4

E.-l

801 l Number. For each quarter of the year 1909 the average of the weekly roll-numbers showed an increase over that for the corresponding quarter of 1908. The mean of the average weekly roll for the four quarters was 151,142 for 1909, as against 145,974 for 1908, an increase of 5,168, making the total roll greater than in any previous year. Although the additions to the roll were most marked in the North Island, every district showed at least some increase. The increase was most marked in the September quarter of the year. The number on the roll at the end of the year was 152,416, as against 147,428 for the previous year, an increase of 4,988. Table B shows the mean average roll-number for every fifth year from 1878 to 1898, and for each of the last eleven years; the table gives also the total average attendance for each year, the average attendance as a percentage of the roll, and the number of teachers employed in the public schools.

TABLE B.—Schools, Attendance, and Teachers.

For the details of these facts relating to the several districts, Tables 81, 82, By, in the special report on primary education (E.-2), may be consulted. The roll statistics cannot be considered as complete unless there are included all the children for whose primary education the State is responsible. To the above figures we must add the number of pupils in the Maori village schools (called Native schools) and in the schools of the Chatham Islands, which are under the direct control of the Department; the complete roll for all public primary schools for the year 1909 then appears as follows : — 1908. 1909. Public schools ... ... ... ... ... L 45.974 L 51.142 Maori village schools (Native schools) ... ... I, 17!) l,>ioß Chatham Islands schools ... ... ... ... 85 92 Total ... ... ... 150,538 155,542 Attendance. As was mentioned in last year's report, the total average attendance for the year 1907, owing to epidemics of sickness in almost all parts of the .Dominion, was lower than that for 1906. In 1908 this cause did not exist, and, as has been already pointed out, the roll-numbers were considerably higher than in the previous year; this was true also in 1909; accordingly, it is not surprising to find that the total average attendance in the public schools for 1909 shows a very marked increase on that for 1908, the actual figures being—l9oß, 127,160; 1909, 182,773: an increase of 5,613. Here, again, an increase is shown in every education district. The high standard of regularity of attendance—B6"9 per cent. —reached in 1905 and 1906, and even slightly surpassed (87 - 1) in 1908, was still further exceeded in 1909, being 87*8 in the last-named year. Otago (902) stands highest in New Zealand, and the Westland District (89 f 8) second in New

Year. Number of : Average of Weoktv Attendance, Schools. iioi] y Whole Year. Average Attendance as Percentage of Weekly Koll. Adults. Number of Teachers. l'upil-toaohers. M, F. Total. II. F. Total. I I I I 1878 .. 1883 .. 1888 .. 1893 ... 1898 .. 1899 .. 1900 .. 1901 '.. 1902 .. 1903 .. 1904 .. 1905 .. 1906 .. 1907 .. 1908 .. 1909 .. 748 971 90,859 1,158 113,636 1,375 125,692 1,655 133,782 1,677 133,540 1,707 132,897 1,715 132,868 1,754 133,952 1,786 134.748 1,827 136,282 1,851 138,471 1,921 140,320 1,963 141,946 1,998 145,974 2,057 151,142 •48,773 69,838 t90,108 ;i00,321 111,636 110,316 111,748 111.797 113,711 113,047 116,506 120,265 121,958 120,026 127,160 132,773 76-9 79'3 79-8 83 4 82-6 84-1 841 84-9 83-9 85-5 86-9 86-9 84-6 87T 87-8 707 905 1,039 1,107 1,234 1,221 1,216 1,222 1,272 1,270 1,272 1,302 1,314 1,332 1,331 1,406 454 1,161 118 332 450 656 1,561 159 571 730 887 1,926 219 694 913 1,096 2,203 238 825 1,063 1,370 2,604 229 831 1,060 1,372 2,593 230 792 1,022 1,415 2,631 206 749 955 1,446 2,668 184 771 955 1.685 2,957 143 604 747 1,726 2,996 147 552 699 1,797 3,069 144 505 649 1,835 3,137 151 528 679 1,887 3,201 153 518 671 1,955 3,287 172 478 650 2,021 3,352 161 476 637 2,208 3,614 166 530 J696 Average of three quarters. I Strict average. Working ;nxciusi 'e of 25 male and 139 female probationers. .verage. 1