E.—l

VIII

by the several districts differ by 5 months only, the lowest age being found in Auckland, 13 years 7 months, and the highest in Hawke's Bay, 14 years 0 months. As to the age at which pupils in this standard obtained certificates of competency and certificates of proficiency respectively no precise information is available, but the average already given in conjunction with the proportion receiving one or other class of certificate in this standard—B4 per cent, of those present —serves to show that the pupils failing to obtain such a certificate before attaining the age of fourteen years must be comparatively small.

TABLE C3.—Average Age of Pupils in 1905 at the Time of Annual Visit.

TABLE D. —Number of Pupils instructed in Separate Subjects, December, 1905.

In Table D are given the numbers of children receiving instruction in the several subjects. For the purpose of this return reading, spelling, writing, and composition are grouped together under the heading " English," and some other alterations are made which are rendered necessary by alterations in the programme prescribed. " Object-lessons," for instance, disappears, as it has disappeared from the syllabus of instruction, and its place is taken by " nature-study," which is here grouped with " elementary science," from which in general it is not to be distinguished. In English and arithmetic the nambers returned remain practically identical with the roll-numbers, following them in the upward grade ; under the heading " physical instruction " a further marked increase is shown in the number receiving some definite course of training, and drawing and singing also include a somewhat larger proportion of the whole ; but the most notable increase is again shown in the

Education Districts. Average A| (es of the 'upils in ei ich Class. Mean if Ages. Auckland Taranaki Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay Marlborough Nelson Grey Westland North Canterbury South Canterbury Otago Southland p. Yrs. mos. 7 3* 7 0 6 11 6 11 7 5 6 11 6 11 6 9 7 4 7 0 7 0 6 11 7 1 I. Yrs. mos, 9 2 9 2 8 10 8 8 8 8 8 9 8 10 9 1 9 1 8 11 8 10 8 11 8 10 II. Yrs. mos. 10 4 10 1 9 11 9 9 10 0 9 11 9 10 9 10 9 7 10 0 9 11 9 11 9 10 III. Yrs. mos. 11 4 11 5 10 11 10 11 11 2 10 11 11 0 10 10 11 2 11 0 11 0 11 0 10 10 IV. Yrs. mos. 12 2 12 2 11 11 11 11 12 2 11 11 12 1 11 10 12 2 12 1 11 10 12 0 11 11 V. Yrs. mos. 12 7 13 3 12 10 13 0 13 1 12 10 12 11 13 0 12 7 12 11 12 9 12 10 12 9 VI. Yrs. mos. 13 7 13 11 13 9 13 9 14 0 13 9 13 9 13 9 13 10 13 9 13 8 13 9 13 8 VII. Yrs. mos. 14 4 14 4 15 5 14 7 14 6 15 1 14 9 14 5 15 6 14 7 15 0 15 0 14 10 1905. Yrs. mos. 11 4 11 5 11 4 11 2 11 4 11 3 11 3 11 2 11 5 11 3 11 3 11 4 11 3 1904. Yrs. mos. 11 2 11 6 11 3 11 2 11 6 11 3 11 3 11 4 11 6 11 3 11 2 11 4 11 3 Average for Colony .. 7 1 8 11 10 0 11 1 12 0 12 10 13 9 14 9 11 3 11 3 Range (difference between highest and lowest) 0 8 0 6 0 9 0 7 0 4 0 8 0 5 1 2 0 3 0 4 * Average for 1904.

Education Districts. rD a »*. 3?fs* J3 eo cS a H CD a A I ci a Te eer 5 O 60 a 'So a in a l-H -| >•£ A xn (H >. A SH d IH 00 o CD >x U o H3 CO 5 •« a • co a a CD 0> rA s a ■a o r* "3 S w •s o is CD 0) <D A Auckland Taranaki Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay Marlborough Nelson Grey Westland North Canterbury South Canterbury Otago Southland .. . 31,639 4,952 12,486 16,255 8,870 1,896 5,574 1,592 1,024 19,385 5,146 19,206 9,598 31,639 4,952 12,486 16,255 8,870 1,896 5,574 1,592 1,024 19,385 5,146 19,206 9,598 31,591 4,952 12,486 16,215 8,834 1,896 5,556 1,592 1,024 19,312 5,146 19,206 9,598 31,381 4,952 12,409 15,941 8,824 1,860 5,272 1,514 667 19,074 5,146 18,719 9,387 29,829 4,607 11,080 15,467 8,363 1,783 5,328 1,473 702 18,242 4,917 18,628 9,211 30,033 4,952 12,381 15,534 8,622 1,880 5,453 1,487 902 18,267 5,078 13,267 9,530 16,449 2,650 7,532 10,654 5,691 1,237 3,456 807 • 596 11,446 2,984 10,831 5,648 79,981 84,626 13,813 2,014 5,701 8,185 3,934 1,020 2,513 674 464 9,095 1,836 8,824 1,883 26,501 4,509 10,736 15,254 8,229 1,335 4,721 1,302 943 17,599 4,709 18,515 7,687 21,727 3,459 10,489 13,491 5,645 1,422 3,282 808 422 11,315 3,668 10,010 7,827 9,867 2,041 4,843 6,244 3,475 767 2,498 589 321 8,591 2,094 7,651 3,796 Totals for 1905 Totals for 1904 137,623 135,475 137,623 135,475 137,408 135,013 135,146! 131,976 1129,630 125,486 127,386 119,624 59,956 62,483 122,040 129,873 -7,833 93,565 77,294 16,271 52,777 53,299 -522 Difference .. -2,527 2,148! 2,148 2,395| 3,170 4,144 7,762 -4,645