9

E.—lb

as to the methods of instruction. The passes made in the various subjects of the annual firstgrade examination may be taken as a fair indication of the growth of the work. The following are the numbers passed in the past and previous years :—

The officers sent by the Government from the military depot to teach British army physical exercises and extension drill in the city schools continue to do good service. It is, still, a matter of regret that changes have so frequently to be made in the officer told off for any particular school. The Board's drill-instructor continues to traverse the district several times a year, to give more frequent instruction in Indian clubs, pole drill, and Swedish drill in the city schools, and to instruct the pupil-teachers in all branches of drill. He has lately made some modifications in his programme which we think desirable. As a rule, boys are now taught military drill, extension movements, and Swedish drill; girls are taught Indian clubs and pole drill. Many of the head teachers and class teachers give valuable assistance in this work. Almost every school has now made a beginning with its library, and the larger schools have added considerably to their number of volumes. The efforts put forth during the last two years for the establishment of school libraries have met with pronounced success, and much of this success is due to the co-operation of the School Committees. Much still remains to be done, and it is hoped no opportunity will be lost of adding to the stock of suitable readable volumes. We wish now to bring under the notice of members of the Board for their favourable consideration the desirableness of introducing the magic-lantern (oil burners) into school work. In our opinion, it would afford the best and most attractive means of illustrating science, geography, and history lessons. The use of the lanterns for entertainments in aid of special school funds, such as library and lantern funds, would be of further service, and thus would help to supply a great want in social life—the need of rational and cheap popular amusement. To begin with, we recommend the Board to purchase two good lanterns and a stock of the best slides. These for a time may be lent in turns to large schools on condition that they open a lantern fund, by which in time they may purchase their own instrument. Then the Board can lend the lanterns to smaller schools, and enlarge their stock of slides to a great variety of most interesting and instructive subjects. We have, &c, Eobeet Lee, { t , The Chairman, Education Board, Wellington. T. E. Fleming, ) lns P ectors -

Summary of Results for the Whole District.

HAWKB'S BAY. Sib, — Education Office, Napier, Ist January, 1894. I have the honour to submit the following report on the schools of the Hawke's Bay District for the year 1893. The number of schools subject to the control of the Board is now fifty-six, as against fifty-four last year, the increase being due to the opening of subsidised schools at Maraekakaho and South Makaretu. Most of the schools have been visited for examination and inspection twice or thrice during the year. The schools at Hampden, Mohaka, and South Makaretu were not examined for results, the two former being closed on account of sickness when visited by me, and the latter was not opened until late in the school year. The attendance at the Board schools continues to increase. Exclusive of the three schools named above, there were 6,425 children belonging to the schools at the time of inspection; and 6,383 pupils were presented for examination, compared with 6,202 for the corresponding period of 1892. The number of school places provided for this attendance is nearly sufficient were they distributed according to the needs of each school district; but, as must occur in an educational district which reaches several hundred miles, there is often an excess of accommodation in the smaller schools, whilst the larger schools are filled beyond what may be termed their fair working capacity.

2—E. Ib.

reehan 638 691 'rac ileal Geome 807 909 ;ry. Scale. 543 692 lodel. 144 321 leotional 2,132 2,613 'asses. .892 893

Classes. Presented. Absent. Excepted. Failed. Passed. Average Age of those that passed. Yrs. mos. Above Standard VI. ... Standard VI. V. „ IV. „ III. IT. I. Preparatory 303 799 1,191 1,449 1,784 1,661 1,424 3,726 9 37 61 72 80 56 37 69 98 112 86 32 106 117 210 199 95 14 647 968 1,080 1,401 1,400 1,322 14 0 12 9 11 9 10 10 9 10 8 8 Totals 12,337 315 434 741 £6,818 11 3* * Mean of average age.