E.—l.

1900. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: TWENTY-THIBD ANNUAL EEPOET OF THE MINISTEE OF EDUCATION. [In continuation of E.-l, 1899.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Office of the Department of Education, My Lord,— Wellington, 30th August, 1900. I have the honour, in accordance with the provisions of " The Education Act, 1877," to submit to your Excellency the following report upon the progress and condition of public education in New Zealand during the year ending the 31st day of December, 1899. I have, &c, W. C. WALKEE. His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Eanfurly, Governor of New Zealand.

REPORT. In this report and its proper Appendix, in the Inspector-General's Eeport (E.-la) on the certificate examinations, and in the Eeports of the Inspectors of Schools (E.-1b), is contained all the information that is of public interest with respect to the administration of " The Education Act, 1877," and " The Education Eeserves Act, 1877," and also all the principal statistics relating to matters which are more fully treated of in separate papers, as follows: E.-2, Native Schools; E.-3, Industrial Schools; E.-3a, Costley Training Institution; E.-4, School for Deaf-mutes; E.-5, Manual and Technical Instruction; E.-6, New Zealand University; E.-7, University of Otago; E.-8, Canterbury College; E.-9, Auckland University College; E.-10, Victoria College; E.-11, Canterbury Agricultural College ; E.-12, Secondary Schools ; E.-13, Public Libraries. i—E. 1.