E.—l

72

Return No. 5* gives the ages of the children, the number in each standard, and the number receiving instruction in each of the prescribed subjects, as at 31st December, 1881; and the following table, in continuation of one presented in previous reports, shows the number of schools, and of children on the rolls and in average attendance, within so much of the Provincial District of Canterbury as is contained in the Education District of North Canterbury since the passing of the first Provincial Education Ordinance in 1863: —

It will be observed that, for the first time in the history of Canterbury, the numbers, as compared with those of the preceding year, show an actual decrease. This may be partly ascribed to the exclusion from the return of all children not above five years of age. But the main cause is the prevalence of measles, which appeared in the district during the June quarter, and for several months very materially affected the attendance. For example: the average at the Gloucester Street School for the March quarter was 941; but for the June quarter it fell to 835, and for the following quarter to 751. At "West Christchurch the average up to 31st March was 931; but for the June quarter it was 849, and for the September quarter 819. At the Normal School, during the same period, the average fell from 776 to 637; at Sydenham, from 748 to 073; and at Lyttelton, from 630 to 535. There was a considerable improvement during the December quarter, but in no case did the average rise again to the point which it had reached in the corresponding quarter of 1880. The decrease in the schools mentioned involved a loss of income to the Board of upwards of £1,000. The Board suggests that in the payment of the capitation grant some allowance should be made when the attendance has been reduced by sickness. "While its receipts are strictly regulated by the quarterly averages the Board cannot, with a diminished revenue, continue to pay teachers' salaries as though its income had undergone no reduction, and consequently the teachers will be made to suffer pecuniarily from causes over which they have no control. Teachees. —Beturn No. 1J gives a nominal return of all teachers in the Board's service at the end of the December quarter, and of the amount of salary and allowances received by each. The total number was 408, besides 33 sewing mistresses. Of 252 principal and assistant teachers, 194 were fully certificated, 5 had partly passed the certificate examination, 20 held licenses to teach, and 33 were without certificates :of these latter, 5 have since left the Board's service. They were classified as follows :—Male : Head teachers, 120; assistant teachers, 17; pupil-teachers, 45. Female : Head teachers, 80; assistant teachers, 35; pupil-teachers, 111. The number of teachers appears large in proportion to the average attendance for the quarter, but allowance must be made for the extent to which the average has been reduced by the exceptional circumstances above mentioned. The Board did not think it expedient to reduce the teaching staff of the schools in the same proportion, believing that the falling off in the attendance would be but temporary, and that the average would soon recover itself. In the latter part of the year the Board issued a revised set of regulations, which will be found in the appendix to this report, containing an amended scale of staff and salaries. The new scale differs but slightly from the one previously in force, the main distinction being that, instead of a uniform reduction of 10 per cent, on all salaries, the present scale takes rather more from the higher salaries, and thus lessens the reduction from the smaller ones.

* Included in the summaries given in the report of the Minister. $ See summary in Table 1?.

Quarter ended 31st December. District Schools. Aided Schools. Total of Schools. On Roll. Average Attendance. Percentage. 1878 1879 1880 1881 106 116 121 128 4 4 2 1 110 120 123 129 13,647 15,230 16,437 16,051 10,070 11,381 12,233 11,760 73 83 74-72 74-42 7326

Quarter ended 31et December. District Schools. Denominational Schools. Aided Schools. Total of Schools. On Roll. Average Attendance. Percentage. 1863 2 31 33 1,605 1,030 6417 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 56 73 79 80 98 100 104 114 119 126 12 t 1 2 3 3 1 68 73 79 80 99 102 107 117 120 126 5,439 7,238 9,524 10,473 12,144 12,464 13,516 15,046 16,253 15,828 3,694 4,631 6,366 6,935 8,295 9,068 9,975 11,245 12,096 11,599 6791 6398 66-84 6621 68 30 72 75 73 80 74-73 7442 73-28 Aid to denomi: lational schools cei ised after Sei itembe: 1873.