E.—l

TABLE A.—School Attendance.

It is worthy of note that the number admitted during the year (50,628) is nearly one-half of the number (102,407) on the books at the end of the year. A reference to the corresponding figures of former years shows that this is by no means extraordinary ; that, in fact, the irregularity and fitfulness thus disclosed are diminishing rather than increasing. It seems strange, however, that the average continuance of the name of a child on the books of any one school should not exceed two years. It cannot be supposed that the period of two years represents anything like the average duration of the school-life of a child. It may be that frequency of removal from one home to another—a conspicuous feature of colonial life—accounts for the high proportion which the entrances and dismissions bear to the whole number of pupils at any time enrolled. It is probable, however, that this is due in a great measure to great irregularity of attendance. The regulations relating to the quarterly returns of attendance require the teacher to remove from the roll at the end of a quarter the name of any pupil who, although enrolled, has not attended during the quarter; and any such pupil on returning to the school must be entered on the roll as newly admitted. It seems to be impracticable to institute such minute inquiry into the personal questions involved in this problem as could result in a certain knowledge of the relative degrees in which migration, late entrance upon school-life, early withdrawal, and gross irregularity—involving absence during many consecutive months—affect the total numbers that come out year by year in the compilation of the statistics. The facts for the year under review are—that the year 1884 ended with a roll of 97,238 names; that 50,028 names were enrolled in 1885; and that, of the total of 147,866 names, only 102,407 remained at the end of the year; so that the number of pupils removed from the roll in twelve months was 45,459, and the actual increase of 5,169 names on the roll represents simply the difference between 50,628 admissions and 45,459 withdrawals. There can be no doubt that the unsteadiness of the attendance militates against the efficiency of the schools. The districts in which the number on the roll at the end of the year is less than twice the number of admissions are Auckland, Taranaki, Wellington, and Hawke's Bay; and the districts in which it is noticeably greater are Nelson, South Canterbury, Westland (where it is very much greater), Otago, and Southland. It is remarkable that in the Wellington and Grey Districts the sum of the numbers on the rolls of the several schools at the times of their several inspections exceeds the number on the rolls at the end of the year; in every other case the number at the more recent date is, as might have been expected, the larger. It will be observed that there is great disparity in the numbers of children under the charge of the several Boards. For example, the average attendance

II

K^T/OATION DlSTBIOTS. Number of 1 Scholars ibelonging at Begini ning of Year. Number Number Number admitted who left belonging during during at End the the of Year. Year. Year. On School Eolls. Strict Average. a i Avi irage Daily Attendance. Working Average, I tC a! O O CUD'S s o y us © " . t- G cS 5 > o! "fihdd 1885. 1884. 3S I! Fourth Quartoi. Boys. Girls. Total. Whole Year. Auckland Faranaki Wanganui Wellington Hawko's Bay Marlborough Sfolson N Torth Canterbury .. South Canterbury .. Westland 3rey Dtago Southland .. 1G.99G 1,932 5,172 0,822 3,902 1,431 4,548 17,160 3,849 1,751 1,209 19,928 5,970 ll.CGO 1,336 2,854 4,902 2,821 785 2,041 9,472 1,727 559 648 8,023 3,200 8,753 1,007 2,127 3,685 2,069 630 1,637 7,544 1,373 406 484 6,890 2,280 19,903 2,261 5,899 8,039 4,654 1,58G 4,952 19,088 4,203 1,904 1,373 21,661 6,884 15,567 1,566 4,319 6,108 3,634 1,149 3,759 14,642 3,253 1,481 1,080 18,302 5,203 15,504 1,527 4,371 6,034 3,508 1,139 3,635 13,952 3,121 1,425 1,062 18,047 5,002 8,265 869 2,390 3,347 1,958 645 2,007 7,812 1,737 759 558 9,G52 2,849 7,G30; 16,89ffl 763 1,6321 2,043J 4,433 2,942j G.289 1,775! 8,788 530| 1,175 1,837| 3,844 7,051 14,8G3 1,603 3,340 757i 1,516 555! 1,113 8,831j 18,483 2,498! 5,347 38,815 81,668 36,447! 76,832 : 15,S0E I 1,011 4,47i Gas 1; i 3,624 1,17( 3,73( 14,39 r, 3,225 1,461 1,081 18,2G£ 5,19] 79-5 72-5 74-7 78-3 78-8 76-8 76-5 75-5 77-4 77-4 77-0 83-4 76-7 78-1 730 75-7 7G6 77-2 75-2 75'8 764 770 | 76-2 82-2 75-5 totals for 1885 rotals for 1884 90,670 84,883 50,628 49,315 38,891 36,960 102,407 97,238 80,183 74,650 78,327 72,657 42,8481 40,385; j 80,30i 75,391 78-5 779 77-9 [ncreaso in year 5,787 1,313 1,931 5,169 5,533 5,070 2,463 2,3GS| 4,831 4,911 0-6