E.—l

TABLE B. —School Attendance for 1900.

Taking the several education districts of the colony, an examination of Table B will show that there has been an increase in the average attendance at the schools in 1900 as compared with 1899 in all the districts of the North Island, and in Grey and South Canterbury in the South Island. In all the other districts of the South Island there has been a decrease. The position is shown in tabular form below (Table Bl). The increase in the working average for the North Island is 1,806, and the decrease for the South Island is 375, the net increase for the whole colony being thus 1,431. The greatest increase (956) is shown in Auckland, which is more than one-half the gross increase for the colony, the next being Wanganui, with an increase of 342.

TABLE B1.—Comparison of School Attendance, 1899-1900, North Island and South Island.

In regularity of attendance there has been an improvement in every district of the colony except Nelson, which remains the same as in 1899, and Marlborough and Southland, which show a slight falling-off. In Grey and Westland the high figures which were attained in 1899 —39 per cent, and 86 - 8 per cent, of the average roll-number respectively—have increased to 89 - l and 87 - 5. Otago, with an attendance of 86-9 per cent, of the number on the roll, stands at the head of the larger education districts.

III

Boll-numbers. Average Attendance for Whole Year. Average for the Year as Percentage of the Mean of Average Weekly Roll of Pour Quarters — 132,897 for 1900, and 133,540 for 1899. Education Districts. Pupils at Beginning of Year. Act- t *+. belonging Striot Awra S e - at End of Tear - Boys. Girls. Total. si Strict Working Average. Average. 1900. 1899. 1900. 1899. Auckland Taranaki Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay Marlborough Nelson Grey Westland North Canterbury South Canterbury Ofcago Southland 25,962 3,795 9,572 13,963 7,459 1,985 5,593 1,458 1,241 19,182 4,901 19,369 8,936 11,391 1,530 4,867 7,013 3,432 767 1,794 465 284 6,527 1,579 6,482 2,967 9,308 1,264 3,810 6,318 2,894 606 1,696 269 247 5,859 1,332 5,701 2,486 28,045 4,061 10,629 14,658 7,997 2,146 5,691 1,654 1,278 19,850 5,148 20,150 9,417 12,485 1,760 4,551 6,455 3,517 885 2,527 683 566 8,594 2,315 9,104 4,092 11,289 1,530 4,222 5,874 3,137 839 2,221 752 560 7,918 2,090 8,580 3,715 23,774 3,290 8,773 12,329 6,654 : 1,724 4,748 1,435 1,126 16,512 4,405 17,684 7,807 24,095 3,374 8,887 12,475 6,805 1,746 4,845 1,461 l,140 : 16,741 4,464 17,790 7,924 83-2 794 81-1 81-9 83-1 80-4 81-2 87-6 86-5 81-8 85-1 86-4 81-6 79'3 78-2 79-6 80-4 81-7 81-2 81-1 87-2 85-7 804 83'7 84-3 81-8 84'4 81-4 82 2 829 849 81-5 829 891 87-5 82-9 86-3 86-9 82-9 81-2 80-3 80-8 810 : 83 4 ! 82-2 82-9 89-0 86-8 81-9 84-8 85-5 83-1 Totals for 1900 Totals for.1899 123,416 123,207 49,098 49,115 41,790 41,007 130,724 131,315 157,534 :56,651 52,727 51,754 110,261 108,405 111,747 110,316 82-9 824 82-4 84'1 82-6 82-0 Difference 783 -591 883 973 1,856 1,431 0-5 209 -17 1-5 i ,,

Working Average. Strict Average. Districts. 1899. 1900. Difference. 1899. 1900. I Difference. Auckland Taranaki Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay 23,139 3,297 8,545 12,209 6,640 24,095 3,374 8,887 12,475 6,805 956 77 342 266 165 22,612 3,212 8,415 11,979 6,499 23,774 3,290 8,773 12,329 6,654 1,162 78 358 350 155 Totals North Island .. 53,830 55,636 1,806 52,717 54,820 2,103 Marlborough Nelson Grey Westland North Canterbury South Canterbury Otago Southland 1,773 ! 4,990 1,459 1,149 16,882 ■ 4,397 17,902 8,024 1,746 4,845 1,461 1,140 16,741 4,464 17,790 7,924 [-27] [-55] 2 [-9] [-141] 67 [-112] [-100] 1,751 4,793 1,430 1,134 16,592 4,338 i 17,748 7,902 ! 1,724 4,748 1,435 1,127 ! 16,512 4,405 17,683 7,807 [-27] [-45] 5 [-7] [-80] 67 [-65] [-95] [-247] Totals South Island .. 56,486 56,111 [-375] 55,688 j 55,441 Totals for Colony 110,316 111,747 1,431 108,405 110,261 1,856