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regularity, might be productive of good. The Inspector-General of Schools concludes his report to the Minister ;is follows : " The proposal to make attendance compulsory at every meeting of school, except in the event of illness or other unavoidable circumstances, is worthy of serious consideration. This is the law not merely as it appears in the statute-book, but us it is actually enforced and obeyed—in some countries, notably Switzerland, where the average attendance reaches nearly 98 per cent, of the roll, and the 2 per cent, or so of absentees are nearly all absentees with legal excuse, as it is called —that is. absent from some such cause as personal illness or the dangerous illness of a near relative living in the same house ; and the districts where children have several miles to walk to school are included in the calculation. It is true that in many parts of New Zealand the children have long distances to go to school; but it is also true that there are Native village schools attended by young Maori children who travel still greater distances, and whose regularity of attendance comes very close to the Swiss standard. There would probably be no very meat hardship incurred in reducing our percentage of absences, Bay, to half what it is at present." With the omission of grade <i schools, main' of which as household schools possess special advantages in the matter of attendance (nine of them recording IO() per cent.), the following deserve credit for the regularity with which their scholars have attended throughout the year: Ferntown, 98 per cent. ; Fairdown, 94 ; Land of Promise, 94 ; Nelson Boys, 93 ; Riwaka. Summerlea, Redwood's Valley, each 92 : Bandy Bay, Birchfield, and Bainham, each '.)! ; Blackwater, Upper Takaka. Lyell, Charleston, Neudorf, and Richmond, each 90. In all thirty-four schools reach or exceed 90 per cent. We note with pleasure that modern methods, and especially the, introduction of varieties of handwork into the curriculum, nave had the effect of making the school work much more attractive to children than formerly, so much so that in many of our best-conducted schools the majority of the children are found to be attending school more from choice than from obligation. Poor attendants we still have with us, but fortunately not to the same extent as formerly. Irregularity at Ngatimoti (62 per cent.) has become chronic; and at Tapawera 72 percent., Cronadun and Karamea each 74 percent., the situation is not much better. In all, sixteen schools show a lower return than 80 per cent. Most of these are small country schools where the population is scattered, and the exceptionally wet winter and spring of this year may be urged as an excuse for the shortcomings of many of them. Though in these cases ideals cannot be high, for now even 90 per cent, should not be regarded as unattainable by any, we have reason to be pleased with the general improvement shown in the district as a whole. We have twice commented upon the excessive amount of holidays given in certain of the schools, and acting on a suggestion thrown out by us in last year's report, circulars were sent out by the Board at the end of the first half-year calling the attention of Committees and head teachers to the need in certain eases of exercising extreme caution in any further allotment. To judge from the returns, this action has had a much-desired effect. Forty-two schools have been kept open 420 times, anil only nine less than 400 times. Some of the latter, being unsupplied with teachers for some part of the year, are not to blame lor the deficiency. Though we consider that every school should lie expected to work 420 halfdays in the year, and that the Department would be fully justified in deducting a proportionate pail of the salary from those teat hers who do not perform their duty a prescribed minimum number of times, we are satisfied that the majority of our teachers are so fully alive to their responsibilities that they will see that through no selfish considerations or contributory negligence on their part will the time allowed them for the improvement of the mental, moral, and physical well-being of the children be curtailed.

The following table shows the classification of the 176 teachers in the employ of the Board on the 31st December : —

(hade. 0 1 2 3 4 5 (i 7 8 (I 10 Head Teachers. Certifi- Uncertilioated. oated. .. ;■ 20 I ■> 3 Assistants. Secondary Assistants. Certili- Unoertifi- Certiti- Uncertificated. cated. cated. cated. 2 12 7 (i 2 1 5 1 2 23 1 2 Sole Teachers. Certifi- Uncertificated. cated. 22 7 14 17 8 9 - Totals. 22 21 25 11 39 16 13 2!) 35 48 II 5 33 44 176 .908— 33 1 46 5 4 1 31 i 46 167 I