E.—l

XIII

This table shows that in the judgment of the teachers nearly 80 per centof the children have not yet satisfied the requirements of Standard III.: for 1880 the proportion was nearly 82 per cent. The improvement for the year is rather apparent than real, seeing that in 1880 there were 2,600 children under five, and this year there are none under that age. The proportion above Standard IV. in this table is 8"82 per cent-, which is not much greater than the proportion (7"5) shown by the Inspectors' returns, and is higher than the corresponding proportion for 1880, which was 7"42. The proportion of children not considered ready to pass Standard I. is 45-77 : last year it was 47-57. Most of the Inspectors have stated the mean age of the pupils at the time of passing the several standards. Their statements are collated in Table O. They show results very similar to those of last year, the mean difference of age between Standards V. and VI., being however rather larger, and amounting to nearly six years. The mean age of passing each standard is reduced by about one-fifth of a year, the age for Standard VI., unlike the ages for the other standards, being rather higher than it was last year. The ages are higher in North Canterbury, Otago, and Southland than in the other districts from which returns under this head have been made.

TABLE O.—Average Ages of Pupils at Standard Examinations.

SCHOLARSHIPS. The scholarships current at the end of the year, under section 51 of " The Education Act, 1877," were as shown in Table P.

TABLE P.—Scholarships.

Average Ages (in Years) for Standard Education Districts. Mean of Ages, I. II. III. IV. V. VI. Luckland (average age at time of passing) ... few Plymouth (average age as presented) ... Vanganui (average age at time of passing)... Wellington ,, ,, „ lawke's Bay „ „ „ larlborough ,, „ >, kelson „ ,, ,, ... forth Canterbury „ „ ,, louth Canterbury „ „ „ A^estland ,, „ ,, 8V2 8-5 B-'i 8-6 8-3 8-9 9i 9-6 io'6 ii'i 1 i-8 111 109 117 I2'3 127 I2'I I2"3 118 12-6 I2'9 13-5 i3'5 I3'3 I2'I '3'4 14-2 14-2 i4'6 14-1 14-1 H-3 1 1'4 n-6 ii"8 1 1-4 ii'i i r8 9'3 9-6 IO'I 8'o 91 92 9'5 io'6 io'4 107 n-8 101 119 12-8 I2'I I3'i 135 14-1 I4'o 14-4 147 n "i )tago „ „ „ Southland „ „ „ I2'0 "7 Mean of tlie nine returns Eange (difference between lowest and highest) ... 8-4 1'2 IO'O 1'3 IT2 17 I2'3 I'O i3'3 2'O I4'3 07 09

Open to Education Districts. Number held in 1880. Pupils ... ilzi c^«. Annual Value. Period of Tenure. Expended on Scholarships in 1881. Remarks. Auckland 18 '3 5 £ s. d. 30 o o Years. 2 £ s. d. 697 14 7 With free tuition at Auckland College and Grammar School, or Grirls' High School. No scholarships instituted. One at £20; two at £25; and one at £30. Two at £10 ; two at £15 ; two at £20 ; two at £25 ; and four at £30. Taranaki 4 4 Various 1 87 19 8 Wanganui "Wellington 12 12 Various 2 272 6 10 Hawke's Bay Marlborough Nelson North Canterbury South Canterbury 6 2 S 21 3 2 5 3 30 o o 40 o o Various 40 o o Various 2 2 2 1 and 2 93 S 6 86 11 o 200 6 6 838 1 10 206 17 o Four at £40 ; and one at £50. 21 9 9 1 Three at £25 ; two at £30; one at £35 ; and three at £40. Two at £40 ; and two at £50. £20 if holder resides at home. Junior tenable for two years; senior for three years, with free tuition at High Schools. £20 if holder resides at home. Westland Ota go 4 33 4 33 Various 40 o o 2 2 and 3 180 o o 1,075 Io ° Southland 8 8 40 o o 2 l8o 2 [O Totals 36 86 3j9'8 15 9 122