B^-ri

111

affecting school-children. ..Reference to the last two columns of Table B will show that the falling-off in regularity of attendance during the year was greatest in Wellington, Marlborough, Westland, and Otago; hardly so marked in North Canterbury; and indicated in a still less degree in Auckland, Nelson, and Southland. On the other hand, in Taranaki and in the Grey district there was a decided advance in the regularity of the attendance; and Wanganui, Hawke's Bay, and South Canterbury were also better in this respect, It is worthy of remark that the average daily attendance for the fourth quarter was only 107,904, or 2,619 less than that for the fourth quarter of 1897. The totals of the average daily attendance for the first three quarters of 1898 and 1897 respectively were 111,040 and 111,150, which show a much smaller decrease for 1898 than appears from a comparison of the fourth quarter. .:: Even if we make allowance for the sickness that affected the attendance of school-children by adding 670 to the average attendance for the year, we still find that it is less than that of the year before.

TABLE B.—School Attendance for 1898.

-.'-- An examination of the total roll-numbers in Table B shows there was an increase at the beginning of the year in the number on the roll, but considerably less than the normal increase ; in the number admitted during the year there was a decrease ; in the number left during the year, more than twice the normal increase ; and in the roll-number at the end of the year, a considerable decrease. These facts, with the fact of the diminished rate of increase last year, seem to point to some general causes affecting the number of children entering and leaving the schools. Among the causes that might be assigned are : (1) Excess of emigration over immigration; (2) greater laxity in sending children to school; (3) an earlier age of leaving school; and (4) diminishing birth-rate. The first of' these possible causes we know not to have operated, as immigration has exceeded emigration since 1892 ; we have no reason to suppose the existence of the second cause ; the third and fourth causes seem to have been Operative, (3) slightly, as a-natural result of the gradual lowering of the age at which the standards are passed;, while, with regard to (4), the returns of the Kegistrar-General show that the birth-rate has been falling rapidly for some years. There was a marked decrease in the birth-rate in 1892, and this might be expected to show a marked effect on the school-roll five or six years later. That is exactly what appears to have happened. In the absence of further information we must, however, be careful as to what relative weight we .attach to causes (3) and (4). Erom a comparison of the figures in Table, 13 with those in a similar table in last year's report, district.; by district, it. will be observed that only in four

Education Districts. Eoll-ni imbers. Average Daily Attendi mce. Hit SIS*' 5 $ a 2 r II! ol.. «sss Pupils at Beginning of Year. Admitted during, the Year. Left during the Year. belonginj at End of Year. Fourth Quarter. Boys. Girls. Total. Whole Year. 1898. 1897. Auckland ... .i Taranaki .... Wanganui ! ... Wellington ... Hawke's Bay .. .. Marlborough .. V Nelson Grey Westland"'. ... ... North Canterbury South Canterbury Ofcago Southland 25,623 3,.632 9,525 12,849 7,205 2,071 5*663 1 S 526 I; 389 19,880 4,914 20,472 9,143 11,612 .1,600 ' 4,175 ' 6,875 . 3,338 ? 622 1,870 440 I 347 6,635 1,493 . 6,493 3,133 . 9,678 . 1,251- - 3,4955,292- . 5721,618 283 359 5,896 1,210 5,781 2,652 27,557 :3,981 10,205 14,432 :.7,726 : 2;l21 5(915 1,683 1,377 20,619 5,197 21,184 9,624 11,507 1,691 4,212 6,104 3,335 883 2,452 715 583 8,817 2,341 9,572 4,128 10,478 1,501 3,898 5,475 2,956 r 836 2,243 733 575 8,133 2,145 8,887 3,704 21,985 3,192 8,110 11,579 6,291 1,719 4,695 1,448 1,158 16,950 4,486 18,459 7,832 22,809 3,242 8,451 11,728 6,551 1,751 4,826 1,435 1,204 17,384 4,466 18,536 7,873 80-7 80-9 80-8 80-8 84-4 81-0 80-2 85-0 83-9 829 86'2 86-1 80-5 81-0 77-8 80-4 82-2" 84-1 82-7 80-5 82-7 85-3 83-5 86-1 87-4 80-7 Totals for 1898 Totals for 1897 123,892 123,533 48,633 48,756 40,904 40,092 131,621 132,197 56,340 57,504 51,564 53,019 107,904 110,523 110,256 110,993 82'4 82'9 82-9 - Difference 359 -123 812 -576 -1,164 -1,455 -2,619 -737 -0'5