E.—lb

2

year. It is not there, however, the mistakes occur so much as in the papers on grammar, composition, and geography. The spelling of geographical names is sometimes so bad that one is forced to the conclusion that the scholars seldom see a map, but receive their instruction entirely by ear. Apart from these errors, most schools show a fair knowledge of geography, that portion which relates to the district in which the school is situated seeming to suffer the most neglect. The writing is not so good as it was some years ago. I find this to be the case chiefly in the Third and Fourth Standards. I have not had to record many failures in reading this year, but lam afraid the result would sometimes have been very different had the test not been confined to the reading book in use by the class. Questions on the subject matter of the lessons were generally well answered in the lower classes ; in the higher the pupils were not so well prepared. It would be an advantage in every way if teachers would take a little trouble to train their pupils to do their work more expeditiously ; there is really no reason why the examinations should occupy so much time. If the scholars have been properly taught, and are really fit to pass, very little time will enable them to answer the questions set; if they are not well advanced in their work it is far better that they should fail than that by just " getting through " they should entail upon themselves and their teachers increased labour in preparing for the next higher class. I cannot say that the class subjects have as a rule received as much attention as I should like. I allude more especially to drawing, object lessons, and elementary science. It appears to me that, at least for the present, nothing more can be done in the direction of technical education in our schools than to encourage the teaching of these branches of knowledge. There has been some improvement in drawing, particularly freehand, and this is due, I firmly believe, to the fact that it is now a "pass" subject in the first three standards. Scale and geometrical drawing do not seem to be so popular among teachers as freehand. It is expected that the visits of Mr. Robinson, drawing instructor, will do much in country districts to awaken some interest in this matter. In rather more than half the schools under notice elementary science is taught, but except in a few cases with only moderate success. Some teachers have gone to much expense and trouble to procure and make such apparatus as is necessary to illustrate the lessons given, but in many instances book work appears to have been relied upon to produce the desired result. In most schools the three highest classes are grouped for instruction in this subject. Agricultural chemistry would, I believe, be more generally taken in the country schools were it not that the teachers are in some doubt as to what is meant by " efficiently taught." The subject is a wide one, and involves not only such knowledge as may be obtained from books and experiments, but also some practical acquaintance with the actual work of a farm. Professor Tanner says, " Whatever may be our views of the great value of agricultural science, we ought always to remember that the only foundation on which it can rest is a sound and practical knowledge of farming operations." I have long been of opinion that the object lessons given in our schools are of very little use. Few teachers are able to give these lessons in the proper manner: their sole aim seems to be to give the children detached morsels of information upon some object selected from the animal, vegetable, or mineral kingdom, whereas the true end of these lessons should be cultivation of the powers of observation, and leading the child by easy reasoning to find out things for itself. I am sorry that I have not been able to devote more time to the inspection, as distinct from the formal examination of the schools in my division of the district. So far as I have been able to observe there is a decided improvement in the methods pursued by the teachers, and they are now nearly all certificated. I wish I could say that they all possess natural aptitude for the work they have chosen : unfortunately some have taken to teaching as a business, " because it seemed as good as anything else," as one remarked to me. Such persons will never really excel, though by constant practice they may at last arrive at some degree of mechanical skill in lesson giving and school keeping. Under the present regulations for the employment, education, and examination of pupil-teachers, candidates will not be indentured until they have served at least three months on probation. This will have the effect of excluding from the service those who are not likely to become good teachers, and who would probably not profit by the course of instruction prescribed. The scheme of examination also has been so arranged that pupil-teachers who have completed their term of service should have no difficulty in passing the certificate examination. In conclusion, I may state that, on the whole, fair work is being done, every attempt is made to comply with the requirements of the syllabus, the scholars behave well, and the discipline of the schools is satisfactory. The school buildings are, generally speaking, in good condition. The special building reports now required from the Inspectors will no doubt cause more attention to be paid to this matter. I have, &c, The Chairman, Board of Education, Auckland. John S. Goodwin, Inspector. 2. Me. Fidleb's Repoet. Sic,— Auckland, Bth March, 1889. I have the honour to submit this annual report on the work of the schools in the northern division of the Auckland District during 1888. There were in this district at the close of the year, in all, 104 schools, four of which I had not time to visit—namely, the two small schools on the Great Barrier Island, the Long Bay aided school, and that at Takahue. The last named was not open when I was in the neighbourhood. Five small schools have been inspected only—namely, Waipu Cave, Te Moari, Mata, Pukekaroro, Mareretu. I examined in standards ninety-five schools, and inspected fifty-seven, of which twenty were inspected on the day of examination. Ten days were taken up in visiting as many districts re applications for new schools. The rest of the year was occupied in reporting on school work, drawing up special reports on various subjects required by the Board, or with work in connection with the pupil-teachers' examination, &c. I submit here Table 1., of summary of results :—