H.—2

96

Half-time Schools.—The remarks made in former parts of this report with respect to small schools apply with twofold force to half-time schools, and will render necessary a modification of even that portion of the programme embraced by Regulation 7. On the principle that it is better to do a few things thoroughly than a greater number indifferently or badly, I think it would be wise to limit the compulsory subjects of examination at half-time schools to reading, spelling, writing, grammar, and arithmetic. This would probably be quite sufficient work, both for teachers and scholars, to occupy the twelve or fifteen hours per week which would be available. The scholars might be examined in any other subject of the programme included in Regulation 7, at the discretion of the teacher, but if they passed in those above-named they should be considered to have passed the standard, providing, however, that certificates issued under Regulation 4 should, iv such cases, specify the subjects in which the scholars have been examined. ******* Scholarships.—ln connection with the recent examination of candidates for the scholarships offered by tho Board, I think it only right to mention that three of the candidates nominated from the Hokitika School have recently left the district, and that these were tho three most advanced scholars. One of them would have remained to compete, but for the fact of his being a little past tho age fixed by the Board, and, judging from his work for the last two years at the ordinary school examinations, this boy would have bad a very good chance for the first place. AVith respect to future examinations, it has been objected that the introduction of Latin, algebra, and Euclid into the programme of examination will virtually confine the benefits of the scholarships to the four or five principal schools of the district; and there is some force in this objection, which did not strike me when I sketched out the regulations. Should the Board consider the objection to be valid, ono of two courses might be adopted: (1) To strike out the subjects objected to altogether; or (2) to retain them in tho case of the first scholarship, but to dispense with them in the case of the second. AVhile on this subject I may be permitted to remark that all scholarships supported wholly by grants from tho General Government ought to be competed for, as nearly as possible, uuder the same conditions. At present there may be, and no doubt is, a great difference in the regulations fixing the age of candidates, the subjects of examination, and other matters ; and a scholar in one part of New Zealand may gain a scholarship with ease, while an equally well taught boy in another district may fail. If the Minister of Education could make regulations that should be applied to all scholarships supported by public money, and in some manner secure a certain uniformity in the examination papers, not only would all competitors throughout New Zealand stand ou the same footing, but a comparison could then be instituted between what may be called " the pick " of the pupils from the elementary schools of all the education districts of the colony. Pupil-teachers.—ln order to enable both pupil-teachers and their instructors to have the full benefit of the holidays, I made arrangements this year to hold the examination of pupil-teachers concurrently with the examination of the schools in which they are employed. Although this plan necessarily caused me some considerable extra work for tbe time, yet, since it saved both teachers and pupils some suspense, trouble, and expense, lam well satisfied to have done so. Hitherto, as you are aware, tho pupil-teachers have generally been examined at the two chief centres of population during the holidays. The number of pupil-teachers examined was 25, who have been classed as follows: First class, 3 ; second class, 7; third class, 10 ; fourth class, 2 ; while three remain unclassified, not having passed the examination. I will now repeat a suggestion I made on a former occasion with respect to pupil-teachers of the first class —namely, that it is highly desirable to make some permanent arrangement with such of them as may be recommended for the purpose, to encourage them to remain in the service of the Board after the expiration of their term of apprenticeship. They might be ranked as junior assistants, and be eligible for the first suitable vacancy that might occur in their schools. At present a first-class female pupil-teacher receives £35 per annum, and I would suggest that an agreement be drawn up, by which pupil-teachers, at the end of their last year's apprenticeship, might be bound to remain in the service of tho Board for two years, at a salary of £50 for the first and £60 for the second year ; and that, in the event of a suitable vacancy occurring in the district, such pupil-teacher, or junior assistant, should be appointed to the situation, at such salary as the Board might thiuk fit. Supplementary.—Since writing the foregoiug, I have had an opportunity of visiting Jackson's Bay and Rangiriri, concerning which places I have the honor to report as follows : —■ The schools in the Jackson's Bay District have not made so much progress as I expected, and it will be seen by the table of results tbat they rank among the least satisfactory of the schools in the district. There are, however, some extenuating circumstances which, in justice to the teachers, mti3t be taken into consideration. In the first place, these schools were examined for results in March last, and, consequently, have only had ten months iv which to do the work of twelve. Secondly, the recent examination took place immediately after the long vacation, which necessarily placed the scholars at some disadvantage. In the case of the Arawata Flat School, the destruction by fire of the building used as a schoolroom some time before the completion of the new building caused an additional loss of several weeks' time. With respect to the Bay School, and without reference to the results of the late examination, I cannot but consider the position of affairs as highly unsatisfactory. I found about onethird of the children of school age were not attending the school, and ascertained that the cause of their absence was the dissatisfaction of their parents with the conduct of the teacher ; and, upon referring the persons complaining to the Local Committee, I learned that that body—if it existed at all—was divided against itself, and that one party thereof refused to take any notice whatever of complaints against the teacher. The consequence had been that the Chairman had ceased to call meetings, and that the Committee had virtually ceased to exist some months before. In the absence of any Committee, and not having received any formal complaint, I did not consider myself called upon to make any official inquiry into the merits of the case; but, from what I heard from both sides, I arrived at the conclusion that the teacher, by injudiciously taking a somewhat prominent share in the party strife that has long prevailed there, has naturally rendered himself obnoxious to one section of the community,