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passed into the higher standards, and that for the first time children have been presented for examination in Standard VI. The table given below is a summary of the standard results, as shown in Table B, appended to the Inspector's report: —

School Committees. —The Board is pleased to observe the increasing interest and intelligence manifested by a number of the School Committees in the matter of education. Some of the Committees, by means of subscriptions, concerts, &c, have obtained funds sufficient not only to carry out important alterations, but also to give some little assistance to their teacher. Thus Kaikora received from the Board £29 6s. 6d., and collected in their district the sum of £55 Bs. 3d.; Wallingford, £6 17s. 6d., and collected in their district £92 ; and Napier, £150, and collected £94 19s. It is gratifying to find Committees vying with one another in providing gymnastic apparatus for their schools. The Inspector in his report .draws attention to the interest which Committees are manifesting in the prosperity and success of their pupils. With few exceptions, representatives from the School Committees were present during the annual examination by the Inspector, and, as pointed out by him, those schools where interest was manifested and Visiting Committees had been appointed were far superior in discipline, tone, and general class results!. The amount collected by School Committees from private sources during the past year was nearly £420. In the year 1880 the amount was £190 9s. 6d. Compitlsoet Attendance. —The compulsory clause, though nominally in force in most districts, is not of much practical value in the enforcement of attendance. The police, whilst willing to undertake the duties of truant officers, are unable to give that attention to the matter which its importance demands. Then, districts in some cases arc so large that it is utterly impossible for them to visit the houses of absentees in each school district: besides, the statement in the latter part of section 89, which says that " the parent or guardian of every child shall send such child to school for at least one-half of the period in each year in which the school is usually open," is so indefinite that half a dozen interpretations may be easily placed upon it. The Board ventures to hope the Government will modify this clause in such manner that compulsion can be enforced at any time, either by Committees or Boards, and that all fines (which shall always be double the rate paid by the Government on the average daily attendance of each child, say Bd. per day) shall be payable to School Committees and teachers in equal proportions. Sayings-Banks.—No savings-banks have yet been established in any school under the Board. It is to be regretted that Committees and teachers have not seen the necessity of bringing the subject under the notice of their pupils. The Board is glad to recognize the simplicity of the scheme, which has been approved by the department, and to which this Board called the Minister's attention in its report for 1880 ; and, whilst doing so, expresses a hope that the growing interest in educational work now manifesting itself among School Committees will lead them to see the importance of promoting habits of thrift in their schools. The Board has observed that the scheme of saving small sums by means of penny postage-stamps has recently been brought under the notice of School Boards in England by Mr. Mundella, the head of the Education Department in that country, and already 450,000 new accounts have been opened, " principally by children of the public schools," and this leads the Board to think that, when the advantages of such a scheme are fully realized, savings-banks will be established in most of the schools in the district. School Libeaeies.—As yet, Gisborne, Petane, and Woodville are the only schools where school libraries have been established for the sole benefit of the children. Efforts are being made by several of the other Committees to provide a library, and it is anticipated that during the current year most of the Committees will endeavour to establish school libraries in their districts. Examination or Pupil-Teachees and Candidates toe Scholarships.—The annual examination of pupil-teachers was held in July. One pupil-teacher of the fourth year, seven pupil-teachers of the third year, fifteen of the second, thirteen of the first, and nine candidates for pupil-teachers presented themselves for examination. The pupil-teachers of the- third year will have completed their term of engagement under the Board in July next, and the question arises as to their future. The Inspector reports that these pupil-teachers are doing exceptionally good work, and that it would be greatly to the benefit of this district if arrangements could be made for sending them to one of the training colleges established in New Zealand. This might easily be done if a small portion of the training college grant were placed at the disposal of the Board for the purpose of providing annually two or more scholarships to enable those pupil-teachers who have completed their engagements to enter a training college. The scholarship examination was held at the same time as the pupil-teachers'. Twelve scholars in Class B, and nine in class C, entered for the examination. All the candidates wore examined in Napier, instead of, as heretofore, in different centres, the expenses of the candidates being paid by the Board. The following table* gives a list of the holders of scholarships under the Board, and other information connected with them. The results of the examination afford evidence of steady and improving work among the candidates, but it is a matter for regret that so few boys compete outside the pupils attending the Napier and.

Standab: I. STA! ibae: II. Sta: 'BAUD III. Stakdabd IV. Sta: dab: V. Sta: [DABD VI. eav. Total Passes. i M. I F. Total F. Total . M. F. Total 45 102 94 1S9 103 207 117 271 M. ! F. Total M. F. Total M. F. Total M. i .878 .879 .880 .881 272 277 228 ; 201 199; 174 225 161 54-9 429 373 386 61 224 176 202 39 166 158 172 100 390 334 374 57 95 104 154 7. 4 43 22 53 40 69 66 11 Co 93 135 19 22 6 15 25 37 "6 i'6 762 1,073 1,032 1,213 i'o