schools suitable courses in

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civics are followed, but the treatment of the topics is often hard and dry. We are pleased to state that it is probable that the syllabus in history will be remodelled, and that more time will be allotted to this subject. Geography.—A departure from the old methods of teaching geography has been noted, and in but few schools has the subject been inefficiently taught. In most schools importance has been attached to the correlation of geography and history, and by pictures and other means the geography lesson has been made a live one —one approached by pupils and teachers alike with pleasure. The old methods of wearisome note-taking are gradually disappearing under pressure from the more interesting graphic methods in use in our best schools. We are not satisfied, however, with the courses prescribed generally for Standards IV and 111, where these two classes are grouped for the subject. In addition to covering Standard 111 work, the syllabus of work for Standard IV should be extended so as to give the children a much more extensive knowledge of the world than can be gained by cursorily covering for a second year the geography of New Zealand. We propose issuing for the guidance of our teachers some notes showing how the course for Standards 111 and IV might be improved. Drawing.—The work in this subject, generally speaking, leaves room for improvement. Many of the exercises presented in books are beautifully set out and finished, but we feel that too much time is devoted to the finish of the drawing and too little to the teaching of the principles on which the exercises are founded. It is most important that the children should show facility in rapid reproduction of an exercise that has been practised step by step. Many of our schools present for the various classes a wisely graded scheme which enables the teachers to follow up a well-defined course of instruction in each class : where this is done the treatment of this subject leaves little to be desired. Every one of our teachers should closely study the excellent notes on the teaching of free drawing as published in different issues of the Education Gazette for 1924. Not all our teachers realize that drawing is a means of self-expression, and that each child should be afforded ample opportunity for such expression. The programmes for each term should include practice in freehand and instrumental drawing and in colour and design. In future we shall expect to see more attention paid to instrumental drawing from Standard I upwards. Singing. —We feel that the value of singing as a cultural subject is not appreciated to its full extent, and consequently the teaching of it is taken up seriously by only a few teachers. The syllabus of instruction laid down is an excellent one, but we are doubtful if the majority of teachers have had sufficient training to enable them to treat the subject successfully. However, much more than at present could be done, and we expect teachers to pay greater attention to singing (including voice-production) during the coming year. Part singing also deserves more attention. In our larger schools much might be made of fife and bugle and drum. School bands could be quite successfully carried on. A few of our progressive schools make excellent use of the gramophone in developing musical appreciation. Nature-study and Agriculture. —The character of tbs work in nature-study and agriculture is gradually undergoing a change in the schools. Teachers are realizing what a force these subjects can be in the intellectual development of the individual, and how sound work in these subjects must result in the development of citizens with a fuller interest in natural production and social organization. The training in scientific method is considered most important, and efforts are being made in developing habits of scientific thought by judicious discussion and note-taking. The notebooks are a record of the changed attitude towards the work, and show quite definite advancement. Isolated schemes for each division in the school have been replaced by schemes continuous throughout the whole school, but with difficulties graduated to suit the different divisions. These schemes are producing greater efficiency. Correlation between school-work and the work of the district is being encouraged, and is giving a broader outlook to the scholars. This is in some cases resulting in the recognition by the teacher of the bias of the child mind, and effort is then made to develop this bias along natural lines. Work of Organizing Teachers. The improvement in the quality of the work of those schools under the instruction of the two organizing teachers has been very marked. We desire to specially recognize the good work of these two organizers, who have ungrudgingly given of their best throughout the year, and often under conditions that bring upon them very considerable discomfort. Their reward, however, lies in the gratefulness of teachers and in the knowledge that the pupils under their supervision have made sound progress throughout the year. Every visit we pay to the schools under the organizing teachers reveals the throughness and the efficiency of their services. School Buildings and Grounds. During the year the Board, guided by the practical advice of its architect, continued its policy of remodelling unsuitable school-buildings. We have nothing but praise for the improvements so effected, and hope to see the policy continued as far as funds permit. Owing to increased interest in the appearance of the schools and their surroundings—interest fostered by the helpful advice of the Board's agricultural instructors —during the year steady improvement was effected in the laying-out and general care of the grounds. But we still have sites to which nothing has been done for years, and these are an eyesore to all that pass by. Conclusion. Once again we would place on record our sense of the value of the hearty co-operation of the Board and all its officers throughout the year. To all our proposals full consideration was given, and our thanks are due for the interest shown and the help afforded,

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WANGANUI. Inspection. The exchange of districts entailed much extra travelling, and the Inspectors were compelled to modify considerably their usual itineraries. Of the twenty-six Grade 0 schools, eleven were visited at least once. Of schools above Grade 0, thirty-six received only one visit ; the remaining schools were visited twice, while nine schools received three visits. Two schools in exchanged territory received only one visit, being closed at the time of the Inspector's round. Including private schools and " exchanged " schools, 401 visits of inspection and examination were made. For one week Mr. Buckle, an English Inspector, was associated with the Inspectors of the district. His criticisms and suggestions were found very helpful and inspiring. General Efficiency of the Schools. From a scrutiny of the year's reports, including those of the four groups of Inspectors from other districts who worked this year in the Wanganui District, we estimate the general efficiency of the schools of Grade I and upwards as follows : Good to excellent, 51 ; satisfactory, 124 ; lower than satisfactory, 4 : total, 179. Of the eleven Grade 0 schools visited, four are classified as good, the remainder satisfactory. Proficiency Examination. The whole of the examinations were conducted by the Inspectors personally, and as far as possible at the schools attended by the pupils. To enable this to be done in outlying parts of the district the Inspectors' itinerary was drawn up to make the second visit of the Inspector sufficiently late in the year for schools so placed. The Proficiency Examination then formed part of the inspection visit. In the larger centres central examinations were conducted by the Inspectors. A special visit was made for this purpose, the Standard VI pupils of adjoining schools being collected at a convenient centre. In addition to the above, the head teacher's estimates and standard of marking were reviewed, and in some cases accredited certificates were awarded. No synchronous examinations were held. Schooi. Organization. In general we have been satisfied with the organization of the schools, the distribution of the staff, and the arrangement of the work. By the adoption of composite classes and whatever other plans may have appeared suitable the attempt has been made to keep classes as far as possible at a maximum roll of sixty. Owing to the quickly growing school population in some centres, the migratory habits of the people, and the limitations imposed by the sizes of rooms, it has often been found impossible to keep classes at the desired maximum even when suitable organization has been adopted. The Department's approval of the appointment of additional assistants has been of the greatest service in reducing the size of the classes. A very pleasing feature of the organization has been the subdivision of large classes into three groups each fairly homogeneous with respect to a.bility. By this means the teacher has been able to make closer contact with those members of the class who require special teaching, while opportunities for auto-education have been afforded to the more intelligent pupils. This plan has enabled the teachers to some extent to overcome the inherent weaknesses of the classteaching system and to give opportunities of rapid promotion to brilliant pupils. Organizing Teachers. We are pleased to be able again to commend the work of the organizing teachers. The work done by these officers in the backblock schools and with untrained and inexperienced teachers can hardly be too highly praised. District High Schools. During the year secondary classes were conducted at the following schools : Marton, Taihape, Bull's, Hunterville, Ohakune, and Patea. The first year's work consists mainly of a generalized course, including English, mathematics (chiefly of a practical nature), science, manual work, history, geography, and generally French. In almost every case students who remain for more than one year desire to sit for one or other of the public examinations. The courses for the second, third, and fourth years, therefore, are based on the requirements of the Public Service Entrance and Matriculation Examinations. The efficiency of the work done has been in direct proportion to the Board's success in securing adequate staffing. As in previous years, great difficulty has been experienced in obtaining suitable and permanent teachers for all the district high schools but one. It would appear that district-high-school work does not make a strong appeal to teachers who possess the necessary academical equipment for secondary teaching. Instruction of Pupil-teaciiers and Probationers. While we were not in every case satisfied with the instruction of these trainees as revealed at our visits to the schools, we are of opinion that the attention given to this important work is decidedly improving. The criticisms and instructions given to head teachers should result in quite satisfactory work in this respect in the ensuing year. Educational Experiments. Every opportunity is given to suitable teachers to conduct experiments in educational method, the results of which, after careful investigation and evaluation, are communicated, through the Leaflet or otherwise, to the teachers of the district. In general it has been, our practice to conduct annually at least one experiment or investigation on a fairly large scale. This year, however, owing to the exchange of Inspectors, nothing of this kind has been taken up.

7—E. 2.

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School Environment. In practically every school a plan of the grounds has been prepared showing the improvements already effected and mapping out definite schemes for the future. By the adoption of this system continuity of work in the improvement of the environment is being achieved, and a definite objective is placed before the Committee and the teacher. This has resulted in great activity on such matters as levelling grounds, laying out gardens and lawns, and the planting of shrubs and trees. Full advantage is taken of the Arbor Day function. For a week beforehand special lessons are given on subjects connected with plant-life, tree-planting, forests in relation to climate and industry, and the like. Arbor Day itself is in most school districts a community function, and is celebrated as a most important occasion. Manual and Technical Classes. Woodwork. —We have been well pleased with the work of the woodwork classes. Practical work has been carried out on rational lines, and the neatness both of the models and of the drawing is commendable. At the beginning of the year a general scheme was drawn up in co-operation by the instructors and the Senior Inspector. In this it was sought to co-ordinate the work in drawing of the instructors and that of the class-teachers. This scheme is to be carried out for two years, when it will be revised, if necessary. We should like to see more freedom of choice given to the boys in the choice of the models to be made. Cookery.—We are satisfied that the girls are receiving useful practical instruction in cookery, but it appeared to us that the more scientific a.spect of the instruction was being somewhat neglected. With a view to improvement in this respect a new course of work was prepared at the beginning of the year. Like the woodwork scheme, this is to be revised, if necessary, after two years. We are looking for a lead in this respect from the Department's recently appointed officer in charge of the work. Destination oe Standard VI and other Pupils. The following statistics refer to pupils who left school at the end of 1923 or during 1924. They have been compiled from material supplied by the head and sole teachers. Compared with the total number of pupils in Standard VI of 1923, they show that of those pupils who gained proficiency or endorsed competency, or who were recommended for secondary work on their competency certificates by the Senior Inspector, 66 per cent, took up some form of secondary education. (1.) Number of 1923 Standard VI pupils who undertook some form of secondary education during 1924: College or secondary school, 270; district high school, 136; technical school or college, 299 ; Standard VII in own or other school, 26 : total, 731. (2.) Repeated Standard VI work, 100. (3.) Occupations of 1923 Standard VI or other pupils who left school at the end of 1923 or during 1924 : Postal service, 29 ; Railway service, 8 ; factory, 26 ; farm-work, 148 ; domestic service, 71 ; domestic work at own home, 188 ; sawmill, 9 ; carpenter, 18 ; painter, 8; clerk, 15; shop-assistant, 61; plumber, 11; baker, 4; miscellaneous or unknown, 70 : total, 666. Subjects op Instruction. Reading.—During our visits we found among a large proportion of teachers a disposition to widen the range of the reading-matter. This is a commendable feature of the work, and is largely due to the great extension of class libraries mentioned in our last report. Very careful attention continues to be given to " comprehension," while the elocutionary aspect of the reading continues to be quite satisfactory. Speech-training.— Some slight faults of pronunciation were observed, and poor enunciation arising out of slothfulness rather than ignorance. We did not, however, find anything to cause alarm. Teachers have already been directed to give special attention to this matter during the ensuing year. Spelling--This subject is, in general, quite satisfactory. We find, however, in a number of cases that insufficient attention is given to the words which belong to the child's own vocabulary. It is evident that this is sometimes due to inadequate correction of written exercises, and failure to drill the individual child sufficiently in the correction of his own errors. Writing.—Where this subject is really taught from the blackboard we have little or no fault to find. We notice, however, that where the pupils' books show excess of exercises in mere transcription without adequate blackboard work the writing is poor. The faults in this subject arise, in our opinion, from the following causes (other than that already mentioned) : Poor discipline, wrong posture in desk, wrong position of book, wrong method of holding pen, unsuitable pens. A scrutiny of the proficiency schedules (both those of the district Inspectors and those of exchange Inspectors) shows that the writing of Standard VI pupils must be regarded as very satisfactory. Seldom do we find less than 60 per cent, of marks, while many of the marks given range from 75 to 85 per cent. Composition.—We feel that much still remains to be done to bring this subject up to a really satisfactory condition. In some cases wo find that the subject is not really taught; in others, that the child is not being allowed full and free expression of his thoughts, but is being restricted to the use of some-preconceived form in the mind of the teacher. We should expect, from the extensive matter used for purposes of reading, that pupils would gain facility and force of expression. This is one of the uses of literature which the teacher is being constantly urged to turn to good account. Further help in composition should be looked for in oral discussion of the matter of the reading, geography, history, and nature-study lessons. This can only be done by the insistence on good continuous oral answers in preference to a brief reply to leading questions. Greater care should be taken in the selection of subjects, and the skeleton essay found in books of " English " should entirely disappear from the methods of teaching.

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Arithmetic. —The remarks made in our last report appear to have borne fruit, and we found_ generally an improved standard of work. There is still room, however, for a better interpretation of the syllabus than is found in some of the text-books, which teachers are prone to follow too closely, and for fuller and more systematic training in mental arithmetic. History and Geography. —We would like to see a stronger correlation between these two subjects, and a closer relation of both with literature. In the history we obtained better results in oral than in written work. The latter showed that more attention should be given to chronological treatment on broad lines, many of the mistakes in the written answers showing confusion in this respect. We have urged upon the teachers the necessity for building up a time chart in each class. We feel that many of the topics chosen are not the kind of material for the instruction of pupils of primary-school age. Steps have been taken to remedy this, and also to have incorporated in the schemes some of the more interesting, inspiring, and dramatic events of New Zealand history. We should like to be certain that all teachers are properly equipping themselves by study for the efficient teaching of history. In geography we find better treatment, of the subject in the larger schools than in the smaller schools, though in both we are of opinion that the work is scrappy and on too narrow lines. The correlation of physical with commercial and social geography is being better handled, but improvement in this respect is still overdue in some cases. We are strongly of opinion that geography is being robbed of its interest and utility by the weakness of the correlative link with history and literature. Drawing. —We find, on the whole, that execution is good and the matter varied. We are quite satisfied with this subject. Handwork. —We regret that we cannot say yet that handwork is being used generally with marked success as a method of instruction. The position, however, is improving. While we hope for continued progress in this respect, we are also anxious for the further development of that form of creative handwork which is largely its own end, and which is only indirectly connected with general educational method. Singing. —The work of a group of schools in one part of the district is worthy of commendation. In these schools the services of a professional musician have been secured, with the result that not only has the school singing been very greatly improved, but also that the teachers are becoming better equipped for this work. In the remaining schools we cannot, on the whole, regard the singing as better than fair. In the ensuing year it is hoped in the larger schools to ascertain who are the best teachers of this subject, and to suggest to head teachers that they be made responsible for the singing of the whole school. Physical Instruction. —The reports of the instructors in this subject show that good work is being done throughout the district, and this is borne out by our own observations. Needlework. —We still find difficulty in inducing many teachers to observe the requirements of the syllabus with respect to the class of work prescribed for the lowest classes. In many cases we found little children doing work of a character which should be deferred for two years at least. This is especially the case in country schools where outside sewing-mistresses are employed. The subject as a whole may be regarded as very fair to good. Health and Temperance. —Adequate attention is given to these subjects. HAWKE'S BAY. Number of Schools. The number of schools in operation at the end of the year was 216. These included 187 primary, eleven Roman Catholic, and eighteen registered private schools and primary departments of secondary schools. Inspection and Examination. For the most part the methods adopted in former years were followed in the inspection visits and in the conduct of the Proficiency Examination. All but three of the schools of Grade I and upwards Were inspected at least once, and as many as possible received two visits. A number of the schools in the southern end of this district were inspected by the Wanganui and Wellington Inspectors, while we visited a corresponding number of schools in their districts. The major portion of our time was devoted to demonstration and criticism of the methods of handling the various subjects of the syllabus, and we found the teachers as a body keen and anxious to put into operation any ideas gleaned during our visits. Examination of Standard VI. —As in previous years, the candidates for certificates in Standard VI were examined as far as possible in their own schools under the direct supervision of the Inspectors. In the more remote country schools, however, which Inspectors could not visit in November or December, a synchronous examination was arranged, and the passes were determined on the papers done then together with the work seen at the annual visit. The results are very creditable. The quality of the work submitted, both in the synchronous tests and in those conducted by Inspectors, was on the whole very pleasing, being neatly set out and fairly accurate. The main cause of failure was weakness in arithmetic, but this was not usually accompanied by strength in other subjects. Indeed, there are very few pupils who show marked weakness in arithmetic together with special merit in English work.

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General Efficiency. We are pleased to be able to record that the general efficiency of the schools is distinctly good. The results of the Proficiency Examination indicate that a high standard of attainment is reached, while the teaching in the remaining standards is thorough and efficient. The staffing is steadily improving, partly owing to a gradual increase in the number of young enthusiastic teachers from the training colleges, and partly owing to a steady reduction in the number of uncertificated teachers. The teachers are, for the most part, thoroughly enthusiastic and conscientious, and the district is indeed fortunate in securing the services of such a fine body of men and women working zealously in the cause of education. Largely owing to the efforts of the organizing teachers, distinct improvement is apparent in the work of the smaller schools, the classification being sound, methods of instruction efficient, and the enthusiasm of teachers and scholars well maintained. Full use is made by the teachers of the sound reference library at the office, while many of them are keeping closely in touch with recent publications on educational thought and method. Organization, etc. An investigation conducted by the Chief Inspector in the first half of the year showed that we had far too many classes of over sixty pupils. The evil has been partly remedied, and this year we expect the position to be much improved. Otherwise we found that, except in a few cases, the general organization and the distribution of the staffs were quite satisfactory. It is pleasing to find that a genuine attempt is now being made to secure more rapid promotion for the brighter pupils. With this end in view a number of teachers are trying to work the better pupils of one class along with those of the class above. This method works splendidly between Standards I and 11, between Standards 111 and IV, and between Standards V and VI, and it is now quite a common thing to find pupils passing through two classes in one year. Retardation. An investigation of the annual class lists for 1924 shows that the evil of retardation has not yet been eliminated from our schools. The reasons are no doubt similar to those that exist in other districts, chief amongst which are the distances that many of the pupils are from the school, and consequent high age of admission and subsequent irregular attendance. In the case of many schools we are not quite satisfied that the progress through the infant-room has been sufficiently rapid. This is borne out by the frequency with which head teachers in setting down the cause of retardation have said " Retarded in infant-room," or " Too long in infant-room." We note with pleasure, however, that in many cases the desire of the teachers to get the pupils through the infant department in two years is meeting with success. This is most pronounced in those schools where the teachers have spared no pains to provide plenty of apparatus for individual work, and are thus enabled to keep their pupils fully occupied at interesting and educative work throughout the clay. The following table, compiled from the annual class lists, shows the numbers of pupils over the age set down by the Department for each class, together with those who on the same standard may be regarded as " accelerates": —

It is instructive to note that of the 5,616 over-age pupils, 759 are retarded two years, 256 three years, 60 four years, and 7 five years ; while of the 985 " accelerates," 1 was three years ahead, 8 two years ahead, and the remainder one year. The numbers for Standard VI show similar retardation, the number passing at over fourteen years of age being 625 out of 1,247, while only 133 were under thirteen. District High Schools. There are at present five district high schools in this district, and, judging from the attendance, we gather that they are supplying a real need, and that the residents of the district fully appreciate their value. Fortunately, they are controlled by headmasters who possess sound professional qualifications, and who are thus well able to supervise and direct the work of the assistants. These, in many cases, are young teachers doing efficient work. The programme of work meets the requirements of the rural course, and wherever possible use is made of the itinerant instructors in science to supplement the work of the regular staff. Sound judgment has been exercised in making recommendations for senior free places, the work of the pupils for consideration reaching a distinctly good standard. Something yet remains to be done to increase accommodation and supply further facilities for scienceteaching in some of the centres. Subjects of Instruction. The work in most subjects is sound, and teachers generally are coming to see that there is something to be said for at least a partial return to the older standards of neatness and accuracy, and that

S5. S4. S3. S2. ' SI. P. Total. I J _J I Standard age .. .. 13 12 11 10 9 8 Roll number .. .. 1,462 1,752 2,017 2,108 2,241 5,023 14,603 Overage .. .. 838 976 1,041 987 885 889 5,616 Under standard age . , 137 139 202 243 264 . . 985

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these are not inconsistent with the greater breadth and freedom of the more modern methods. This is evident from the somewhat more accurate arithmetic, and from the general neatness of the written work. With reference to different subjects in the syllabus, we offer the following brief notes : — Reading.—As noted in last year's report, the teaching of reading is improving, inasmuch as the amount of reading is steadily increasing. The number of new school libraries started, and the amount of money spent in adding to others already in existence, is a fair indication that more interest is being taken in the subject, and that teachers are becoming more alive to the value of a wider course of general reading. Oral reading is fairly fluent and expressive, while comprehension is receiving more attention than was formerly given to it. Where either of these phases of reading is weak it is usually found that teachers have failed to recognize that these two kinds of reading—" thought-getting," or comprehension, and oral reading —are quite different, and that each requires definite purposeful teaching. Pupils have to be trained to understand —to get the thoughts from —printed matter of gradually increasing difficulty ; and if a class is weak at this it will pay to concentrate on it until considerable improvement is shown. After several weeks spent in this way it will be found that oral reading has also improved even though the pupils have had no practice in it. When satisfactory proficiency in " thought-getting " has been developed it will then pay to concentrate on oral reading. We frequently find that there is a tendency among teachers to underestimate the value of oral reading. It should not be forgotten that it is of immense value as an aid to speech-training, affording one of our best means of cultivating a clear and distinct enunciation and a pleasing, well-modulated voice. It is also of immense value as an aid to literary appreciation, for " what we read silently cannot possess the same value as that which we read aloud." It is high time that more attention was given to this phase of the subject, and that, as early as possible in school life, reading should be regarded rather as the study and interpretation of literature than as a mere mechanical art. Recitation. —Eull use is not yet being made of this subject to teach literary appreciation and clear enunciation, many of the poems giving the pupils little opportunity for elocutionary effect. In the senior division one term might be devoted to short gems from English poetry, the beauty of the thought and of the language discussed, and a short outline of the author's life and works given to the pupils. A good exercise is to ask the pupils, after any poem has been dealt with as a whole, to select the finest verse or passage and give their reasons for their selection : thus literary appreciation is encouraged and strengthened. We found that the teachers who enjoyed the instruction in this subject naturally did not limit themselves to the number of lines demanded by the syllabus, but in many other cases the amount memorized was too meagre. Spelling. —The results of various American and English standardized tests set in many of our schools, as well as of the usual type of dictation or spelling tests, go to show that the subject is receiving a satisfactory amount of attention, and that our spelling compares very favourably with that of other countries. Whether these results are arrived at in the most economical way may be open to question. Two points should be noted : (1) Unless supplemented by plenty of word-building and blackboard teaching, the use of an arbitrary list of words, more or less dissociated from the reading-material for the clay, will not give good results ; (2) however the lists are compiled, there must be plenty of tabulation and revision of mistakes from day to day, regular attention to errors in composition, and a good deal of intensive blackboard teaching. Speech-training. —This is undoubtedly one of the most important subjects in the school syllabus, but so far very little attempt has been made to give systematic training in it. It is very rare indeed to find a comprehensive scheme, or even a good outline scheme, in the subject. The trouble seems to be that very few teachers really know much about it. After the Department's promised manual is published this defect should soon be remedied, but in addition all teachers should study some elementary book on phonetics. " The Pronunciation of English," by Daniel Jones, is an excellent and authoritative little book that will very well repay study ; and " A Phonetic Dictionary," by the same author, should be in every school library. Though the average New Zealand speech is probably better than that of most other parts of the Empire, it must be admitted that all is not well. Careless utterance, incorrect vowel sounds, slurred or omitted consonants, are far too common in the everyday speech of most young New-Zealanders. It may be that it is quite natural for young people when speaking rapidly to slur over consonants, but they should at least know what is correct, and be able to use the more pleasing forms that distinguish more than anything else the " educated " from the " uneducated " classes. Everything possible should be done to arouse interest in the subject, to promote good speech habits, and to create a kind of phonetic conscience in the young people of to-day. If English is to become the international language it is most important that it be preserved in its purest and most pleasing form. It is for our schools to take the lead in this matter. A few minutes' practice in all classes before reading-lessons would soon work wonders. Oral Composition. —The special form of speech-training which is often referred to as " oral composition "is another phase of school-work that does not receive the attention that it deserves. One has only to listen to the poor attempts at self-expression made in any public meeting to understand that our school training has in this respect been largely a failure. We have been at great pains to teach children to express their thoughts well in written language, but we have not yet done as much as we can do to train them to speak correctly and with a fair degree of fluency. Oral expression is not to be regarded as a separate subject: it is rather a part of the training in every subject. Story lessons, reading, history, geography, science, and nature-study all afford excellent opportunities for the regular practice in free expression and for developing the power of correct, fluent, and pleasing speech. Composition continues to improve, and now reaches a good standard. There are still some teachers who fail to get the full value of the teaching of English in the quality of their essay - writing ;

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tliey divorce the teaching of English from that of composition. Too strict adherence to the order of the exercises in the text-book is often the cause of this defect. Many of the recent publications on English—e.g., Lay's Class-books of Composition, the Kingsway Series, Glover's New English Course — will be very helpful to the teacher who is desirous of getting the best correlation between these subjects. The quality of the essay-writing in the middle division forces us to the conclusion that insufficient time is given to oral and blackboard training in this subject. History. —Teachers are beginning to take much more interest in this subject and to improve their teaching of it. A great deal yet remains to be done, however, to make the teaching what it really ought to be. The worst fault of all is the common failure to invest the subject with life, interest, romance, and the consequent failure to inspire the pupils with a love of history and a desire to read it for themselves. Very often there is a want of reality about the teaching. This might be got over by setting the pupils to do research work in local history, and by including among the lessons the most interesting stories of early New Zealand. The human element should, of course, always be stressed, but something should also be done to explain the great movements in history. A few well-chosen sentences will often serve to link up modern with medieval history and to make pupils realize how institutions and ideas have grown. Many teachers miss splendid opportunities for correlation with other subjects, with geography especially. Civics should not be wholly dissociated from history, for many of the history lessons will form an excellent basis for lessons on civics. Geography. —It cannot be said that the teaching of this subject is in accord with modern ideals. In many cases far too much reliance is placed on the text-book. Much more use can be made of outdoor work, of the weather observations, and of visual work —pictures, diagrams, apparatus, and handwork —so as to make the subject real and interesting and attractive to the pupils. The scientific aspect of the subject is not fully appreciated. Details have been carefully stressed, but the training in observation and deduction is not sound. Most teachers are too much concerned with isolated facts and separate countries, and fail to give their pupils any real appreciation of broad general principles. "The fundamental principles involved," says Professor Lyde, "are few and comparatively simple, and it is both possible and absolutely essential to grasp these principles firmly and clearly. This knowledge, once made a real possession, can be applied very rapidly and with great certainly to new cases ; and, as the strain on the memory is thus minimized, the results seem to be out of all proportion to the initial labour." If the geography of our Dominion were taught so as to give a good grasp of geographical principles, the work of the upper classes would be comparatively light. Topography, of course, has its legitimate place too, and in this connection we should like to see a map of the world in every class-room. Arithmetic. —This subject is receiving sound treatment, the majority of the work being characterized by neatness and accuracy. We still feel, however, that insufficient attention is given to mental arithmetic, while the application of the principles of mental work can be still further applied to written calculation. There is also a tendency to work beyond the syllabus in the various standards, the text-books in use being in some measure responsible for this. More oral work in Standards I and 11, and fuller practice in tables, will well repay the time devoted to them. To be sure that principles are thoroughly understood, the pupils should be trained to give a clear outline of the methods employed. Fuller use can be made of handwork to assist the teaching of mensuration in the-upper standards. Science. —The progress that continues to be made in this subject is a tribute to the enthusiasm and ability of the instructor, Mr. W. C. Morris. There are very few schools in this district which have not been supplied with small standard sets of necessary science glassware and other requirements, but the sets are of such a nature that the initiative of the teacher is still called into play for the purpose of fixing up improvised apparatus for working simple experiments, both indoor and outdoor. It is usually a pleasure to question pupils on the work which has been taken. The definite schemes in nature-study are making a difference to the pupils in the lower standards, especially in the knowlege of nature facts and human-life facts. Although not counted as part of nature-study, a series of definite as well as incidental health talks are given for at least a quarter of an hour per week in all schools. It is not too much to say that there are at least 80 per cent, of the schools doing efficient school-garden work. Planting is generally well done, and the plots are carefully tended, and present a neat appearance. Many of the gardens have been established under adverse conditions. Ground improvement and beautifying schemes are in evidence in all schools —even those in the remote districts are doing something to show their pride and interest in the school. Elementary afforestation propagation work was carried out in about forty schools, and it is hoped to add a similar number this year. Singing.—As with other cultural subjects—recitation, reading aloud, literary appreciation, and art work —singing and music do not take the place in the school that their importance in after-life demands. In only very few schools can the standard reached be said to be really very good, while in the great majority it is not better than very fair. The issue of a departmental text-book containing very clear instructions as to the work to be expected of each class and the best methods of teaching it, together with a large selection of suitable songs and exercises, would greatly help teachers who are not musical experts, and who have not much opportunity of buying really suitable books. We hope to see in 1925 a very much higher standard reached, and within the next few years such a renaissance as has taken place in school music in England. Drawing and Handwork. —Drawing is, as a rule, quite satisfactory, and in many cases very creditable. Though we do not wish to see correlation forced, or introduced merely for the sake of correlation itself, we are, however, of opinion that a great deal more can be done to use drawing to illustrate the science and nature-study lessons. Modelling is better used in this way, especially in the lower classes. But here the artistic side is often forgotten, and children are allowed to present really rough, unfinished

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models which show both careless observation and careless execution. Modelling, whether in plasticine, paper, carton, or any other material, should not be allowed to produce habits of carelessness or untidiness. Infant-room Methods. The methods in the infant-room are steadily improving ; but in quite a number of schools we still find that insufficient use is made of modern methods, especially in the use of individual material for the teaching of reading and phonics. In this connection it should be noted that Dr. Ballard, in " The New Examiner," tells us that, owing to the introduction of individual-reading material, children now make much more rapid progess than they did ten or twelve years ago. That alone should be sufficient to induce the hesitating to give the newer methods a trial. The teaching of number is usually looked on as the bugbear of the infant school, but we are convinced that it is often made unnecessarily difficult by the methods adopted for teaching. Most teachers go in for far too much number analysis, and thus often give children a distaste for number work which they never get rid of. After the children have got over the first steps, and, by means of concrete material, have conxe to understand what number is, the teacher should consider what are the really essential number facts that Class P should know, and then what is the best order for teaching them. These few essentials are (1) the addition combinations from 1 plus Ito 9 plus 9 (45 in all), and (2) those parts of the multiplication tables which involve no products greater than 20 (16 in all). The order in which they should be learned should be that which is found easiest for the child. The usual method is to teach all number facts in connection with one number before proceeding to the next — to teach about 7 before teaching anything about 8, and so on ; but this is certainly not a natural way for the child to learn number, nor is it economical of effort. Besides, it leads to two other mistakes, for (1) there is a tendency to teach facts in isolation instead of connecting each new fact with some easier one previously learned, and (2) children are sometimes expected to memorize facts which should not be memorized but should rather be inferred from the basic facts. For instance, subtraction and division tables should not be memorized, but the result should be derived by the child from addition and multiplication. It is most important that the memorization of the few basic facts should be very thorough. The response may be slow at first, but it must be accurate, and later on it should come without the least hesitation. Want of thoroughness in this matter is the most potent cause of weakness in arithmetic in the standard classes. Special Class foe Backward Children. The special class for exceptional children which was established in Napier in the previous year under Miss Munro continues to do excellent work. Several of the children have made such progress that they have been sent back to their former schools and are now able to take their places in the ordinary classes. Dr. Clark has taken a keen interest in its success, and our thanks are due to him, and to the kindness of others who have been instrumental in getting a piano for the use of the class. Hospital Special Class. In connection with the Napier Central School, a special class has been carried on at the Napier Hospital. This class continues to do good work, and to provide an interesting and profitable occupation for the young inmates. Medical Inspection. Excellent work is being done by Dr. Clark and his staff of nurses. They have been most indefatigable in their efforts to raise the standard of health in our schools, and we are glad to have the doctor's assurance that the standard is now very much higher than it was a few years ago. The dental clinics already established in Napier, Hastings, and Gisborne are kept fully employed and are doing excellent work towards the same important end. Physical Instruction. ♦ This most important branch of education receives due recognition in all our schools, and the good quality of the work reflects credit on the ability and enthusiasm of the instructor, Mr. Price, who took up his duties here at the beginning of the year. The teachers as a whole show keen interest both in the more formal exercises and in organized games. In all the larger and in a considerable number of the smaller schools the teachers deserve much credit for their work in supervising the cricket, football, basketball, and hockey matches, which are a regular feature of school activities. We fully recognize the importance of the training thus given, not only in promoting the physical wellbeing of the nation, but in providing a very valuable means of character-building. Organizing Teachers. Towards the end of the year Mr. H. Lyall took up the duties of organizing teacher in the southern end of the district, while Mr. Benson has carried on the work in the north. Both these men are enthusiasts, and it would be hard to overestimate the value of their work in helping and inspiring the teachers and in raising the standard of work in the more remote country schools. Conclusion. In conclusion, we desire to express our appreciation of the fine spirit shown by the teachers during the year, and of the kindness and courtesy shown to us on all occasions by the Education Board and its officers. They have been most willing to assist us in every possible way, thus promoting the most harmonious relations,

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WELLINGTON. Schools and Roll. The roll numbers at the close of the year were —Public schools, 259 (26,925 pupils) ; registered private schools, 48 (4,899 pupils). Classifying these schools according to their general efficiency as determined at our annual visit, we have—

Examination of Standard VI Pupils. Except in a few remote schools the examinations for certificates of proficiency were conducted by the Inspectors, the head teachers being consulted as to the merits of candidates. For a few remote schools a synchronous examination was arranged, the results being considered in conjunction with those obtained at the annual visit of the Inspector. We are of opinion that some teachers are apt to overlook the fact that the pupil, in addition to gaining a specific percentage of marks, must show that he has reached a satisfactory standard of attainment in at least three of the other subjects in order to qualify for a proficiency certificate, and we take this opportunity of emphasizing this provision. In regard to competency certificates, we have to report that we insist that special merit is shown before endorsement is granted, and we have required candidates in Standard VI to take the work presented in each subject for that standard. Educational Investigation. Standardized achievement tests have been used to a slight extent by teachers and to a considerable extent by the Inspectors. Arithmetic, spelling, silent reading, history, and geography were tested by these means, and, though the tests were not altogether free from the weaknesses inherent in the older type of examination, we have found them to have many advantages. The questions cover wide ground, the answers are short (usually one word), and only one correct answer is possible. It has been found that a reliable classification can be made by allotting a maximum of 50 per cent, of the marks to the " intelligence " test and 50 per cent, to tests of scholastic achievement. The cost of the materials prevents at present the general use of these tests, but this difficulty can be overcome if the Department can see its way to provide the necessary forms. By this means we consider that it would be possible to take a periodical stocktaking of the relative progress and proficiency of the school. Classes for Backward Children. During the year two special classes were formed in Wellington City. The results so far have more than justified the venture. The teachers carry out their responsible and exacting duties with a missionary zeal which evokes a hearty response from the pupils. Children of this type find the work in an ordinary class to be beyond their capacity, and they are usually unhappy in school. The special class, with its stress on manual training, physical exercises, &c., provides a curriculum suited to the needs of the defective child, whose self-respect is increased by a sense of achievement, while he is happy among his intellectual equals under the control of a teacher who understands and sympathizes with his natural limitations. We hope that in the near future all the mentally or physically handicapped children in the district —and the number is considerable —will receive an education which will do something towards lessening their disabilities and making them an asset rather than a liability to the community. Subjects of Instruction. The following remarks on various subjects of the curriculum are offered principally as suggestions for the guidance of teachers : — Reading.—There are many schools in which the reading is very satisfactory : there is no reason why it should not be so in all, and in no case should it be merely a routine performance. " Too many teachers fail to realize that reading is the recognition of the script equivalent of the spoken word. Children should, from the beginning, realize that the writing is speaking to them silently. They fail to get the pupils to read for content. In reading aloud it is the phrase and not the word that is the unit. The matter should be studied first, and reading aloud should follow and not precede the comprehension by the pupil of the passage read." Further, we think that more careful attention should be given to secure correctness in enunciation and pronunciation. In not a few caSes the final consonants are dropped altogether or merged into the next word, while the vowel sounds, particularly the sound of "i " are faulty. The exercises in speech-training and phonics such as are practised in the best infant departments should be continued through the standard classes.

I ~ ! ~ " | ! " i | I Very Good. j Good. | Satisfactory.] Fair. \ Weak. | Total. J I I I I ! Public schools .. 11 97 99 33 9 249 Private registered schools .. 3 j 17 22 5 1 48 Totals .. .. 14 114 121 38 10 297 i !

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We should like also to see the children encouraged more widely to form the reading habit. " A child's desire to read should never be frustrated by want of books." The extension of the school library is therefore a very wise measure, and most schools have now their libraries. But the teacher must show some interest in what the pupil is reading, and he can make most popular the books that he considers best, thus directing the pupils into safe channels. While teachers realize that reading for content is the proper aim in the standard classes, few test the comprehension in the best way, and we would urge the adoption of some such methods of doing this as we have from time to time illustrated -at our visits. Reading aloud will be helped materially by good teaching of recitation, and we are of opinion that this branch requires much more careful attention. While the child should first have from the teacher a general idea of the poem as a whole, he should be required to learn it thoroughly, and to deliver it in a manner that at least shows appreciation of it. " Artificiality is to be avoided, but so, too, is slovenliness, whether in articulation or in emphasis. There is no lesson like the poetry lesson for producing that intimacy between teacher and class which makes school a happy place." Further, no child should leave the primary school without carrying with him in his memory some of the finest treasures of the English language in prose and verse. Spelling. — Spelling may be said to be satisfactory. The teaching of this subject, however, demands the earnest consideration of teachers. We rarely see spelling actually taught. The methods commonly used are methods not of teaching but of testing. Definite instruction in accordance with modern practice is essential. Daily testing is quite unnecessary : progress can be measured by means of tests given once or twice weekly. As the words taught should be those comprising the pupils' writing vocabulary, it is the function of the teacher to choose only words which an intelligent child of that age and standard of attainment can reasonably be expected to use in communicating his thoughts to others. The spelling - book makes the child waste time over many words which he can already spell, and forces others on him which he does not naturally use. Many of our pupils consequently misspell their words in spite of the book. We recommend teachers, therefore, to ascertain the words the pupils cannot spell, and prepare their own lists accordingly. Dictation is still given daily in many schools, taking the larger part of the time for spelling. This is not at all necessary —once a week would probably be found sufficient, the passage being selected with a definite object, such as its merit as prose, and not merely because it contains hard words. Further, it should be prepared beforehand—a point which is very frequently overlooked. Com/position.—Composition is, on the whole, well done. Greater attention is necessary to logical arrangement and to paragraphing, while in the higher classes a more advanced though not stilted vocabulary is desirable. This subject is at once the most important and the most difficult in the curriculum, and yet we think it receives least preparation from many teachers. Children are still set to produce compositions on topics without first having had reasonable opportunity to collect ideas. The practice of announcing subjects beforehand, encouraging the pupils to get information to make notes from which to write, should be more widely adopted. The planning-out of the work should be carefully taught, so that pupils may have a scheme to follow : the details they can then supply. The habit of forming their sentences on good English models may be fostered by correlation with the reading. Nor should oral composition be confined to the lowest classes. The art of expressing thoughts in good spoken English is a most desirable accomplishment. Formal grammar bulks too largely in some of the schemes, without any corresponding benefit to the composition. Arithmetic. —Arithmetic is being treated on more rational lines, and the general quality of the work is well maintained. In the past many teachers accepted the text-book interpretation, of the syllabus —and many still do so —with the result that meaningless and useless examples were worked, and consequently much valuable time and effort were wasted. By concentrating on quick and accurate working of short and real problems a further advance can be made. As a rule, too extensive a programme has been attempted, and too much time allotted to this subject. The instruction of the syllabus that there should be at first no really formal instruction in arithmetic cannot mean that it should not be taught in the infant departments. Our experience has shown that, by the end of the second year, with rational treatment the composition of the first twenty numbers can be very well mastered by the great majority of the pupils. It is important, however, to remember that it is only at a comparatively late stage that written symbols act as aids to thought; while the simple number relations —those on which the later and more complex ones are to be based —are being learned, symbols give little or no help. There is no justification, however, for the practice adopted by some headmasters of exceeding the requirements of the syllabus, when setting their term examinations, under the wrong impression that they are demanding a high standard. A thorough knowledge of the facts contained in the first twenty numbers constitutes a safe foundation in arithmetic, and this is all that the preparatory division is concerned with. History and Geography- In accordance with your directions, written tests in history and geography were used at our annual visit. There is still, much to be desired in the teaching of both subjects, and we would again emphasize the need for better equipment on the part of the young teacher, as in no subjects is the inspiring touch of the teacher so necessary. In history particularly, where too much reliance is placed upon the text-book, the child finds the subject dry as dust. To prevent this the teacher must know and feel history, and where this knowledge and appreciation are absent the teacher is prone to rely upon the text-book instead of giving life and reality through his own personal touch. This we feel explains in large measure the unsatisfactory condition of the subject in the schools. Drawing.- The treatment of this subject varies from very good to fair. Where the subject is treated on broad lines the results are very satisfactory, but where the old formal work is carried on little progress is being made. Teachers should bear in mind that the aim in teaching drawing is not the production of finished pictures, but the training in judgment and the creation and development

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of a means of expression. To this end it is essential that drawing shall have relation to actual objects, and the pupil should be trained to express what he sees with his eyes and not what some one else has seen and represented in a copy. The drawing in our infant-rooms, where the children are free to express themselves in colours, shows much excellent work. There is less to admire in this respect in Standards I and 11, and in the upper standards the freedom and delight are frequently absent. It is to be noted that this condition arises when the child is tied down to a drawing-book and set with all his fellows to draw an object chosen for him. Much better work would be done if pupils continued to have the freedom of a blackboard, or, where this is not feasible, were given drawing-sheets in place of books, and, when a knowledge of the principles had been acquired, were allowed to exercise some freedom in choosing subjects. The remarkable results obtained by children in colour work can only be got in this way. Elementary Agriculture and Science. —The experiment of developing the scheme in agricultural science as the year proceeds has not, in our opinion, proved a success, as the work has been lacking in aim and purpose. We prefer to have a definite scheme arranged at the beginning of the year comprising indoor experimental work as well as outdoor practical work. Further, we note that in some of the schools the science has been neglected, comparatively little experimental work being done. In some of the smaller schools no science is taken at all. In our opinion much greater importance should be attached to adequate training of young teachers in science, so that they may be competent to teach the subject when required to do so. In regard to the girls who are attending manual-training centres for instruction, a definite course of experimental work in domestic science should be included in the general scheme drawn up at the beginning of the year, and should be carried out by the class-teacher and the science instructress in co-operation. In other schools with a number of teachers a scheme of experimental domestic science is more suitable than agriculture for girls. A new scheme is to come into operation this year, and we trust that this important subject will now receive better consideration. Manual Training, &c. —The provision for manual training is very limited, and the classes have to be organized in such a way to meet the exigencies of the position that a great deal of benefit to the pupils is undoubtedly lost. In some cases they have had to spend a whole day at a time in order to satisfy the requirements of the regulations, the instruction being given in concentrated form, and too much of the time has been absorbed by the travelling. The provision of a new centre at Wellington will overcome this difficulty to some extent, but where the training cannot be given over the whole year without the pupils being compelled to lose so much other school-time it should be recognized that they carmot avail themselves of manual training at a centre. Junior High School. We consider that the time has arrived when junior high schools should be established in this district, and we hope to see at least one arranged for during the coming year. There is no need for us to enlarge upon the advantages of the system as a factor in modern education ; these have been made evident by the success which has followed the establishment of junior high schools in other parts of the Dominion. District High Schools. There are nine district high schools, with a total of 408 pupils. The curricula embrace the subjects required for the Intermediate, Senior Scholarship, Public Service Entrance, and Matriculation Examinations. Pupils are also prepared for the Teachers' D Certificate and for the Accountancy Preliminary. In seven of the schools elementary agriculture or dairy science is a compulsory subject. In view of the large number of subjects that have to be taught to meet the requirements of these courses, we consider the agriculture instructor should make fortnightly visits to take science at these schools. In six of these departments the instruction has been highly efficient, in one very satisfactory, and in one satisfactory. In one the work was below satisfactory, but this is accounted for by changes in the staff. Secondary instruction is being given to a class of Standard YII pupils at the Pongaroa School, and the increasing number of children attending this class fully justifies its establishment. The following are the results of the 1924 examinations : Matriculation and Accountants' Preliminary (full and partial), 21 ; Public Service Entrance, 36 ; Senior Scholarship, 3 ; Intermediate, 50 ; D Certificate (groups), 3 ; Junior National Scholarship, 4. Organizing Teacher. The organizing teacher is stationed in Marlborough, where he is engaged principally in supervising the work of the teachers in the Sounds Schools. We found these schools in a very satisfactory condition. The pupils were being very well taught ; the parents were keenly interested, and the teachers appreciative of the organizer's work. Indeed, we consider that these schools are doing so well under the present scheme that there is no need to disturb it. A circulating library for these schools has been suggested by the Secretary to the Board, and would be a valuable addition to the educational forces. The question of an additional organizing teacher for the northern part of the district requires consideration. In their first experience some of the young teachers find the organization and management of sole-charge schools a trying problem, and they would undoubtedly benefit from the assistance of an experienced teacher,

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Pupil-teachers. So much depends upon the early training of the young teacher that we would urge headmasters to give much greater attention to the matter. Regular lessons, both observational and practical, must be given, and the trainee directed how to prepare his lessons in the best ways. The responsibility for improvement in teaching skill—indeed, for the whole attitude of the young teacher to his work — lies upon the headmaster, and the best instruction is that given by him in his own school. It is essential also that the trainee shall get some experience in all divisions of the school during his apprenticeship. His course of special lessons should be arranged to this end. In some schools too much strain has been placed on the pupil-teacher, who has been made, to a large extent, responsible for a division or class. Organization of this kind cannot be regarded as satisfactory. Further, in the city schools we are of opinion that the efforts of the trainees have been concentrated too largely on their University course at a period when the ordinary duties of their apprenticeship make sufficiently heavy demands upon their bodily and mental powers. The purpose of the apprenticeship is to give some practical insight into the work of teaching, and to prepare as far as possible the trainees to deal with the subjects of the elementary school curriculum. It is recognized that the preliminary instruction of young teachers in such subjects as science and drawing is essential before they enter the training college, where the elementary training is amplified. Condition of Buildings. The school-buildings are maintained in good order and condition, and the country schools particularly have a pleasant appearance. In the Marlborough district there are several old schools whose design, especially as regards the lighting, violates all the principles of school architecture. We are of opinion that something should be done to remedy this condition as soon as possible. With a few notable exceptions the school-grounds are not generally made as attractive as they might be, and we would urge that greater efforts be made to beautify them. It is surely the duty of all teachers to cultivate the aesthetic side of their pupils, and no school, particularly in the country, where ground is available, should be without its flowers and shrubs. Staff Changes. Mr. T. F. Warren, who was located in the Marlborough area for three years, was transferred to Auckland in the middle of the year, and his place was taken by Mr. N. R. McKenzie, with headquarters in Wellington. By this change the Marlborough section has been brought into much closer touch with the main part of the district. Mr. J. Wyn Irwin was associated with the staff for a short time during the latter half of the year. Under the Department's scheme for the exchange of Inspectorships, Mr. W. Brock, Senior Inspector of Canterbury, had temporary charge of this district for the second quarter of the year, when Mr. W. W. Bird, Senior Inspector of Hawke's Bay, was transferred to the permanent charge. Mr. F. H. Bakewell, Senior Inspector, retired from the service in July with a record of forty years' work as teacher and Inspector. The high estimation in which he was held by all his co-workers was shown by the unanimous expressions of regret at his departure. NELSON. Efficiency of the Schools. We are pleased to state that the general efficiency of the schools continues to show steady improvement. There are now only some ten schools which cannot be regarded as satisfactory. The others range from very fair to very good. The- influx of better teachers, mentioned in last year's report, is being fully maintained. This, combined with an awakening of the older ones to the demands of the newer education, is having a very satisfactory effect. The demand that has recently arisen for the books on modern education contained in the teachers' library is most gratifying evidence of the change which is steadily taking place. Throughout the year we have continued to gather the teachers together in the various centres for the purpose of explaining and discussing the more modern methods of work, and the keenness with which they have availed themselves of the opportunities thus given, and the zeal with which they have put the ideas into practice, have been most encouraging to us. During the present year we hope, with the assistance of the newly-appointed part-time Inspector, to extend this valuable work ; and, in conjunction with reading circles which are to be established, to arouse in our teachers a firm desire to be abreast of the times in all things educational. In connection with this matter we would suggest that the Department issue, for use in the upper classes of the primary schools, some approved group intelligence test, preferably one suited to New Zealand conditions. Organizing Teachers. The organizing teachers still continue to do excellent work in our backblocks schools. To the young trainee, whose previous experience has for the most part been limited to that of single classes in large schools, the assistance given by these officers is proving most valuable.

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Efficiency of Methods. One of the most noticeable improvements in this connection is the cultivation of a sound school spirit. Even in the small country schools the effect of this change is most apparent, and is exhibited in the keener interest taken by parents in all matters pertaining to the school. The ready response, which is given to all appeals for funds for additions to the libraries and for school improvements is most gratifying. In the large town schools the change amounts almost to a reformation. Here the organization of the outside activities of the pupils is now so very complete that school-life has a charm about it which was totally absent a few years back. In order to overcome the absence of a model school in this district we have adopted the practice of sending the-weaker teachers to observe their stronger comrades at work. In this connection we have been very much indebted to the Department for allowing us to have, for a year, Miss Kemp, an exchange London infants' mistress. Every opportunity was given to our infant-teachers to observe Miss Kemp's methods, and we are pleased to state that full advantage was taken of the opportunity. Others of our own proved teachers have also done excellent work in helping their weaker fellows, and the Department might consider whether these teachers should not be rewarded for the work they are doing in the same way as are the associated teachers in the larger centres. An extension of the team system has been made in most of the larger schools, and by this means promotions throughout the year have been made much more frequently. Pupil-teachers. The training given to the probationers and pupil-teachers has been highly satisfactory, as the results of the 1924 teachers' examinations go to show. In this examination, out of a total of fortyfour pupil-teachers and probationers, one gained a full C certificate, nineteen gained full D, eighteen gained partial D (failing in one subject only), and three gained partial pass in two or in three groups. Schemes of Work and Work-books. These now receive very satisfactory attention, and, with the aid which has already been given by the Inspectors in drawing up these books, little difficulty should now be found in extending and improving the existing plans of work. Retardation. Though the ill-effects of the past are still apparent in certain districts, we are pleased to report that during this last year there has been a marked improvement in the progress of the pupils in most of our retarded schools. Better infant-teaching, a keener all-round interest in school matters, and the firm attitude of the Hon. the Minister and the Education Board in abolishing hop-picking holidays have been chiefly responsible for the change. Scholarship Examinations. Although the efficiency of a district cannot be judged from the results of the scholarship examinations, still the results may in some way point a lesson. It has been noted that the Junior National Scholarship is not fully serving the purpose for which it was originally intended —namely, to enable the promising primary pupil to continue his education at a secondary school. A review of the winners of these scholarships at the last examination shows that the majority of them are already in attendance at a high school, and that, therefore, to them at least, the scholarship is superfluous. Moreover, the better a district is served with secondary schools the greater will be the number of scholarships falling to that district. The idea of lowering the scholarship age to thirteen years, and possibly of limiting the entrants to primary pupils only, would be a step in the right direction. Something might also be done to lessen the work entailed in the examination of so many candidates. If, a considerable time ahead, teachers were required to nominate to the Inspectors of their respective districts the probable candidates for these examinations, these officers could, during their visits, inquire into the chances such candidates might have, and where necessary veto the application to be examined. In this way the number of legitimate entrants could be reduced by fully 50 per cent. Interchange of Senior Inspectors. The action of the Department last year in interchanging these officers for three months has been the source of much good to the Inspectors themselves, to their own districts, and to the districts into which they were sent. Not only did it enable them to form a better estimate of the grading of other districts as compared with their own, but it allowed them to see good features in the work of their fellow Inspectors, and where possible to copy them, thus bringing about a general improvement in the work. School Furniture and Apparatus. One thing especially that the exchange has revealed is the poor supply in the Nelson District of up-to-date furniture and school apparatus. Many of the desks now in use have long outlived their usefulness, and should ere this have been replaced by a more hygienic type ; the supply of apparatus, moreover, should certainly keep pace with the demands of modern education. District High Schools. Special reports have already been submitted to the Department on the secondary divisions of our three district high schools. From these it will be seen that Motueka and Reefton are highly satisfactory, and the former is rapidly increasing its roll. The work being done in secondary departments of these two schools would do credit to any separate high school. The Lower Takaka School, however, still fails to attract any increased attendance.

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Subjects of Instruction. heading.—This subject continues to improve both in quality and in the quantity of matter read. In the P classes, by the adoption of modern methods of work, progress is much more rapid, and the substitution of general reading-matter in the shape of supplementary story readers in the lower division, and of abridged editions of the works of standard authors in the upper classes, is creating throughout the schools a real love of reading. Expression, however, is still lacking in some schoolsa feature which is always a sign of weak comprehension. Frequent reference has also been made in our reports to the necessity for correct articulation and pronunciation. Spelling, though improving, is not wholly satisfactory. Too often the subject is not taught, the teacher doing nothing more than setting a lesson to be learned. The improvement in the spelling of the smaller words in composition is, however, a healthy sign. Recitation, too, could be improved, first by a better selection of the pieces to be learned, and by a fuller appreciation of the passages themselves. In few schools do we find poetry reading-books. With so many editions suitable for all standards there should be little trouble in cultivating an appreciation of good poetry. Constant reference to and revision of good pieces already learnt in lower standards should also be practised. Writing and setting out of work have greatly improved in most schools. Constant watchfulness, however, is required to see that the principles laid down in the Special writing-lesson are faithfully carried out in the daily exercises. Pupils should be impressed with the fact that good writing should not be like a " Sunday suit," to be used on special occasions only. Geography and History.—The, teaching of both shows signs of considerable improvement. By treating these subjects in a broader manner and seeking to interest their pupils many of our teachers are bringing their methods more into line with modern practice. The absence of suitable text-books from the authorized list is a great hindrance to progress in both these subjects. In history we would recommend for the consideration of the teachers the A.L. Pupils' Study-books of English History (E. J. Arnold and Son), as showing a better method of treatment. Drawing.—ln the larger schools this subject is [satisfactorily taught; in the country schools, however, it is being handled with varying success. The chief fault, especially in the larger schools, is the attempt to treat the class as the unit by setting the same exercise to be done by all, instead of varying the subject to be done according to the ability of the different pupils. Moreover, the scheme of work set out in this subject oftentimes shows little idea of thoughtful development. The articles appearing in the Gazette should, if properly used, prove of great assistance in this respect. Science.- -We are pleased to say that the teaching of rural science and of gardening, although still far from what is desired, has shown satisfactory improvement during the past year. Much more could be done to beautify the school surroundings, and with this in view we have to recommend the drawing-up of some definite and consistent plan of action. The schools for the most part are almost wholly devoid of even the simplest forms of scientific equipment with which to teach the most elementary ideas of general science. The teachers themselves, moreover, evince little desire to teach this subject, even though they are supposed to have taken the course at the training college. Educational Handwork. —We fear that much of the handwork done is far from educational. We frequently find that the teacher has no purpose in view, other than giving the pupils some occupation while other work is in hand ; that its correlation with other subjects is often neglected, and that in general the usefulness of the subject is too seldom recognized. Singing - The quality of this subject varies directly with the musical ability and taste of the teacher. In some cases it is very good, in others the less one hears of it the better he is pleased. Too often the weakness lies in lack of musical training on the part of the teacher, and the efforts of the Hon. the Minister and of the Department to improve this state of affairs will be greatly appreciated by all lovers of music. The appointment of Musical Directors for the schools should soon be reflected in the improvement of the singing. Physical instruction continues to be satisfactorily taught. At the recent refresher course some good work was done by the instructor. If these " revivals " were carried out more frequently at week-ends, when the instructors are visiting the various sub-centres, much good would accrue. Appreciation. We again wish to express our great appreciation of the manner in which the teachers as a whole have seconded our efforts to improve the education of this district, and of the hearty co-operation of the Board, the Secretary, and the office staff in every department of our work. CANTERBURY. Inspection. As in the previous year, it was found impossible for the regular staff to complete the inspection of all the schools before the end of the year, and an acting Inspector was appointed for two months. To Mr. W. C. Colee, who was selected for this position, and to Mr. A. C. Maxwell, who inspected the schools in the Chatham Islands, we are much indebted for the valuable assistance rendered. The method of inspection followed the plan adopted in recent years. As far as possible two visits were paid to the schools, those receiving only one visit being in almost all cases large schools under experienced headmasters. At the first visit the organization was inquired into, schemes and workbooks were examined, methods were discussed and demonstrated, and the teacher was seen at work.

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Subsequently a confidential report containing a fairly elaborate criticism and suggestions was furnished to the teacher. At the second visits, which commenced in June, improvement was looked for in those points which had been adversely criticized, and in addition tests were set in such subjects as the Inspector deemed advisable. After the second visit a confidential criticism, designed to show the standard of efficiency of the class and the directions in which improvement could be effected, was furnished to the teacher, while a general report on the school was prepared, a copy being sent to the Board. During the year certain Canterbury schools were, for the purpose of inspection, exchanged for schools of similar grade in Nelson and Otago, and the Senior Inspector was for three months in charge of the Wellington District. We thus had the pleasure of inspecting schools in the neighbouring provinces, and we wish to say that the experience proved both interesting and instructive. Schemes and Work-books. We are pleased to note a decided improvement in drawing up the yearly schemes, especially in the matter of setting out the aims and compiling the programme of work. In one respect, however, it is desirable that a further improvement be made—viz., in setting out more fully the methods it is proposed to employ. These at present mostly err on the side of brevity, and consequently limit the usefulness of our visits by leaving us to guess at the extent of the teacher's knowledge of class-room practice or to ascertain it by possibly needless discussion. The work-books are generally posted in a useful manner, but the too-frequent absence of records of correlation suggests that much effort is being wasted, and that the natural liriking-up of subjects is being overlooked. Teachers' Annual Examination Reports. These have, in general, been drawn up with due care and in proper form. Two or three points, however, call for comment. The new classification is occasionally found to be inconsistent with the teacher's award of marks. In reading and composition, moreover, some teachers—and not all of them inexperienced teachers either —award marks that are manifestly too high, the qualitative scale of marks given in the directions being in those cases practically ignored. In a comparatively large number of instances, too, the instruction requiring that every case of retardation shall be indicated and explained has been misunderstood or overlooked. For the purpose of the teachers' annual report a " retardate " may be defined as a pupil over two years on the roll or over eight years of age who is retained in the P. division at the beginning of the year ; a pupil who is nine years one month old or over when classified SI at the beginning of the year; a pupil who is ten years one month old or over when classified S2 at the beginning of the year ; and so on for the other standards. An investigation covering a considerable number of schools of all grades shows that on the average the retardates number about 12 per cent, of the school roll, and that the percentage of retardates varies considerably in different schools. Subjects of Instruction. English. —The oral-speech training that is a recognized part of the course in English is undoubtedly having a good effect in correcting slovenliness and discouraging bad fashions of speech, and in creating a fairly good standard of pronunciation. There is some want of uniformity in the pronunciation of our pupils, but that is generally due to conflict of authority ; where there is general agreement as to what is correct —e.g., in the case of the aspirate —our schools have been conspicuously successful. It is, after all, the post-primary stage, when the youth is looking about him for models to imitate and ideals to aspire to, that fixes the standard of values in speech, as in other things ; and it is after the steady pressure of the training of the primary school has been removed that unlovely fashions of pronunciation and idiom are apt to be adopted. Composition and reading are distinctly on the up grade. In the former subject the country schools have advanced to a gratifying degree, and the children produce work which compares favourably with that of their town contemporaries. Strangely enough, however, the instances are rare where the latter subject is taught with the express aim of benefiting the former in vocabulary. This is still left largely to chance. The scientific treatment of silent reading has received attention, and typical readers containing useful hints on treatment have been lent to several schools in the district. Spelling is not altogether satisfactory, as it is too often divorced from composition and reading. The old dictation method of testing is too widely employed. English grammar shows one outstanding weakness —the parts of speech and their functions are not well known. Even the Standard VI classes in their final test in many cases revealed a hazy knowledge of this important phase of study. Recitation has improved in delivery and expression, and due attention is being given to tone, inflection, enunciation, and articulation. In the matter of appreciation of the content, however, we cannot speak so flatteringly. It is not desirable to force adult interpretation of poetry upon children, but they should certainly be expected to supply their own, and to do it confidently. This is not the case at present. Writing continues to be well taught in the majority of our schools, and in some a very creditable standard has been attained. There are, however, too many teachers who fail to maintain a uniform standard throughout their schools, and whose pupils show little skill in obtaining the correct weight, size, slope, formation, and spacing of letters, so necessary in the cultivation of free running penmanship.

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Singing. —In the majority of schools singing continues to be satisfactorily taught, but some teachers still appear to regard the rendering of a few rounds and songs as sufficient to meet the requirements, While it is gratifying to be able to report that, generally speaking, this important branch of culture is receiving fairly adequate treatment, it has to be admitted that there are still too few schools in which a commendable standard of attainment has been reached. The attention of teachers has been frequently directed to the excellent suggestions contained in the appendix to the syllabus. Drawing — There still exists a good deal of diversity in the treatment of the several branches of drawing. Where teachers have carefully read the syllabus and grasped the true conception of its requirements really good work is being done. In the preparatory division of our large schools, where the principle of correlation receives full consideration, the most pleasing results are generally in evidence. Unfortunately, however, there is a lack of intelligence in much of the teaching given in this subject. In framing their schemes too many teachers look upon drawing as an isolated subject, make little or no provision for carefully grading the work to the capacity of their different classes, do not arrange the various technical difficulties in their proper order, and are inclined to overlook free or illustrative work. In a few schools there is a tendency to revert to the old order of things and to teach the subject by means of drawn or printed diagrams and copies, thus ignoring both the letter and the spirit of the syllabus. Sewing. —Great credit is due to the women teachers for the interest displayed and the creditable results achieved in needlework. The training received by the girls should prove exceedingly valuable to them in their future careers. The appointment this year of an experienced supervisor is likely to prove of assistance in the treatment of this subject. Arithmetic. —This subject is receiving adequate attention in our schools. In some cases the results are very good, and in the great majority very fair. Where there is weakness, want of thoroughness in the fundamentals is found to be almost universally the cause. Our investigations convince us that if the addition table and its application to oral addition and subtraction were as thoroughly practised and mastered in the early stages as the multiplication table generally is, the main cause of inaccuracy and the main hindrance to speed would disappear. We should like to see every teacher in charge of a single class prepare the bulk of the arithmetical exercises for his own pupils. We are convinced that the teachers are capable of constructing sets of exercises better graded and more in accordance with the spirit of the syllabus than are to be found in the available text-books, which even experienced classteachers are in too many cases prepared to accept as their guide. The tests set in the Proficiency Examination were, on the whole, well done. Geography. —The method followed in this subject is generally on approved lines, the physical, industrial, and commercial aspects of geography being in many cases very intelligently treated. At the same time there are one or two disappointing features. Maps are constantly used, but the relative positions on the globe of the great land-masses, important countries, oceans, and great waterways are by no means as well known as is desirable. There is too much reliance 011 the school text-book as the source of information and inspiration. For a true conception of the scope and possibilities of the subject the illuminating works of modern authorities should be studied. In some schools a commendable practical application of mapping is adopted, the senior pupils constructing from their own observation, and roughly to scale, serviceable motor road-maps of the surrounding district. Nature-study. —The most enterprising of our teachers now realize the great value of this subject, particularly when carried out in conjunction with a school-garden, for what is grown there provides the material for observation, experiment, and description. In many schools we found evidence of a successful attempt to correlate nature-study with modelling and with colour drawing. Where it has been impossible to establish a garden, teachers have taken their classes for short nature excursions, during which collections were made and notes taken. We are pleased to note that some teachers are encouraging their pupils to make their own nature records. History and Civics. —Although the teaching of this subject continues to present difficulties to many of our teachers, it is pleasing to note that the general quality of the work shows some improvement on that of former years. In some schools well-thought-out schemes have been framed, and the work has been correlated with other subjects of the syllabus. In some instances, however, programmes are overloaded, and pupils are burdened with much imnecessary detail. In the selection of events and personalities it is often forgotten that the question for the teacher is not " How much can I put in?" but "How much can I leave out?" and that a judicious sifting of essentials from nonessentials makes the subject more pleasant and palatable to the pupil and less irksome to the teacher. We would again emphasize the fact that in both history and geography some teachers monopolize the talking, while the pupils are too often merely passive listeners. More successful results would follow if children were made to find out facts for themselves, and to amplify the oral lessons by their own reading of suitable text-books. In some schools a wise use has been made of the balopticon and lantern-slides. These aids must be of considerable value to the pupils in visualizing and memorizing the work in hand. In civics the training afforded in most schools is satisfactory. There is, however, a tendency on the part of some teachers to attempt too much and to deal with certain subjects, such as banking, free trade and protection, far beyond the mental powers of their pupils. The management of the various school activities, games, the garden, library, &c., and the protection and preservation of school property for the common good, should, provide a foundation for the training of the pupils in the simple functions of citizenship. Physical Exercises and Organized Games. — The physical welfare of the pupils is catered for by a regular course of physical exercises, supplemented in general by organized school games. That pupils are receiving a permanent benefit from the training is evident, as very few of them are now found

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to be unfit to take the full course of exercises laid down in the drill-book. Owing to a member of the staff being on a visit to the Homeland, the two remaining instructors have had a very strenuous year, and, although practically all the country schools were visited, it was found impossible to devote as much time as usual to each. In connection with those games which are usually associated with the drill tables, teachers continue to display much enthusiasm. Besides the physical benefits which accrue, games help to bridge the gap between teacher and pupil ; and those teachers who give so much of their own time to the supervision of school games, such as basketball, football, and cricket, undoubtedly reap a reward in the improved relationship which is brought about. Health and Temperance.—Both these subjects continue to receive due attention. The teaching is in the main dogmatic, but, as the aim is practical rather than cultural, and as only ascertained facts are presented, this is not a defect. Many teachers inculcate habits of personal cleanliness and tidiness in a practical way by holding regular inspection of hands, finger-nails, &c. Proficiency Examination. The Proficiency Examination was, in the case of remote schools, held after the Ist October, when the second inspection visit was made. For the candidates from other schools examinations were held at convenient centres during the latter part of November and December. General. An attempt was made during the year to extend still further a knowledge of modern infant-room and junior-school practice by lending recent publications, sample occupations, and other class-room aids. These have proved particularly acceptable in the smaller and more remote schools. The secondary departments of the district high schools continue in most cases to do good work, although some suffered to a certain extent through the interruptions consequent on a change in the staff. The work of the teachers in the smaller schools is exceedingly onerous, and the general success of these institutions is very gratifying. The attendance at some schools was adversely affected, and the work of inspection was to some extent delayed, by the prevalence of measles in the district. The teaching staff of the district in general consists of trained and efficient teachers, only a comparatively small number being untrained or uncertificated. The schools as a whole are fulfilling their function of building up character, instilling love of country, and inculcating loyalty to duty. In spite of certain adverse circumstances we are convinced that the past year marks an advance in the general efficiency of the schools. Education in this district appears at length to be definitely recovering from the wound inflicted upon it by the Great War. To the Chairman and members of the Education Board, as well as to the Secretary and his staff, we wish to express thanks for their unfailing courtesy and the assistance they have readily placed at our disposal. OTAGO. At the end of the year 260 public schools were in operation in Otago. Nevis and Makarora received one visit from an Inspector, and the organizing teacher spent a week at each of these schools. All other schools of Grade I and upwards received two or more visits during the year. Ten schools were visited by the Southland Inspectors, twelve by the Canterbury Inspectors, and the Otago Inspectors paid two visits to twelve schools in Canterbury and to ten in Southland. Some of the schools in Grade 0 were visited and reported on, and, with the exception of a few young children in some household schools established towards the end of the year, provision was made for the inspection of all standard children in these schools. Twenty-five private schools also received one or more visits during the year. Efficiency. Our estimate of the general efficiency of the public schools is as follows : Excellent or very good, 10 per cent. ; good, 4:7 per cent. ; very fair, 33 per cent. ; fair, 9 per cent. ; weak, 1 per cent. One of the two schools classified as weak has been closed, and the children are now being driven to a centre. Of the twenty-two schools which are classified as fair, three are in Grade 111 and one in Grade IVa. In the last, and in one of the Grade 111 schools, a change in the headmastership has been made by the Board. The others are small country schools situated some distance from a centre, in the majority of which changes in the staffing had been made during the year. Organization is, in general, quite satisfactory. In several of the larger schools considerable advance has been made in the direction of reducing the size of the large classes by the adoption of parallel classification. The present policy of reducing the size of the class-rooms when alterations or extensions to buildings are being carried out will eventually lead to the more frequent formation of composite classes in schools of the higher grades. We are to report that careful attention has been given to the preparation of schemes of work and to the outlining of the daily programmes of instruction.

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Speech-training. Increased attention is being paid to speech-training. In many schools regular exercises in phonics are carried out, and in most cases the effect is noticeable in the speech of the pupils. Those who wish to make a more intensive study of phonics, a knowledge of which is of great advantage to teachers, will benefit by the use of such books as " Yoice Training," by Hulbert; " First Course in Phonetics," by Palmer; " Science of Speech," by Dumville ; " Teaching of Reading," by Wyld ; " Pronunciation of English," by Daniel Jones. A pronouncing dictionary on phonetic principles by the last authority will be of value to those who are acquainted with the international phonetic script. Subjects op Instruction. Reading.—The suggestions made in last year's report for the subdivision of large classes into groups for reading have not been as widely adopted as we should wish. Although we commend the increased attention paid to silent reading, we feel that greater benefit will accrue if the pupils are trained to give the results of their reading, either orally or in written form. We are pleased to note that the value of a well-stocked school library is being more widely recognized. Writing.—Although improvement in the quality of writing has been shown in test papers, we think that a higher standard of attainment should be reached in the ordinary class exercises, not only in writing, but also in figuring and printing. Composition.—The majority of our teachers continue to give this subject the attention which its importance merits, but too frequently lack of thoughtful instruction on the part of the teacher, and of opportunity for preparation by the pupil, is apparent in many of the written essays. In order that progress may be more readily gauged we recommend teachers to see that each pupil's work in this subject is written in a separate exercise-book. Arithmetic.—ln general, this subject continues to receive good attention. Although an improvement is noticeable in the logical setting-out of the work, yet in too many cases the figuring and arrangement in the mechanical working of the sums are not satisfactory. Wo frequently notice failure to link up arithmetical notions with the affairs of everyday life. This we attribute to an inclination on the part of many teachers to adhere too closely to text-book examples. Geography.—We again desire to emphasize the necessity for more practical and experimental work in geography, nature-study, health, and elementary science. In these subjects every scheme of work should make provision for outdoor lessons, and should also contain a course of simple experiments to illustrate evaporation, condensation, combustion, and similar phenomena. History.—History is treated with varying degrees of success. The main defect in the teaching appears to be the failure to adopt methods of presentation that capture the imagination and arouse the interest of the pupils. Instead of a slavish adherence to a text-book, teachers are recommended to make more use of dramatic methods, particularly in the early stages. Provision should be made for lessons dealing with the growth and development of our Dominion, together with stories illustrating Maori life and customs. In view of the fact that the New Zealand International Exhibition will afford an opportunity for a study of local history and Dominion development, teachers are enjoined to give this phase of the subject special attention. Drawing.—ln many schools the instruction in drawing is confined to one or two aspects only of the subject. Colour drawing especially shows a decided falling-off in quality, and in a number of schools instrumental drawing has been neglected. Too rarely are arrangements made to develop special aptitudes in particular phases of drawing on the part of individual pupils. In our report for 1923 we published some hints from Mr. Donn, Lecturer in Drawing, and we again direct the attention of teachers to his remarks. District High Schools. Detailed reports on each of the nine district high schools in operation during the year have been furnished to the Department and to the Board. The programmes, as before, prepare pupils for the public examinations, and during the first two years the requirements of the rural or scientific course are met. In six of the nine secondary departments changes in the staff have somewhat adversely affected the work by causing breaks in its continuity, but the general standard had been of a satisfactory character, while in some of the classes work of a high quality has been done. Of the pupils presented for Matriculation, 50 per cent, obtained either a pass or a partial pass, and 61 per cent, passed the various intermediate examinations. The organizing teacher has been successful in raising the standard of efficiency in a number of our country schools. In his annual report to the Board he states : "In all, thirty-five schools were visited, and in most cases the visit extended over a week. Ten of these schools received a second visit. The teachers appear to appreciate fully the opportunity given to receive assistance and advice in their work, and it has been a source of pleasure to me to have had their hearty co-operation in the efforts to effect a general improvement in organization and in methods of work. While I found that several teachers had difficulty in keeping the programme of work going smoothly according to the time-table, there were others who required guidance and demonstration in the detailed methods of effective teaching. As my monthly reports indicate, demonstration lessons were freely given, and, when circumstances demanded, entire control of the school was taken over by me." Physical Instruction. The physical instructors continue to do good work, and the majority of the teachers are to be commended for the interest taken in the exercises and in the games of the children. Many teachers spend hours of their own time in coaching the boys and girls in such games as cricket, football, tennis, basketball, swimming, &c. During the year a successful swimming carnival was held, and also an athletic championship meeting, at which two thousand children gave an excellent display of physical drill.

9—E. 2.

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The instructors report a general improvement on the work of last year. They give the following percentages for the quality of the work for 1924 (the percentages for 1923 are in brackets) : Excellent, 8 (7) per cent. ; very good, 44 (35) ; good, 40 (40) ; very fair, 6-5 (16) ; fair, 1-5 (2). The usual training classes were held. The pupil-teachers and probationers in Oamaru received instruction for a fortnight, demonstration lessons being given in the schools in the mornings. The female pupil-teacherS and probationers from the Dunedin and suburban schools were also instructed for a fortnight. The training-college students were given their usual fortnight's course, and were joined by the male pupil-teachers and probationers from the city and suburban schools. For these classes the assistance of Miss Blackburne and Mr. Hopkirk, from Wellington, and of Mr. Cree, from Invercargill, was obtained, and their services were highly appreciated. The combined display at the end of the course showed that the instruction had been of excellent quality. Elementary Agriculture. The practical work in the school-gardens has shown considerable improvement. Over two hundred schools have gardens, and these are not confined to the country alone. Most of the city schools have obtained plots of ground, and have undertaken elementary agriculture with varying success, while several of them have done excellent work both in the garden and in beautifying and ornamenting the grounds. It is in the experimental and observational work that an improvement is desirable in many schools. As the Chief Agricultural Instructor writes : " The experimental method of solving many problems can be used to added advantage by the careful record by the pupils of the object of such experiment, of details as to method and observations made during its progress, and of the conclusions reached as a result. This phase of the work needs more general attention in Standards Y and YI. Such notemaking rather than notetaking will be found an effective means of focusing attention on the subject of inquiry, and also of correcting inaccuracies of impression and expression." In order to assist teachers in drawing up a programme in elementary agriculture a revised programme (for two years) was issued in September last. It contains suggestions from which a selection can be made to suit local conditions, and attention is particularly directed to the sections dealing with experimental and observational work. A copy of this programme was forwarded to the Department at the time of issue. The Inspectors report regularly to the Board on the general condition of the gardens and the grounds. The cases are very few where little has been done by the Committee or the teacher to improve the appearance of the school environment. There is no excuse for lack of attention to such matters now, for seeds, shrubs, and trees may be obtained from the Board. As a result of the Chief Agricultural Instructor's association with the Training College, attention has been given to plant propagation, and during the last ten years approximately thirty thousand trees and shrubs have been distributed amongst the schools of the district. Modern Methods. Every encouragement is given to teachers to investigate and experiment with newer methods of imparting instruction, but the majority apparently prefer to proceed along traditional lines. In many infant-rooms, however, more modern methods are being adopted, in most cases with very good results. A few of the assistants who have adopted the " team method " in the standard classes report that such a method creates a better spirit of work than existed formerly. In one secondary department an adaptation of the Dalton plan was under observation, apparently at first with very good results, but, owing to the removal of the headmaster and the secondary assistant to other positions, the experiment has been discontinued. Any experiment involving a serious departure from established practice should be discussed with an Inspector before being put into operation. Appreciation. In conclusion, we have to say that we find that teachers are carrying out their important duties in a praiseworthy manner, are striving earnestly to inculcate high ideals of life and conduct in their young charges, and are laying a sound foundation for the training of the citizens of the future. SOUTHLAND. The number of public schools open in Southland during December, 1924 (including fifteen of Grade 0), was 196, and the total roll was 12,295. Private schools numbered thirteen. During the first half of the yea.r 138 schools were inspected, and 186 public and thirteen private schools received a visit during the second half. The interchange of Senior Inspectors which occurred during the period April-June modified the routine of inspection, as the need to observe certain groups of teachers necessitated in some cases repeated visits. During 1924 ten schools of Southland were placed under inspection by Otago, and similarly ten schools of Otago were supervised by the Inspectors of Southland. From the reports received a reasonably uniform standard obtains in the two districts. Efficiency. The following summary of reports classifies the schools according to success in management: Public schools —Yery good, 15 ; good, 48 ; very fair, 103 ; fair, 19 ; weak, 3. Private schools — Yery good, 1 ; good, 8 ; very fair, 4,

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Proficiency Examination. In the schools which were inspected during October and the early part of November, Standard VI was examined during the visit, but where it was deemed necessary the head teachers were further consulted concerning the progress of such pupils. From the other schools the Standard VI pupils were met by the Inspector at twenty-nine centres. In every case an Inspector personally supervised the examination. The work on proficiency day was reduced in respect of certain subjects according as notes taken during the second visit and recording the progress of individual pupils rendered desirable. Organization. During the year some progress has been made in reduction of large classes, but in two of the larger schools improvement waits on provision of suitable accommodation. In one school, experiment with the Dalton plan has been continued in Standard VI with satisfactory results. A number of instances have been noted in which the classification of the pupils has been made to depend too greatly on success or deficiency in one or two subjects. Hospital School. This school is operating with very reasonable success. An important requirement in the teacher is a rich endowment of sympathy, as the changing personnel makes heavy calls on her enthusiasm. It is possible that assistance might be extended with profit to some of the older patients, especially to youths who are bedridden for long periods. If this extension of activities be allowed the school should function for the full day. Dental Clinic. The nurses are doing excellent work. The young people that resort to them appear to emerge very well satisfied from their experience. There is every evidence that many of the ills which beset the young are avoided, and a higher standard of general health is assured by this early care of the teeth. District High Schools. The rural course is followed during the first two years, and is succeeded by the Matriculation course. Conditions are not very satisfactory at either school. At Riverton two teachers have to use a single room, or one may withdraw a class to an assembly-hall, which is very cold in winter. The accommodation for science is limited. The secondary classes there seem well established, so better provision for this part of the work would be appreciated. Notwithstanding these difficulties the pupils acquitted themselves very well. At Wyndhain the secondary division, which was recently assembled, is in the tentative stage. No provision is made for science, and neither building nor ground is suitable for lengthy occupation. Buildings and Grounds. Some school interiors are dingy and would be greatly improved if painte'd in attractive tints. Wall blackboards are gradually displacing the cumbersome easel blackboards, which still, however, in certain schools take up too much of the floor-space. Better blackboard accommodation is possible when cupboards are recessed. In several schools the cloak-rooms or out-offices are very inferior. By way of contrast, the general appointments at Gore are a pleasure to contemplate. Grounds are generally sufficient in area. The garden forms a pleasing feature. In various localities the staff and Committees have during 1924 raised and spent large sums in ground-improve-ment. The instructor in agriculture displays much interest in planning with the teachers an improved environment. Something has already been done with the inauguration of forestry plots, and we look forward to a considerable extension of this work during the current year. Physical Instruction. In physical instruction a commendable standard is maintained. Organized games are much practised. At the annual sports the representatives of many schools meet in friendly rivalry and show very gratifying exhibitions of skill in performance of the various exercises. These gatherings inform public opinion on desirable objectives. The enthusiasm of the teachers is very praiseworthySchool Hygiene. We still feel that recreational and relaxational exercises are not sufficiently given, but can notice a somewhat better realization generally of the dictates of school hygiene. There is, however, much room for systematic study and application of the principles of the hygiene of instruction. A standard book should be in every teacher's hands. We recommend Drummond's "School Hygiene." Training op Teachers. Those entering into the profession as pupil-teachers or probationers are for the most part of fine type. At the beginning of 1925 there were 120 applicants for twenty-two positions. All the successful applicants were matriculated. Such entrants might normally be expected to attain the full D certificate at the close of a two-year period of training. Where this success is not attained those responsible for the instruction should give the matter diligent heed. The classes in drawing, elementary science, and agriculture arranged at the Technical High School, Invercargill, and in Gore, were continued for a third term during 1924. They operated very satisfactorily —the staff being highly

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skilled. Opportunity was taken to introduce some instruction in dairy science. The students showed a very keen interest in this work. These classes supplied the requirements in practical work of pupilteachers, probationers, and uncertificated teachers aiming at D, and of certificated teachers with C in view. Uncertificated teachers enter the service with very varied qualifications : some have only the Standard VI status, others the B.A. The day of the Standard VI entrant is practically gone, as the requirements are steadily rising. The criticism lessons receive more adequate treatment than formerly, but the written criticisms on these lessons are at times of little worth. When such is confined to a sentence of general commendation the young teacher is apt to consider he has nothing more to learn in teaching. Inexperienced teachers are sent to the Model School for a fortnight, and are given intensive training in method, organization, study of schemes, &c. We are fortunate in having a very suitable teacher. A school of this character is especially valuable in a district that has no training college ready at hand and where uncertificated teachers are relatively numerous. Organizing Teachers. These also have great influence in raising the standard of schools in charge of uncertificated teachers. Messrs. Gray and Menzies did notably well, and their successors display similar skill and zeal. There is no innovation of recent years that has done more than this to improve attainment in remote schools and to make their achievement comparable with that of the cities. Subjects of Instruction. Speech-training receives increasing attention; nevertheless there are in certain schools idioms in speech that should be collected and given special consideration. The teaching should be more systematic : many of the schemes do not show a definite programme of work, and the methods are often general rather than specific. There has been some advance in distinctness of enunciation, at least inside the school. Reading. —Considerable sums have been spent in improving the school libraries ; but there are still schools where the reading-matter provided for the children is insufficient in quantity. We propose during the current year to make the libraries the subject of special investigation. The books should be arranged in groups suited to the Several standards, and in the larger schools each class should have its own library. A lack of supervision of the silent reading is often noticeable. The result is that the teacher knows little of what the pupils have gained during the time allotted to silent reading. There should be a definite linking-up of home reading with that of the school. A reading community is a thinking community, and teachers can in this matter exert a very powerful influence upon the future tastes of their pupils. The keeping of individual reading lists has been found beneficial: the practice should be made general. Recitation. —On the average the work is of satisfactory character. At times a larger infusion of drama and feeling would improve the rendering. More use may be made of nursery rhymes. Clipped endings and mispronunciation are much leSs pardonable in recitation than in reading, for the selections have been conned many times. Where " own choice "is allowed, the selection should be from the teacher's approved list of passages, or, at least, the pieces produced should be Scanned to ascertain their value as literature. Teachers have found it a distinct benefit to take recitation in short weekly periods instead of one longer weekly period —a method based on sound psychology. Singing. —Only in the minority of our schools is this subject treated with an approach to proper graduation of exercises, but there is a wider appreciation of the value of the subject in its bearing on relaxation. The cultivation of rich and mellow tones is recommended : at times the singing is too loud and harsh. There should also be more of sight reading from easy passages, beginning with phrases from well-known Songs and hymns. The increased weekly time proposed for singing should result in improvement. Teachers are recommended to study the requirements of the syllabus. Writing.—ln this subject a higher standard is desirable in many schools. The variation in quality from standard in large schools sometimes points to defective supervision by the head teacher. Weak general writing is recognized as an accomplishment to faulty discipline. Care in presentment of written work has important reactions on the character that no teacher can afford to neglect. There has been little experimentation with print script. Teachers should make a more intensive study of teaching writing. Spelling. —The words should be chosen from the written vocabulary of the child—i.e., selection should be psychological rather than logical. Formerly much time was given to learning spelling : we are pleased to find that teachers are giving more thought to teaching the subject. Composition. —In Standard II the essay sometimes takes the form of disjointed, unrelated sentences, with much crude repetition ; but classes are not wanting where it is fluent, well arranged, and apt in expression. In the early stages the narrative is easier than the descriptive essay. Punctuation is too frequently faulty. In the higher standards paragraph Study merits more attention than it receives at present. Recent text-books show a tendency to return to grammar, though not to the old formal grammar. We doubtless need to revise our ideas of aim in this subject, Seeing that a much greater percentage of Standard VI go on to secondary work than used to be the case when grammar was largely ejected from the syllabus. Of course, if every lesson in other Subjects were made a model of expression, composition would be a better written and oral reflection of the child's activities, and its formal teaching would not require so much time. The teaching of grammar in Standard VI appears to follow too closely the lines of the test-cards. When a grammar card takes an unusual form the pupils are seldom able to obtain good marks ; similarly, set exercises in variation are often done well, while tie essays reveal an inability to apply these exercises to written expression.

Drawing.—The results in drawing vary considerably : this subject probably has a greater range of quality than any other. Design, colour, and model drawing are relatively defective. In certain schools the work presented by Standard VI was much below grade. Some teachers have given much thought to the practice of drawing as a means of expression ; and, although the success attained is not always ideal, there appears no reason to doubt that Substantial progress has been made. Handwork. —Handwork shows further improvement, especially plasticine-modelling and papertearing. The range of the work has increased, due probably to the greater attention given to correlation with other forms of expression. In certain directions manipulative skill would be higher of attainment if more attention were paid to the tools used : knives for cardboard-modelling, for instance, are often found to be blunt and out of order. Needlework.—Needlework seems to be much upon the level of previous years ; considering the relation of the subject to the after-life of girls, one would like to see the allotment of time to needlework increased. After hearing Miss Dyer, one is lead to believe that the work done could be better correlated with other subjects, even under our present arrangements. More attention should be given to the requirements outlined on page 47, paragraphs 3, 4, and 6, and on page; 49 of the syllabus. The Senior girls have during the year, as usual, made an extensive array of garments for distribution to the poor. The work done in the cookery and woodwork rooms is of very satisfactory nature. Arithmetic —Standard Vis still the weakest class. The syllabus sets down the aim in arithmetic as the ability to apply number to everyday problems. Recent publications show that the syllabus prescribed in English schools is interpreted in terms of much simpler Sums than those usually set to pupils in the schools of New Zealand. If a similar reduction in requirement were made here it is probable that from three to three and a half hours a week would suffice for this subject. Even that percentage of school time is greater than is conceded to arithmetic in adult life, except in a few businesses such as the banker's. It is to be noted that the banker, though employed much of his time with number, uses, only a few simple rules. The time saved could be more profitably devoted to other subjects. In the schools, especially in Standards V and VI, too much time is given to written work at the expense of mental. In the primer classes, if the work be confined to the limits set forth in the syllabus, response should, by the end of the second year, be practically automatic. Geography. —The tests applied were like those recommended by Dr. Ballard. The results were, at most, satisfactory. Some teachers fail to make their teaching inspiring, so that little permanent impression is left after the lesson. Some are satisfied with very inaccurate mapping. There is no need to make elaborate maps, but Athens should not be located in France. A greater development of practical work, both indoor and out, would add interest and value to the lessons. History and Civics. —The tests applied here were similar to those in geography. In both subjects further oral questioning succeeded these tests. Some of the remarks above under the heading of " Geography" apply here too. The work should be carefully graded in accordance with the natural interests of the child. The fact that the scheme of stories told to Standards I and II contains a more liberal infusion of tales from history marks a step in advance. A few teachers do not sufficiently appreciate the educative value of the time-line in developing a chronological sense in young people whose visit to this planet has been very brief. Booklets recently issued by J. T. Mulle.y (Arnold and Son) are worthy of notice by teachers. In regard to civics, the syllabus correctly states that its teachings are best impressed by cultivation of the civic habit. Nature-study. —Too many teachers still regard nature-study as a subject rather than a method, with the result that the educational value of their lessons is considerably discounted. The linking-up of nature-study with the work of the garden, however, is operating in the right direction. Hygiene. —Not many schools present the simple exercises in first aid required under the syllabus. Temperance. —Instruction in temperate living is regularly provided, and on certain aspects of temperance the essays show that the pupils have very decided opinions. Science.-—Nearly all schools are poorly provided with apparatus for even simple indoor experimental work. Already some progressive teachers are working for betterment by use of the subsidy principle. General. In so far as the less measurable results of education are concerned, there is every reason to believe that the Schools are working to good purpose. The tone of the schools is usually high, and a natural self-discipline is much more prevalent than in former days. This report would not be complete without reference to the work of Mr. Wyllie, who recently retired from the Senior Inspectorate on superannuation. As teacher, Inspector, and Senior Inspector he strove to make Southland the home of sound learning. In his retirement he has the satisfaction of knowing that his work has not been in vain.

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APPENDIX D.

TRAINING COLLEGES.

I. DETAILED TABLES. Table P1. —Number of Students in the Four Training Colleges in 1924.

Table P2. —Initial Status on their Admission to the Training Colleges of Students who left in 1924.

Division A. Division B. Division 0. Division D. Training College. _________ Totals. M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. Total. _ . Auckland / First y ear •• 68 138 15 9 230 \qrs 83 1 147 1<>W -!«« Auckland , g econd year .. 22 76 20 20 138/ 368 42 f 1 " 5 96 f 243 368 Wellington J Krst y ear •• 56 100 14 13 1 4 .. .. 188 "L,. 7l\ 100 Wellington S g econd year ,. 2 1 92 8 15 136/ 324 29 f 1W 107 dM Christchurch/ First y ear " 38 86 6 16 1 147 *-282 45 82 102 \2OO 282 unristcnurcn g econd y ear 30 87 7 13 135/ 282 37/ 82 98 M 00 282 Dunedin /First year 31 76 10 17 1 8 15 158\ 49\ Rfi 109\ 91 . „„„ unedm \ Second year.. 29 94 8 11 142f 300 37/ 8t) 105/ 214 300 Totals .. .. 295 749 88 112 2 5 8 15 1,274 393 881 1,274

O fl® <t> CD ' Mf-iP! is ffl h 2 I is a ®£.2 5 ° ■£ g o 9 M •§ ® .S3 6C S '£ t, n ■ 88 lg°" ■§ 'g! 5)|g Mas§ s ? -d S _ $ .3 g * % "E S w> *2 °© g s -S | ■§ H?° * .uga .2.'3§ | s C3 CC CO rvi -4-3 *** 4> 2 <P bD <1> -*-* b| p ft, S S «15 fsil fills >3 . *g ll .si -3 •■§••§!§ |°al I! |. sS «■§ §H S I |81o |3SW |g o® ho Shop S h^h Auckland— Division A (two-year students) .... .. 39 39 48 .. 5 4 96 Division B (two-year students) .. .. .. 1 1 4 .. 36 .. 41 Division A (one-year students) .. .. 3 7 10 40 .. .. .. 50 Division C (one-year students) Division D (one-year students) Totals .. .. .. 3 47 50(a) 92(6) .. 41 4 187 Wellington— Division A (two-year students) .. .. 3 25 28 81 .. 4 .. 113 Division B (two-year students) .. .. .. 2 2 9 .. 11 .. 22 Division A (one-year students) .... 1 1 2 11 .. .. .. 13 Division C (one-year students) .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 .. .. 5 Division D (one-year students) Totals .. .. .. 4 28 32(c) 101(d) 5 15 .. 153 Christchurch— Division A (two-year students) .. 1 3 40 44 72 .. 1 .. 117 Division B (two-year students) .. .. .. .. .. 6 .. 12 .. 18 Division A (one-year students) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Division C (one-year students) .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1 Division D (one-year students) Totals .. .. 1 3 40 44(e) 78(f) 1 13 .. 136 Dunedin— Division A (two-year students) .. .. 4 49 53 67 .. 4 .. 124 Division B (two-year students) .. .. .. 1 1 1 .. 17 .. ! 19 Division A (one-year students) . . . . .. . . .. 2 .. .. .. I 2 Division C (one-year students) .. .. .. . . .. . . 1 .. .. 1 Division D (one-year students) .. .. 3 3 6 Hi .. 1 23 Totals .. .. .. 7 53 60(ff) 86(A) 1 21 1 169 Grand totals .. .. 1 17 168 186 357 7 90 5 645 (a) Including 30 students wlio had passed Matriculation or had obtained a partial pass in Matriculation. (b) Including 39 ditto. (c) Including 18 ditto. (d) Including 60 ditto. (e) Including 32 ditto. (/) Including 38 ditto. (g) Including 53 ditto. h) Including 53 ditto.

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Table P3. —Examination Status of Training-college Students who left in 1924.

Table P4. —Staffs of Training Colleges at 31st December, 1924.

for * m ~~ W Credited with || Class Class Class Class Totftl . * naUo™' Total. A - a Teacher's Status. <s® cCc Certificate. o Auckland Two-year students (Divisions A and B) .. .. 19 94 11 .. 124 13} .. 13} 137} One-year students (Division A)* 4 33 2} 39} 111 .. 11} 50} One-year students (Division C) One-year students (Division D) Totals .. .. .... 19 1 98 44 2 163 24 .. 24 187§ Wellington — Two-year students (Divisions A and B) .. .. 26 89 16 .. 131 4 j 4 135 One-year students (Division A)* 1 9 3 13 .. .. .. 13 One-year students (Division C) .. 1 3 .. . . 4 1 .. I 5 One-vear students (Division D) Totals .. .. .. 1 29 1 90 25 3 148 5 .. 5 153 Christchurch— Two-year students (Divisions A and B) .. .. 12 97 21 .. 130 5} .. 5} 13.5J , One-year students (Division A)* One-year students (Division C) .. . . . . .. 1 .. 1 .. .. .. 1 One-year students (Division D) Total .. .. .... 12 97 22 .. 131 5 .. 5 136} Dunedin —- Two-year students (Divisions A and B) .. .. 22 78 31 1 132 11 .. 11 143 One-year students (Division A)* 1 •• 1 1 •• 1 2 One-year students (Division C) .. .. 1 : .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1 One-year students (Division D) 6 8 14 9} .. 9} 23} Totals .. .. .... 23 : 84 40 1 148 21 .. 21 169} Grand totals .. .. 1 83 ' 369 131 6 590 55 .. 55 645|] * Division A students admitted for a two-years course and left at end of one year's training. f Includes 2 left before end of year. X Includes 1 left before end of year. $ Includes 4 left before end of year. || Includes 7 left before end of year.

Training College. Name. Position. Salary. £ Auckland .. .. .. Cousins,{Herbert G. .. .. Principal .. .. .. 750 Rae, Duncan McF. .. .. Vice-principal .. .. 550 Clinch, John A. .. .. Assistant Lecturer .. .. 510 Brew, Fred C. .. .. „ .. 480 Jones, E. R. .. .. .. „ .. .. 445 Shaw, J. W. (Rev.) .. .. „ .. .. 480 Wallace, Harry .. .. „ .. .. 480 Binsted, Henry .. .. „ .. .. 480 Kennedy, Agnes .. .. ,, .. .. 435 Hume, Jeanie .. .. Tutor and Librarian .. .. 380 Wellington .. .. .. Gould, W. H. .. . . Principal . . .. .. 725 Lonias, E. K. .. . . Vice-principal .. .. 575 Irvine-Smith, Fanny .. .. Assistant Lecturer .. .. 445 Jacobsen, N. R. .. • • „ .. .. 510 Blake, B. N. T. .. .. „ .. 495 Loy, E. .. .. .. „ .. .. 420 Aitken, J. W... .. .. „ .. ..460 Joyce, Mary E. .. .. Tutor and Librarian .. .. 380 Watkin, Len. J. .. . . Art Lecturer .. .. .. 510 Thomas, Richard J. .. Lecturer's Assistant .. .. 180 Sheppard, Olive M. .. „ .. .. 180 Canterbury .. .. .. Purchase, John E. .. .. Principal .. .. .. 750 Poison, John G. .. .. Vice-principal .. .. 625 Greene, William .. .. Assistant Lecturer .. .. 480 Maxwell, Robert W. D. .. „ .. .. 475 Jobberns, G. .. .. .. „ .. .. 480 Airey, Willis T. G. .. „ .. . . 435 Ironside, Annie F. .. „ .... 445 Cornes, J. J. S. .. .. Tutor and Librarian . . . . 380 Ot'ago .. .. .. .. Moore, John A. .. .. Principal .. .. . . 725 Macfarlane, Samuel G. .. Vice-principal .. .. 575 Fleming, James J. W. .. .. Assistant Lecturer . . . . 480 McLeod, Jane .. .. „ . . .. 460 Tucker, Arthur W. .. „ .. 510 Hudson, Eric R. .. .. „ .. .. 480 Harrison, Vera K. .. . . Tutor and Librarian .. .. 380 Donn, Robert .. .. Drawing Instructor .. . . 480 Landreth, C. .. .. .. Home Science Instructor .. 300

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11. EXTRACTS FROM REPORTS OF PRINCIPALS OF TRAINING COLLEGES. 1. AUCKLAND. I have the honour to submit my report for the year 1924. The following table shows the numerical strength of the College : — Men. Women. Total, In College, 1923 .. .. .. .. .. 119 244 363 Left at end of 1923 .. ..77 149 226 Remaining in College .. .. .. 42 95 137 Admitted, 1924 .. .. 85 149 234 Totals, 1924 127 244 371 Left during year .. .. .. .. .. 3 3 6 In College at end of 1924 .. .. .. ..124 241 365 This year forty-eight first-year students are leaving College. Staff. —Dr. Fitt, Vice-Principal since 1921, was appointed Professor of Education in the Auckland University College, and left at the end of 1923. Mr. D. M. Rae, M.A., Rector of the Riverton District High School, Southland, was appointed to the Vice-Principalship. Mr. H. Binsted, of the Kowhai Street Junior High School, joined the staff at the beginning of the year as Lecturer in Psychology. College Work.—The annexe has been used wholly for women students. The wide floor-space has been of great service for drill, and games, but lecturing has always been carried on under difficulties. At the Wellesley Street College, where all the men and half the women have their headquarters, accommodation has been taxed to the utmost. However, both staff and students have risen superior to conditions, and the full curriculum has been at all times satisfactorily maintained. We hope to have the use of the annexe until the new College is opened toward the end of 1925. In history a two-years course has been arranged ; the first-year students cover New Zealand history and the main stream of English history. The second-year students take the course prescribed in the C syllabus. The "project" system has been introduced this year, with highly satisfactory results. A wide range of books for consultation is an essential under this method. As our own library proved inadequate, the history students were given access to the University library and to the fine Auckland City collection. In drawing there has been a further advance on the high standard of blackboard work reached last year. Science includes nature-study for first-year students, physiography for secojid-year students, and a two-years course in general hygiene. One of the chief hindrances in the science work has been the poor equipment of many students when they enter the College, and the lack of a common basis of knowledge due to the diversity of scientific subjects taught in the secondary schools. English has followed the C syllabus with a class in composition for first-year students ; and phonetics, voice-production, a general survey of English literature, and special studies in present-day literature for the second-year students. During the year Mr. D. Wallace, a leading authority on Maori language, generously offered his services in Maori pronunciation. University Lectures. —148 students attended University lectures. On the whole the University work was correctly and capably done. In the 1923 degree examinations students and ex-students of the College gained the majority of Auckland University successes in arts : M.A., 13 ; Senior Scholarship, 1 ; B.Sc., 3 ; 8.A., 13 ; Mus.B., 1 ; 8.C0m., 3 ; B.Ag., 1 ; Sections B.A. and B.Sc., 90. At the loCal terms examinations seven premiums (for first place in the class) were won by the students of the College. Teaching Practice.—Each student spends 240 hours per year at teaching practice and observation in the Normal and Associated Schools. The verdict of the critic teachers is more than satisfactory. They report this year a distinct improvement in the standard of efficiency. In addition, the College staff regularly give model lessons to the normal School classes in the presence of the students. Athletic and Social.—The College activities on the social and athletic side have been fully maintained. Practically every student is brought into direct touch with these aspects of College life and work. As in previous years, we have found the discipline of the playing-field and the influence of the social life of College contribute largely to the development of character and individuality, and add elements to the students' equipment that serve them well in coming days. The fine physique of the students and their keenness at drill has been most favourably commented on by the physical iiistructors and the. military authorities. College teams, both men's and women's, have taken a leading part in the local athletic championships. Professor Adams. —The visit of Professor Adams proved an inspiration to staff and students. The Professor's wide culture and broad sympathies, his remarkable powers of exposition," and the charm of his personality had a fine effect on College life and ideals. The students' enthusiasm for so sane a guide and' their keenness to profit by his visit augur well for the future of the profession. Normal School. —The Normal School has proved an invaluable adjunct to the College, the loyal help of the headmaster and the school staff contributing very largely to the general success.In conclusion, I wish to record my appreciation of the unity and good-fellowship of my staff. The happy relations existing between the various members, each strong in individuality, is one of the finest features of the College ; the year's work has been a happy one as well as a valuable one. For the kindness, courtesy, and consideration I have received from the officers of the Board and of th§ Education Department I gratefully express my thanks,

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2. WELLINGTON. I have the honour to submit the following report on the work of the College for the year 1924. Roll.—The total roll for the year was —Senior students, 135 ; junior students, 188 : total, 323. This was made up of —Men, 100 ; women, 223. During the year two students left without completing their training, and one died. The numbers at the end of the year were, therefore—Men, 97 ; women, 223 : total, 320. The following shows the enrolment since the establishment of the College in 1906 : —

It will be seen that the decline in the proportion of men students noted last year has been more than overcome. Indeed, the proportion is probably just as high as is desirable to meet the requirements of the service. Classification. —The classification of students according to their various qualifications was as under : Division A, 269 (pupil-teachers and probationers) ; division B, 49 (no previous teaching experience) ; division C, 5 (University graduates) ; division !), 0 (adult uncertificated teachers). Again the proportion of "B " students shows a decline, and, indeed, bids fair to disappear entirely. There were again no "D " students. The coming into operation of the new regulations prescribing only one year pre-college training will in large measure counteract the undesirable effect of the decline in the number of "B " students. It is even questionable, in view of the fact that the pre-college service will be reduced to one year, whether it will be necessary or advisable to retain this class of student. The classification of students for the past five years is given hereunder for the purpose of comparison : —

New Students.—While again expressing gratification for the increasing number of applications for admission to the College, I cannot but continue to regret the fact that we have been compelled to refuse admission to an increasing number of very suitable entrants. I would also again stress the need for a revision of the educational qualifications for admission to the College. The present minimum attainment is deplorably, even dangerously, low. We cannot justify it on any grounds whatever. Aspirants for the teaching profession are at least much in excess of requirements, and the standard of general education demanded could be very considerably raised without creating an artificial dearth. Almost everywhere the need for a higher standard of general education in teachers is recognized. In Scotland, for example, new regulations were issued last year which aim to place teaching on as high a level as any of the other professions, and on a distinctly higher level than most. After 1926 men who desire to train for teachers will be required to possess a University degree or its equivalent. It is not suggested that such a standard, however desirable, should be at once demanded of prospective teachers. But the action of the Scottish Council indicates a direction along which all education authorities are moving—a better-education pedagogy. Yet we are admitting applicants whose standard of general education is not greatly above the Standard VI Proficiency. It is not because applicants with higher qualifications are not offering in sufficient number, but because we are required to grant preference to those applicants who have had two, and in some cases three, years' experience as pupilteachers or probationers. Those who refused the opportunity of earning, and preferred to carry forward their general education at considerable cost to themselves, are discriminated against, first by being the last to be accepted for entrance, and secondly by being paid a smaller sustenance allowance.

10— E. 2.

Number of Students. Percentage of Roll. Y ear. j Men. Women. j Total. Men. Women. 1906 .. .. .. 12 34 46 26-1 73-9 1916 .. .. .. 21 93 114 18-3 81-7 1920 .. .. .. 44 142 186 23-7 76-3 1921 .. .. .. 49 147 196 25-0 75-0 1922 .. . .. 74 203 277 26-7 73-3 1923 .. . . .. 67 227 294 22-8 77-2 1924 .. .. .. 100 223 323 30-9 69-] I

I Number of Students. - Year. p * j i Division A. Division B. | Division G. Division D. 1920 . . .. .. .. 145 37 4 10 1921.. ...... 145 44 2 5 1922.. ...... 175 86 6 10 1923 . . .. .... 213 76 5 0 1924.. ...... 269 49 5 0

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Accommodation. —Last year I drew attention to the lamentable lack of accommodation. Despite the fact that our numbers have still further increased, no effort has been made to grant us relief. During the past year we have been compelled to use the gymnasium as a regular lecture-room—a purpose for which it was not designed. It is fair neither to students nor to staff that they should be compelled to spend hours on end in a great draughty hall, which, notwithstanding our best efforts, remains a cold, cheerless place. The effect upon the health of students and staff is so apparent that I cannot undertake to so use it again. Our class-rooms, students' common rooms, and staff-rooms are all overcrowded and woefully insufficient. With the additional number of students in 1925 it is difficult to know how we shall carry on. Staff. —Our staff was slightly increased during the year, and now consists of Principal, VicePrincipal, seven lecturers, and two lecturers' assistants. Counting these last as equivalent to one lecturer, we have 10 full-time teachers on the staff for 323 students, giving an average of 32-3 students. This improvement in staffing, though far from sufficient, enabled much to be done that formerly we could not attempt, besides making more thorough the work formerly done. That there is still room for a considerable improvement in staffing is apparent from the fact that in all parts of the Empire outside New Zealand the standard staffing rate is approximately 15 students per full-time lecturer. In South Africa the average is 15, in Sydney 14, in Great Britain 13-9 ; in Adelaide and in Melbourne the average is slightly higher ; but nowhere, except in exceptional circumstances, is the average more than 20. The training of teachers cannot be satisfactorily carried out on any mass plan. While the lecture to large numbers undoubtedly has its place, this is not, or ought not to be, a very prominent place. The instruction should, as far as possible, reach the individual stage. Only then is it possible to develop the self-confidence so necessary in a teacher. In exemplification one might mention music. It is a common complaint that few of our teachers are able or willing to teach music. The complaint is undoubtedly warranted, and will continue to be so long as during the course of training the students are taught simultaneously in drafts of fifty to one hundred or more. Under such conditions the student cannot possibly develop the necessary confidence in his ability—he is afraid of his own voice. This applies in a less degree probably to the rest of his training, but it nevertheless applies. Teaching is not. merely a matter of knowledge but of capacity to do. And this capacity is developed by doing, not in mass formation, but as largely as possible individually. The most outstanding staff change during the year was the retirement on superannuation of Mr. J. Costin Webb, 8.A., Headmaster of Thorndon Normal School. This position was held by Mr. Webb from the establishment of the College in 1906. During this period he has had under his directions some one thousand five hundred students, who are now scattered over the length and breadth of the Dominion. It is impossible to estimate his effect upon the educational progress of the country, but it is nevertheless safe to assert that few men have exercised so great an influence. His zeal for the service, his unfailing attention to his many duties made of him a teacher whom it will be difficult to replace. General Work of the College.—Notwithstanding our disabilities in the matter of staffing and accommodation, I am pleased to be able to report a continued improvement in the work of the College. This to be accounted for largely by the additional staffing noted above. The experiment in method indicated in last report has been continued and extended to a wider range of subjects, so that almost the whole work of the College has been placed to a greater or less degree on a " project " basis. The results have been very gratifying. The general quality of work done, as well as the quantity, has much improved. The students themselves responded to the increased demands made upon them with a surprising concentration. So marked, indeed, has been the response that it has been necessary at times to safeguard the more zealous student from too great a zeal. The newer method, besides requiring of the student greater personal effort and concentration, enables him to express his individuality. The definite expression work, individual and collective, associated with each " project " gives the student an opportunity that the purely lecture method lacks. He is an active participator in the work, not a mere onlooker. Moreover, the expression work encourages a correlation that is highly desirable. As an instance one might mention the close correlation of art and handwork with almost all other subjects. No longer is handwork a detached subject, but rather an essential part of almost all other subjects, showing itself in history, in the construction of models, in science, in nature-study, and in almost all subjects in the provision of didatic apparatus and illustrative material. During the year, as part of a project "in New Zealand history, a private exhibition of students' work was held. The development of New Zealand has been studied by different groups from different aspects —political, social, industrial, &c. —and the resultant display bore evidence of the keen interest engendered. We desire to express our thanks to the large numbers scattered throughout the Dominion who lent books, old manuscripts, photographs, works of art, curios, weapons, &c. University Work. —The University classes attended by students were as under : English, 69 ; Latin, 18 ; French, 32 ; Education, 95 ; Philosophy, 51 ; History, 68 ; Economics, 17 ; Geography, 5 ; Mathematics, 13 ; Geology, 2 ; Chemistry, 3 ; Physics, 2 ; Botany, 4 ; Zoology, 1 : total, 380. Altogether 174 students attended University classes, leaving 149 students whose full course had to be provided by the college. An analysis of the final terms examination results gives the following : Honours, 6 ; first-class passes, 18; second-class passes, 60; third-class passes, 217 : total, 301. This result is highly satisfactory, especially when it is recognized that our students are required at the same time as they attend the University to do a very full Training-college course,

E. —2.

Certificates. —153 students completed their course of training in December, and on the joint results of examinations and College recommendations the following certificates were issued : Class A, 1 ; Class B, 13 ; Class C, 105 ; Class D and Part C, 27 ; Class D, 3 : total, 149. No recommendations were made in the case of four students whose Training-college work was not considered satisfactory. Students' Teaching Practice. —This important section of our work was carried out on lines very similar to those of the previous year, though an attempt was made at a greater degree of specialization. The two Normal Schools carried, as usual, the bulk of the load. Some members of the staffs of the following schools were, however, associated for the purpose of providing additional teaching practice : Boys' College,. Technical College, Te Aro (Main and Infants'), Terrace. I cannot speak too highly of the ready assistance rendered me by the heads and staffs of these schools. The Boys' College as well as the Technical College provided guidance and teaching practice for our graduate students and those of Division A and B who desired, and were fitted for, special training for secondary teaching ; Te Aro Infants' catered for part of those who were paying special attention to infant teaching ; while Te Aro Main and Terrace assisted in the training of students for general standard work. We do not believe in, and consequently do not encourage or permit, an undue specialization. We recognize that all parts of the teaching service are interrelated, and that undue specialization, especially along the lines of types of school, is apt to accentuate the gaps that unfortunately exist between the successive steps in the educational ladder. But we recognize also that each successive step possesses its own special problems, and in a degree its own technique. Consequently we attempt, so far as our limited resources will permit, to provide for each student a general training, and, in cases where temperament and attainments permit, to superimpose upon this some degree of specialization. So far we have confined ourselves to secondary and to infant teaching, with a considerable degree of justifiable satisfaction. Whatever success we have achieved in this respect, however, is small compared with the possibilities. We are continually opposed by the two elements —time and opportunity. A two-year course —unfortunately there is an apparent movement towards a one - year course —is altogether too short to do what should be done. An extension to a third year, if only in the case of selected students, would have a result much more than commensurate with the additional cost. But perhaps even more pressing than the need of a lengthened course is the need of further opportunities for teaching practice. Though I referred to this in last year's report, I feel, even at the risk of appearing importunate, that I must again refer to the matter. During the year we had thirty-three class-rooms available for the practice of our 323 students. A moment's consideration will show how insufficient this is. At least a quarter of our students must be in the schools at one time if the requirements of the regulations are to be met. This means that throughout the whole year we must provide for the teaching practice of eighty students —an average of two and a half per class-room. Not only is each teacher required to supervise and provide practice for these students, but his class must suffer the interruption and 'prentice efforts of the students continuously throughout the year. One, or both, of two things must result : the students' actual teaching be curtailed or the class be allowed to suffer. There appears no good reason why opportunities for practice could not be almost indefinitely extended by associating the whole of the schools within reasonable reach of the College. Some few years ago the practice arose of making substantial payments to all teachers associated in the work of providing and directing students' teaching practice ; and to-day the cost must be very considerable. But is this a right practice ? It does not maintain, I think, anywhere outside the teaching profession. It is a recognized principle of professional ethics that practitioners shall render assistance to those training for their professions. It is similarly recognized in the crafts that the master craftsman shall render assistance in the training of his apprentices. Ido not think our best teachers would view this matter in any mercenary spirit, provided the task is not too onerous. If the whole of the schools participated, the tax upon individuals would be slight indeed. Hostel Accommodation.—With the advent of more normal times, and despite the increase in our numbers, the difficulty of finding suitable accommodation for students is progressively less acute. The difficulty noted in last year's report proved only a temporary one, for before the year was far advanced all students were satisfactorily accommodated. It is matter for regret, however, that only a comparatively small percentage of our students were accommodated in hostels. While great care is exercised in the authorization of private homes, it cannot be denied that those students who are compelled to live privately lose much when they miss the institutional life of a well-conducted hostel. The most casual observer cannot fail to note the very excellent effect of our hostels in moulding the personality of our students. The closer regulation as well as the greater quietness and better facilities for study are all factors in favour of the hostel students. These hostels are all under excellent management, and I desire again to express our appreciation of the manner in which they continue to co-operate with us. Social Life. —-Every effort has been made to maintain the social side of college life ; but with our ever-increasing numbers and restricted accommodation this becomes progressively more difficult. I cannot overstate the pleasure and profit we derived from the visit of Professor John Adams. We thank the Department for making this visit possible. Such visits from distinguished educators are helpful to a degree it is difficult to estimate. It is certain, however, that those students who left us at the end of the year did so with a zeal for their work that was by no means uninfluenced by the inspiring addresses of Dr. Adams. I desire to express my thanks to both Board and Department for the support accorded me during a somewhat difficult year.

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3. CHRISTCHURCH. I have the honour to submit the following report on the Christchurch Training College for the year ending 31st December, 1924. The year has been a particularly hard one, on account of the large number of students and lack of accommodation. The classes have all been too large, and consequently the lecturers have been very much overtaxed. . Nevertheless a good year's work has been completed, and the students as thoroughly prepared for their career as in any previous year. At the beginning of the year the staff was strengthened by the appointment of Mr. W. T. G. Airey, M.A. (N.Z.), B.A. (Oxon.), a returned Rhodes Scholar, who had just completed his course at Oxford. He has taken over a large part of the instruction in English and all the history, in both of which subjects he is splendidly equipped. In history particularly his breadth of view and fine treatment will do much to set before students a conception of history that will make that subject appeal to them, while at the same time the work set will ensure that they will make up to some extent the lack of knowledge that characterizes most students on entrance. The visit of Professor Adams was a great treat. In the addresses he delivered he made a very strong appeal. He was an inspiration to students and to members of the staff, and his visit will be long remembered with pleasure. Mr. C. T. Aschman, Headmaster of the Normal School and Master of Method for many years in the Training College retired on superannuation at the end of the year. No tribute, however well expressed, can do justice to the service rendered by him to the College. He has been associated with the institution for over thirty years, and has always been very keenly interested in the welfare of the students. His wide reading, clear exposition, and brilliant demonstrations have made his work particularly successful. The College is indebted to him for many years of valuable work, and I take this opportunity of gratefully acknowledging his services, and of expressing my regret at parting from a colleague with whom it has been such a pleasure to work. On the academic side the students have been prepared for the various examinations, departmental and University, for which they were permitted to enter. Generally they acquitted themselves well. The standard of attainment reached by Training-college students at Canterbury College compared very favourably indeed with that reached by other University students. Regarding practice teaching, the teachers who have taken part in the professional training of the students have expressed their conviction that the five-week period of continuous school practice has given much better results than the former short periods did. The work of the critic teacher in personally supervising the teaching practice and co-ordinating the work of the various practice schools has been very valuable. He writes : " Ample opportunity has been afforded for the students to gain experience in actual teaching and to try out in practice the theories expounded in the method lectureroom. The periodic discussions have proved quite helpful in assisting the students to see more clearly the problems encountered in the class-room. Observation work was systematically carried out along specified lines, and in many cases very good work was done. All students, as far as possible, had experience in each of the junior, middle, and senior departments of the primary-school work." The sole-charge school conducted in its own section adjacent to Phillipstown School enables students to observe the organization of a rural school under conditions as nearly as possible similar to those experienced in an ordinary country school. The reports from teachers state that students generally approach their teaching practice with much eagerness, that they are keen to learn, very willing to assist in every way, and evince an earnestness of purpose that is quite commendable. The reports from the Training-college staff show clearly that the work of the students has been well done. They deplore the limitations imposed by large classes and inadequate accommodation, both of which difficulties will be at least partially removed in the near future. Wherever possible the project plan has been adopted, and a considerable amount of individual work thus carried out. The students were thoroughly tested at the end of each term, and were subjected to a final examination covering the whole course at the end of the year. Every lecturer has therefore abundance of information concerning the standard reached in his siibject by each student. A high standard has been demanded, and no student has been given a pass until it has been thoroughly earned. In view of the opinion expressed that this testing in the past has not been severe enough, it seemed wise to state clearly the plan adojjted. Examination work makes very heavy demands on the time of the lecturers, who can only get through the work by devoting much holiday time to the correction of papers. Wherever a comparison can be made with external examinations the results clearly indicate that the work demanded by the Training-college staff is distinctly higher. An important problem in Training-college work is that of differentiation in training. For three years now some differentiation in professional training has been provided for. In this way an effort has been made to solve the problem of preparation for secondary-school teaching. A special lecture course in secondary-school subjects has been drawn up, and two hours a week devoted to lecture and discussion. This class is attended by all graduate students and by those who are sufficiently advanced in their University work to warrant the assumption that they will ultimately become secondary-school teachers. This class is in addition to the usual method course ; indeed, it is really a special application of method plans to secondary-school subjects. Arrangements have been made whereby some of the practice teaching is done at the Girls' High School under the supervision of experienced teachers. It is hoped that facilities in this direction will also be provided by the Boys' High School and the Technical College. lam convinced that all students preparing for the work of teaching in secondary schools should take the ordinary Training-college course and be thoroughly acquainted with teaching principles which are applicable alike to primary and secondary schools. The intimate knowledge obtained of the primary school, especially of the upper department, forms the best beginning for special secondary-

E.—2

school training, and should help materially to make the transition from the primary to the secondary school much easier for the pupils than it has been in the past. With a little further extension a sufficient number of trained students to satisfy the requirements of secondary institutions can be provided. The special aptitude shown by some of the women students for infant-school work has impelled us to make some provision for special preparation for that department. A class has therefore been formed under Miss Baster, wlro, in addition to extra lecture work, arranged special practical work for this group. Although there is no guarantee that all these will find appointments at once in an infant-room, all specially desired to be allowed to avail themselves of the opportunity offered. The results have been excellent. Not only in College time but in their own time they have shown the greatest enthusiasm for the work, and have evinced much interest in modern methods of infant school teaching. The special class for retarded children continues to do good work. The appeal through motor activities is proving increasingly successful. Some of the bigger boys spend regular periods in the woodwork-shop, and the elder girls with Miss Blackburn in the cookery-room. All seem thoroughly happy and make good progress. The help and co-operation of the Department in connection with this class is keenly appreciated by the teacher in charge, whose main desire in life seems to be to endeavour to remove some of the disabilities under which these children suffer. Reviewing the work generally, one is justified in stating that it is better than it has been at any time previously. The strengthening of the staff has been the principal factor in this. The policy of the College has been to do justice both to the cultural and to the professional side of the student's preparation. For both aspects of the work we have a body of expert teachers. The cultural side is done as thoroughly as possible, and the standard of work is becoming more and more satisfactory each year. This is probably due to the fact that in addition to the larger number of highly qualified lecturers the academic status of the students is higher than has been the case in previous years. The applications for pupil-teacherships now so far exceed the demand that there is a probability that the higher leaving-certificate will be regarded as the minimum qualification for such positions in the near future. Then we shall be able to devote a larger amount of time to purely professional training. 4, DUNEDIN. I beg to submit the annual report on the work of the Training College. When the College opened in February the following numbers of students were enrolled :— Second-year students — Males. Females. Total. Division A .. .. .. .. .. 29 94 123 Division B . . .. .. . . 8 11 19 37 105 142 New entrants — Division A .. .. . .. 31 76 107 Division B .. .. .. .. 10 17 27 Division C .. .. .. .. .... 1 J Division D .. .. .. .. 8 15 23 49 109 158 The College year thus began with exactly 300 students —86 men and 214 women. Of these, 195 came from Otago, 74 from Southland, 15 from Canterbury, 5 from Hawke's Bay, 3 each from Wellington and Taranaki, 2 from Auckland, and 1 each from Nelson, Westland, and Wanganui. University Classes. —138 College students attended one or more classes at Otago University. The classes attended were —Education, 79 students ; pass-degree English, 58 ; advanced English, 4 ; Honours English, 1 ; pass-degree French, 29 ; advanced French, 11 ; pass-degree Latin, 4 ; advanced Latin, 2 ; Greek art and literature, 2 ; mathematics, pass-degree, 2 ; mathematics, advanced, 1 ; chemistry, pass degree, 1 ; geology, pass degree, 2 ; history, pass degree, 34 ; history, advanced, 1 I ; economics, pass degree, 26 ; philosophy, 12 ; and anthropology, 9. As a result of class and terms examinations, College students gained 17 first-class, 63 second-class, and 163 third-class passes. Staff Changes.—At the beginning of the year Mr. Tucker was appointed assistant lecturer, vice Mr. Macfarlane, promoted ; and on Ist July Mr. Hudson began duty as assistant lecturer in succession to Mr. Martin, who had been appointed headmaster of Mosgiel District High School. Miss E. Walker, typist, resigned as from 9th August, and was succeeded by Miss D. Morris. New Rural School. —At Albany Street School a new rural public school of Grade II was established. This should prove of the greatest service in the practical training of students, most of whom secure their first appointment in a country district. College Work. —The principal changes in the programme of work since last year were the dropping of general hygiene in favour of history as a subject for the C certificate, and the formation of a class in Education 11. Certificate Recommendations.—ln consequence of successes gained at University and College classes, eight students have been recommended for a B certificate, 108 students for a C certificate, twenty-two for credit towards C in four subjects, twelve with credit in three subjects, fifteen with credit in two subjects, one with credit in one subject.

£.—'2

Last year I dealt in some detail with the work in drawing, agriculture, and elocution ; this year I shall content myself with the following brief statement of the aims of the educational handwork class, conducted by Miss Thornton : — Handwork. —There are three main aspects from which to view the work of the hand : — (1.) As a means of expression in school subjects. Students are given practice illustrating this phase and are shown how handwork can be used as an educational medium in the teaching of literature, geography, and history. Opportunities are given to show individual initiative, skill, and accuracy in the construction of a group of models, which, by means of community effort, will illustrate a chosen subject. Subjects are chosen from — (a) Literature —as Hiawatha (costumes for dramatization) ; (b) geography —Eskimo, Maori, &c. ; (c) history—armour, ships, costumes, &c. In order to carry out the above work, students receive instruction in (a) plastic modelling (clay and plasticine), (b) paper and cardboard work, (c) toy and flower making. Opportunities are also given for experiments in the use of waste material. (2.) Handwork as an activity in which the individual is given an opportunity to recapitulate the history of the race. Under this heading instruction is given in the technique of weaving, basketry, and elementary pottery. The association of this type of handwork with the study of primitive life develops constructive imagination. Simple inferences drawn from the study of objects made by natives of various countries make geography and literature live subjects. (3.) Cultural handicraft in connection with applied art. The student is led to realize the possibilities, of applying design to useful objects in order to increase their beauty. Original designs are prepared in the drawing class and applied in wood-staining and leather-modelling. The cultural value of handicraft in its practical and decorative development through school study towards home-crafts is an aspect of the work in which the students show great interest. General.—The conduct of the students has been particularly good, and their attitude towards the College and its work most encouraging. Both men and women took an unusual interest in their common rooms. The senior women, under the direction of Miss Landreth, did a great deal to improve the appearance of their common room. So enthusiastic were they that they contributed £15 towards the cost. The Education Board very kindly assisted by kalsomining the walls, painting the ceiling, staining and varnishing the woodwork, and providing new linoleum for the floor. The walls and ceiling of the men's common room were also painted, and the woodwork varnished, by the Education Board. Since then a. decoration committee, under the supervision of Mr. Donn, has undertaken the embellishing of the panels in the walls and ceilings with suitable paintings. All the common rooms look much better than they have ever done before. The desire shown by students to improve their own rooms, and their care of College property generally, should bear fruit hereafter, particularly in the case of those who settle in country districts. Sports. —Nearly all students took part in some of the College games. Social.—The social side of College life was well catered for by welcome and farewell picnics and social evenings, by dances, debates, &c. The Executive deserves great credit for the successful running of these useful functions. Needs. —The most urgent needs of the College are — (1.) A properly organized hostel for lady students. This need has been emphasized in Training College reports for many years past. The Board is quite alive to the necessity for this, and in its report for the year 1923 expresses the hope that " the erection of such an institution on the site already acquired in King Street will be proceeded with at an early date." (2.) Increased accommodation. The College is badly off for an assembly-hall, large enough to accommodate 150 students, and a properly equipped art-room. Dr. John Adams. —An outstanding event of the year was the visit of Dr. John Adams, Emeritus Professor of Education in the University of London. The high expectations formed from the reading of his many published works were more than realized in the series of inspiring addresses to which it was our privilege to listen. It is to be hoped that we shall have from time to time visits of a similar character from other leaders in educational thought and practice. We are much indebted to the Education Board, the University Council, the High Schools Board, the Otago Institute, the Educational Institute, the Technical College Board, and the School of Religious Education for financial and other assistance in connection with this visit. Thanks. —I tender my sincere thanks to all who in any way contributed to the success of the College during the past year. I might mention specially the College staff, including all associated teachers ; the students' executive, and particularly its president, Mr. Booth ; and the Education Board, a body very much alive to our needs and anxious to do its best to supply them.

Approximate Cost of Papsr.—Preparation, not given ; printing (1,300 copies), £122.

Authority : W. A. G. Skinner, Government Printer, Wellington.—l92s.

Price Is. 6d ]

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EDUCATION: PRIMARY EDUCATION. [In continuation of E.-2, 1924.], Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1925 Session I, E-02

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EDUCATION: PRIMARY EDUCATION. [In continuation of E.-2, 1924.] Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1925 Session I, E-02

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EDUCATION: PRIMARY EDUCATION. [In continuation of E.-2, 1924.] Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1925 Session I, E-02

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EDUCATION: PRIMARY EDUCATION. [In continuation of E.-2, 1924.] Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1925 Session I, E-02

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EDUCATION: PRIMARY EDUCATION. [In continuation of E.-2, 1924.] Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1925 Session I, E-02

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EDUCATION: PRIMARY EDUCATION. [In continuation of E.-2, 1924.] Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1925 Session I, E-02

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