c—i.

classes preparing for Standards 111. and IV. the change in this respect is intermittent, and in all the lower classes the proportional number of pupils is diminishing. All this, of course, is quite satisfactory, assuming, as may be fairly assumed, that the standard of examination is maintained, if not advanced. The three classes proper to pupils who have passed at least the Fourth Standard constitute only 20*71 per cent, of the whole number of pupils, while the next three classes below contain 41-7, and those who have not yet passed any standard constitute 37"59 of the total. Table E, which gives for each standard in each district the average age at which the pupils pass, exhibits little variation from year to year. The mean of the several " standard ages " for the colony is the same —eleven years and seven months—as it was last year, and has been the same since 1893, when it was eleven years and eight months. As usual the most conspicuous differences are those which come to light in comparing district with district.

TABLE E.—Average Age of Pupils at Standard Examinations in 1897.

The rolls of the different schools on their days of inspection amounted to 132,318 in 1897, this number being smaller by 1,643 than the average of the weekly roll. This number is accounted for thus: 40,741 were in preparatory classes and not ready for standard examination ; 2,324 had already passed the Sixth Standard, and were therefore not subject to standard examination ; 73,392 was the total of all who passed one of the six standards; 13,268 failed; and 2,593 was the number absent from examination. The passes as related to the number on the roll amount to 55 - 5 per cent.; the failures as related to the number examined for standards amount to 15 - 32. In 1896 the percentages reckoned in the same way were 54 - 45 and 15-55, so that what difference there is is in the way of progress.

TABLE F.—Inspection Statistics.

iv

Education Districts. Avei :age Ages for Standi brds. Mean >i Ages. Auckland Taranaki Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay .. .. .. ... Marlborough Nelson I, Yrs. mos. 9 0 9 6 9 1 8 8 8 11 8 9 8 5 8 10 9 0 8 6 8 6 8 8 8 8 II. Yra. mos. 10 2 10 9 10 5 9 9 9 11 9 11 9 8 10 3 9 10 9 8 9 7 9 9 9 11 III. Yrs. mos. 11 3 11 9 11 7 10 11 11 1 11 1 10 10 11 5 11 7 10 10 10 10 11 2 10 11 IV. Yrs. mos. 12 5 13 0 VI 7 11 11 12 4 12 9 12 1 12 4 12 3 12 0 12 0 12 0 12 1 V. Yrs. mos. 13 2 13 10 13 9 12 10 13 2 13 6 13 0 13 4 13 2 12 11 12 11 12 10 13 0 VI. Yrs. mos. 14 2 14 2 14 6 13 10 14 1 14 2 14 1 14 3 14 4 13 9 13 8 13 10 13 10 1897. Yrs. mos. 11 8 12 2 12 0 11 3 11 7 11 8 11 4 11 8 11 8 11 3 11 3 11 4 11 5 1896. Yrs. mos. 11 9 12 1 12 0 11 4 11 7 11 6 11 3 11 9 11 8 11 4 11 5 11 5 11 6 Grey Westland North Canterbury South Canterbury Otago Southland Mean Range (difference between highest and lowest) 8 10 10 0 11 2 12 3 13 2 14 1 11 7 11 7 1 1 1 2 0 11 1 1 1 0 0 10 0 9 0 10 Mean in 1896 Eange in 1896 8 11 1 4 10 1 0 0 11 1 2 3 12 4 0 10 13 0 2 9 14 0 0 10 11 7 0 10

Education Districts. Bolls on Days of Inspection. Preparatory Classes. Pupils above Sixth Standard. Present in Standard Classes. Passed. Auckland Taranaki .. Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay Marlborough Nelson Grey Westland North Canterbury South Canterbury Otago Southland 28,026 3,846 9,827 14,194 7,297 2,130 6,054 1,698 1,461 21,028 5,239 21,960 9,558 9,433 1,294 3,095 4,290 2,624 596 1,635 565 425 5,893 1,475 6,550 2,866 234 18 83 392 32 68 138 48 76 298 109 651 177 17,657 2,416 6,427 9,313 4,559 1,412 4,179 1,041 958 14,339 3,568 14,440 6,351 14,790 1,634 5,288 8,107 3,797 1,181 3,358 898 863 12,003 3,055 12,886 5,532 For the colony.. 132,318 40,741 2,324 86,660 73,392 In 1896 131,171 40,460 2,222 85,795 71,422