E.—l.

age. Now, according to the census of 1906 there were in New Zealand, between the ages of five and fifteen, 97 girls for every 100 boys. The difference in the proportion on the school rolls is partly accounted for by reference to the number enrolled between the ages of five and seven —for every 100 boys between these limits there are on the rolls of the public schools only 89 girls ; in other words, speaking generally, girls are not sent to school at so early an age as boys. The second important source of leakage is found between the ages of twelve and fifteen, where the ratio of girls to boys on the school rolls is again 89 to 100 : this seems to mean that more girls than boys are taken away from the primary schools at the age-period named. The number of girls to every 100 boys between twelve and fifteen years of age at the secondary schools of the Dominion is only 73 ; so that the leakage is not accounted for in this direction. Apparently there are a certain number of parents who think that it is sufficient for a girl to have little more than half the amount of schooling that a boy receives. Race of Pupils. Besides the children of Maori race who are receiving instruction in the Maori village-schools, there are about Us many more who are attending public schools ; so that the total number of primary pupils of Maori or mixed race is 8,264. These are made up as follows : — Public Native Schools and T o (; a i Schools. Chatham Islandd. Of Maori race 2,814 3,424 6,238 Of mixed race living as Maoris .. .. 277 331 608 Of mixed races living as Europeans .. 1,338 80 1,418 Totals .. .. 4,429 3,835 8,264 The number of Maori children in the public schools as compared with those in Native schools shows an increase, owing principally.to the fact that the policy has been steadily followed of handing over Native schools to the Education Boards as soon as the pupils have become so far, educationally at least, European in character that they can be conveniently taught with European children. This point is reached when the Maori can use English fluently in his ordinary conversation. There are 410 European children—2l7 boys and 193 girls—attending Native schools. Further details as to the race of pupils are given in Tables 84, 85, Cl, and C 2 of the report E.-2. Inspection and Examination. Table D is a summary for the whole Dominion of Table No. 3 in the Appendix to E.-2, which shows the numbers in the several classes for the various districts. The proportion of pupils in the preparatory class, which has for years past been showing a gradual increase, shows a still further and very marked increase for the year from 31-11 to 34-27 percent. Although this is partly accounted for by the increase of young children in the Dominion, it seems also to suggest that pupils are being kept too long in the preparatory classes.

TABLE D.—Classification of Pupils at Public Schools, December, 1908.

6

Classes. 1 i Boys. Girls. Total. Percentages for Fi'e Years. Preparatory Standard I Standard II Standard III Standard IV Standard V Standard VI Standard VII 26,802 9,250 8,982 9,229 8,573 7,374. 5,175 1,767 23,731 8,378 8,137 8,431 7,934 6,849 4,953 1,863 i 50,533 17,628 17,119 17,660 16,507 14,223 10,128 3,630 1906. 34-27 11-96 11-61 11-98 11-20 9-65 6-87 2-46 1907. 31-11 12-05 12-10 1204 11-46 10-24 7-79 3-21 1906. 29-36 12-08 12-18 12-17 11-79 10-59 8-24 3-59 1905. 28-28 12-06 11-95 1267 12-03 10-69 8-37 3-95 1904. 27-97 11-55 12-49 12-73 12-38 10-68 8-17 403 Totals.. 77,152 i 70,276 147,428 100-00 100-00 100-00 100-00 100-00