E—2

6

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 ™ , Schools. Chatham Island*. lota ' 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. Inspection and Examination. Table D is a summary for the whole Dominion of Table No. 3 in the Appendix, 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.

The following is a summary of the examination statistics for 1908 : — Public schools — Total roll at time of annual examination .. .. . . .. 147,865 Present at examination .. . . . . .. . . .. 139,764 Present in preparatory classes .. .. . . .. .. 50,618 Present in Standard VI classes .. . . . . .. .. 8,771 Standard VII classes .. .. .. .. .. 2,038 Standard VI certificates gained, viz.,— Certificates of proficiency .. .. .. .. 5,435) „ „,.„ „ competency . . .. . . .. 2,2181 ' Details of these figures for each district are given in Table Dl. Sβ Certificates. —The percentages of pupils who gained certificates of proficiency and certificates of competency respectively in the two years 1907-8 are shown below :— 1907. 1908. Per Cent. Per Cent. Gained certificates of proficiency . . . . .. 59-00 61-96 competency .. .. .. 23-98 25-29 No certificate .. .. .. .. .. 17-02 12-75 100-00 100-00 The raising of the standard required for a certificate of proficiency, introduced by the regulations of last year, has not, therefore, apparently had the effect of lessening

Classes. Boys. Girls. Total. Percentages for Fi' ie Tears. 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 1908. 23,731 50,533 34-27 8,378 , 17,628 11-96 8,137 ' 17,119 11-61 8,431 i 17,660 i 11-98 7,934 16,507 I 11-20 6,849 14,223 9-65 4,953 ! 10,128 i 6-87 1,863 I 3,630 2-46 1907. 1906. 31-11 29-36 12-05 1208 12-10 I 12-18 12-04 ' 12-17 11-46 i 11-79 10-24 10-59 7-79 8-24 3-21 i 3-59 1905. 28-28 12-06 11-95 12-67 12-03 10-69 8-37 3-95 1904. 27-97 11-55 12-49 12-73 12-38 10-68 8-17 4 03 Totals.. 77,152 70,276 I 147,428 100-00 100-00 100-00 100-00 100-00