E.—IB

1905. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: REPORTS OF INSPECTORS OF SCHOOLS. [In continuation of E.-1b, 1904.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency. AUCKLAND. Sir,— Education Board, Auckland, 14th March, 1905. I have the honour to submit a general report on the public schools of the Auckland District for the year 1904. The number of public schools in operation at the close of the year was 427, including seventy-two half-time schools. This shows an increase of six schools since the close of 1903. The number of public schools inspected was 385, one of each pair of half-time schools being visited for this purpose. Special visits of inspection were also made to the secondary department of seven district high schools. The number of public schools examined was 418. The thirteen public schools that were not examined either were closed when the Inspector was examining the schools of the neighbourhood, or had been so recently started as to make it inadvisable to examine them until some substantial progress had been made in the work of the various classes. All the examinations were held under the old syllabus. Besides the public schools above referred to, the Inspectors inspected and examined the twentythree Roman Catholic schools that were in operation in the course of the year. The Parnell Orphan Home was also examined. The examination statistics of the public schools for the year are shown in summary form in the following table. The passes in Standards I. to V. were determined except in very rare cases by the head teachers ; those in Standard VI. were determined by the Inspectors.

Summary of Results for the Whole District.

At the Roman Catholic schools there were 1,864 pupils on the rolls ; 1,739 were present at the Inspectors' examinations, and 877 passed in one or other of the standards. At the Parnell Orphan Home the roll-number was 59 ; the number present was 59 ; and 31 passed the standard for which they were entered.

I—E. 18.

Classes. Number on Roll. Present at Inspector's Annual Visit. Passed. Average Age of Pupils in each Class. Standard VII. VI. V. IV. III. II. I. Preparatory 207 1,983 2,768 3,438 3,585 3,686 3,410 11,159 122 1,933 2,656 3,280 3,433 3,553 3,287 9,963 1,486 2,310 2,923 3,123 3,360 3,210 Yrs. mos. 14 5 13 6 12 8 13 11 10 11 9 11 9 0 Totals ... 30,236 28,227 16,412 11 9* * Mean of average age.