H.—2.

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the class subjects of examination for Class E, and would practically instruct in school organization and management. Sectional instruction should also be given in drawing, singing, chemistry and physics, drill and gymnastics, and in sewing. Masters thoroughly competent in their several departments, and, in some sections, as in singing and drawing, professional teachers who have special qualifications for the work of training in their subjects, are fortunately at hand. In addition to the city schools, which would, in some instances, form good model schools, it is necessary that there should be a model school of the ordinary size of a country school, attached to the normal school. Tenders are already called for a suitable building at Kaiwara, and a master cau be found in the service who possesses ability as an instructor in method. I have, &c, Hon. C. J. Pharazyn, Robert Lee. Chairman, Wellington Education Board.

HAWKE'S BAT. Sir,— Napier, 28th February, 1879. I have the honor to present a general report upon education for the seven months ending December 31st, 1878. As a number of supplementary reports have from time to time been submitted for your approval, it will not be necessary for me to refer again to the subjects contained in those reports. During the few months I have held the position of Inspector of Schools in the district my time has been occupied in visiting and examining the public schools; in classifying the children according to the Government standards issued by the Education Department; in holding examinations of teachers, pupil-teachers, and children for scholarships; and in attending to the many calls made upon my time as Secretary to the Board. Extent of District. —Tho Education District of Hawke's Bay includes the Counties of Cook, Wairoa, Hawke's Bay, and AVaipawa, situated on the east coast of the North Island, and having an area of 8,578 square miles. Separately, the area for each county is, —Cook, 2,790 square miles; Wairoa, 1,780 square miles; Hawke's Bay, 2,136 square miles ; and Waipawa, 1,872 square miles. ' Population in the District. —The European population, according to the census lately published, is nearly 19,090. Taking one-sixth of the population as being of school age, at least 3,100 children ought to be in attendance at school. At the commencement of the year Ido not think that little more than one-half the estimated number could have been attending the public aud private schools, and at the close of the year it is certain that not more than two-thirds were iv average attendance. The following table will show the number of children attending the district schools for the quarters ending September 30th and December 31st, 1878 : —

School Accommodation. —The total school area in all the district schools possessed by the Board is only sufficient to provide for the accommodation of about 900 children. It is chiefly in Napier and tho larger townships that school accommodation is urgently needed, and where it has been found necessary to hire rooms for school purposes until provision could be made by erectiug suitable schoolhouses in the districts. I consider it will bo necessary for tho Board to provide accommodation for at least I,SOO children. Number of Schools and Teachers. —Thirty-one schools are uuder my inspection, four of which are subsidized only, the attendance not being sufficiently high to guarantee a fixed salary to the teachers. At the close of the year, 54 teachers were employed in tho district schools—viz., 28 males and 26 females. General Remarks. —The year that has just closed may be looked upon as of great importance iv connection with the question of general education. It is the first year under the new system which requires each education district to produce similar work under similar conditions. If the various school districts in the colony had had equal advantages before the passing of the Education Act similar work might have been expected in each district, but, where former conditions have been so very unequal, some time must elapse before it will bo possible to make correct comparisons on the basis of the Government requirements. It is hard to judge of the success or otherwise of the new education system. This is especially the case in my district, where the work has been only of a preliminary character. Until the passing of the Act no attempt appears to have been made to introduce a definite educational system into the district: hence it happens that schoolhouses have to be built, apparatus supplied, teachers to be trained, and schools organized, before even entering upon the threshold of the standard work required by the Government. It would seem that tho Education Act of 1877 entirely threw out of gear the work in the few schools which were established in the district before the passing of that Act. The denominational schools, formerly recognized by tho Provincial Government, passed from the Board's control, and it was found necessary, in tho early part of the year, to make temporary and consequently incomplete arrangements to supply accommodation for the large number of children who flocked to the free public schools in Napier and many other places. The want of funds at such a time proved a great hindrance to education generally, for the temporary buildings could not be supplied with the most ordinary apparatus, without which even skilful teachers cannot succeed. In Napier, for

jNumber at the Close of thi Quarter. Average Attendance. Quart er. Number at tho Beginning of the Quarter. M. P. M. F. September 30 ... )ecember 31 ... 1,703 1,954 9S6 1,066 868 919 840 896 740 753