E.—lb.

22

public notoriety and scandal, and when, their influence upon the young people under their charge has become positively mischievous. Nor can this course of action be defended on the ground that the person so protected has proved himself to be in all other respects well qualified for the teacher's office. The vice to which I am more particularly alluding is one that in districts like this is too often regarded as a very venial offence, but when it makes its way into the school surely the most indulgent Committee should recognize the imperative necessity of at once interfering to protect the young from the influence of so pernicious an example. Two schools in this district have suffered from the cause hinted at above, and in neither case did the Committee take action as promptly or in such a manner as the circumstances demanded; and to this may be fairly attributed the falling-off in the results in one case, and the absence of much-needed improvement in the other. The table below shows the number of children presented and passed in the several standards; and, in order to show the full extent of the falling-off in the results of the year's work, the percentages of passes for- last year are also shown.

The four upper standards at the eleven schools placed first on the Table of Results* were examined from the set of papers made, for reasons already stated, somewhat more difficult in two subjects than those hitherto given. The questions put to the two lower standards at all schools, and the papers set for the four higher standards at the schools numbered 12 to 35, were of no more than ordinary difficulty. Woodstock was included in the first group because, being a side-school to Kanieri, it had the advantage of the assistance of teachers from that school at stated times every week. Elementary Science.—Several schools took up this subject, and the average percentage of marks obtained in each standard is given in the table below. This year's experience has only confirmed the opinion I expressed last year with regard to the introduction of this subject into Standard IV. The science papers of this class are replete with grammatical errors of the grossest kind, and with mistakes in the spelling of the commonest words, while the amount of scientific knowledge displayed is, generally speaking, of the most meagre description, and quite insufficient (if any amount could be sufficient) to compensate for the defects referred to. The best work in this class was done at the Grreymouth school, where, however, strange to say, the Fifth Standard work was far below the average.

Drawing is taught at Ross, "Woodstock, Kanieri, and Kumara, although not strictly according to the programme, model drawing and perspective not having yet been attempted. The three lower standards draw on slates, and the three upper ones on paper, from copies enlarged from Hutton's drawing-boots. At Donoghue's, Standards 111., IV., and V. were presented in drawing, but only worked upon slates. I have to acknowledge the services of Mr. Ilae, of the G-reymouth School of Art, in preparing the copies and valuing the drawings of the three upper standards. Teachers complain, with justice, of the want of copies, which compels them to devote much time, that could be more profitably employed in teaching, to the setting of copies on the blackboard. I subjoin a table showing the average percentage of marks gained in each class at the several schools.

*_Not reprinted.

Standards. Average Age. Presented. Passed. Percentage. Percentage. Itandard I. „ H. „ III. „ IV. ; vi. Yrs. mos. 8 0 9 5 10 7 11 9 13 1 14 0 333 388 353 196 91 47 314 365 261 130 49 43 1881. 94 94 74 66 54 91 1880. 99 97 88 87 95 98 Totals 1,408 1,162 83 94

Schools. Standard IV. Standard V. Standard VI. Text-book. }-reymouth lokitika Cumara 37 Not presented 19 22 17 52 56 30 38 56 72 78 38 46 Balfour Stewart's Physics. >> ;> >> » toss itafford Not presented ?' )J Joldsborough ... 30 35 45 ( 4. Buckton's Health in the House. {_ 5 and 6. Lockyer's Astronomy. Forster's Physiology. £anieri Jrunnerton )obden ... Lrahura Road ... 14 16 24 No. V. Standard 53 G8 80 42 Balfour Stewart's Physics. Not presented 23 " !)