E.—lb.

1903. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: REPORTS OF INSPECTORS OF SCHOOLS. [In continuation of E.-1b, 1902.]

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

AUCKLAND. Sir, — Education Board, Auckland, 20th March, 1903. I have the honour to submit a general report on the public schools of the Auckland District for the year 1902. The number of schools in operation at the close of the year was 414, including seventy-six half-time schools. The number is nine more than at the close of 1901. Of these 370 were inspected, besides twenty-one Roman Catholic diocesan schools. In half-time schools only one of the schools was visited for inspection. In all 430 schools have been examined, including twentyone Roman Catholic diocesan schools and the Parnell Orphan Home. The following newly opened schools were not examined: Awanga (Great Barrier Island), Tiri Tiri (aided), and Te Matai. The examination statistics of the public schools for the year are shown in summary in the following table. Except in very rare instances, the passes in Standards I. to V. were determined by the head teachers. Those in Standard VI. were determined by the Inspectors :—

At the Roman Catholic diocesan schools the roll number was 1,677; 1,555 pupils were present at the Inspectors' examinations, and 693 passed in one or other of the standards. The public schools show for the year an increase of 352 in the roll number, a decrease of 128 in the number present,* and an increase of fifty-six in the number of pupils who passed one or other of the standards. Rather more than 88 per cent, of the pupils examined in standards thus passed or gained promotion. The average age of the pupils in the lower standards shows some increase, but the interval between the average ages of pupils in successive standards is' one year or less, except in one case, where the interval is fifteen months. I have made out the following statement of the estimated efficiency of the teaching of the class and additional subjects in the public schools, which is of some interest, and will help to check the impressions left by the remarks of the Inspectors on the treatment of these subjects : Class subjects, sixty-four schools good, 213 schools satisfactory, eighty-three schools fair, forty-one schools moderate, four schools inferior ; additional subjects, ninety-eight schools good, 204 schools satisfactory, thirty-six schools fair. In one or two schools only primer pupils were present, and in a number of the half-time schools no additional subjects were taken up.

* Doubtless due to the continuous inclement weather of the latter half of the year,

I—E. 18.

Classes. Present at Number on Roll.! Inspector's Annual Visit. Passed. Average Age of Pupils in each Class. itandard VII. VI. V. IV. III. II. I. 373 2,035 2,920 3,343 3,570 3,576 3,254 10,281 222 1,971 2,779 3,226 3,442 3,457 3,151 9,334 1,496 2,300 2,815 3,020 3,191 3,075 Yrs. mos. 14 8 14 0 13 2 12 4 11 4 10 6 9 3 'reparatory . ... Totals ... 29,352 27,582 15,897