E.—2.

Appendix A.j

XXV

SOUTHLAND. Sir,— Education Office, Invercargill, 29th March, 1912. In accordance with the provisions of the Education Act, 1908, I beg to submit the following report of the Education Board of the District of Southland for the year ended 31st Deember, 1911. The Board.—The members of the Board whose term of office expired under section 11 of the Act were Messrs. W. N. Stirling, John Fisher, and George James Anderson, representing the Central, West, and East Wards respectively. Nominations to fill the vacancies were invited, as required by the Act, but with the result that for the East Ward no nominations were received. The Board, acting under legal advice, and in conformity with the provisions of section 31 of the Act, thereupon appointed Mr. John Mac Gibbon, of Gore, to fill the vacancy. The vacancies for the Central and West Wards were filled by the re-election of the retiring members. At the ordinary meeting of the Board held on the Ist September, Mr. Duncan Gilchrist was unanimously elected chairman for the ensuing term. Messrs. W. Macalister (re-elected) and W. N. Stirlingwere appointed as the Board's representatives on the Southland Boys' and Girls' High Schools Board; and, similarly, Mr. Thomas Mac Gibbon was re-elected a member of the Board of Governors of the Gore High School. The Board's Executive Committee is still composed of all the members of the Board for the time being. The Board held twelve ordinary and one special meeting during the year, and the Executive Committee met twenty-three times. The attendance of members was, on the whole, very satisfactory. Schools and Attendances. —The number of schools reported as in operation at the close of the year 1910 was 170. New schools were opened during the year in the districts of Kingston, Redan' Valley (these two schools reopened after being closed for many years), Nokomai, Glenorchy 11, Sunnyside, and Five Rivers, the two last named being household school's established for the benefit of individual families living in remote localities. The schools at Minaret (household) and Croydon Siding were closed during the year, thus making the number of schools in existence on the 31st December, 174, a net increase of four during the year. In the districts of Kingston and Redan Valley the buildings previously in use were repaired and brought again into requisition; at Glenorchy a new building was erected; and at the other places suitable temporary class-rooms were provided by the residents for the benefit of whose families the schools were established. As settlement in this education district continues to expand, the necessity for the extension of educational facilities will also in a corresponding degree have to be provided for. Regarding the attendance, there is but little unusual to report. The mean average weekly roll-number for the four quarters of the year was 10,556, and the average attendance 9,449. These numbers show an increase of 327 and 548 in the weekly roll and average attendance respectively as compared with the corresponding figures for 1910. The percentage of average attendance to weekly roll is thus 895, a gratifying increase of 25 over the preceding year, and the highest yet recorded in this education district. The increase may be set down to a variety of causes, chief amongst which is probably the absence of any serious epidemic amongst the school-children during the year. The fact, now generally known, that the law provides no loophole of escape for parents careless or indifferent to the educational welfare of their children has also doubtless exercised a salutary influence on the attendance. As in past years, Mr. J. B. Cosgrove's services as Truant Officer have also greatly assisted in maintaining a more regular attendance. Truancy returns are furnished to the Board by the teachers at the end of each month during the year, and the information contained therein forms the basis of action by the Board's officer to compel compliance with the law in all cases where no valid excuse can be given for irregular attendance. Fines and expenses amounting to £16 13s. 6d. were recovered from defaulting parents during the year. The following figures compiled from, a new form of return, prepared for the first time this year, will show the numbers in the various classes and the ages of pupils on the rolls of our schools as on the, 31st December last : — ijiftsses. Boys. Girls. Totals. Preparatory ■-- 2,046 1,807 3,853 Standard -" I ... 702 659 1,361 II ... .653 652 1,305 HI * ... ... 650 610 1,260 IV ... ... 602 564 1,166 V ... ... 524 479 1,003 VI ... ... 385 357 742 VII ... .. ■•• ••• 31 38 69 5,593 5,166 10,759 Ages. Boys. Girls. Totals. 5 years and under 6 433 432 865 6 - 7 ... .. 641 572 1,213 7 8 . ... 685 611 1,296 8 • ' . 9 ... ... ... 6G2 624 1,286 . o 10 ... ... 614 581 1,195 , 0 11 ... ... 589 572 1,161 Ti. 12 ... ... 564 555 1,119 12 13 ... ... ... 564 542 1,106 .o 14 ... ... 483 401 884 v \\ 15 ... ... ... 259 210 469 Above 15 years 99 66 165 5,593 5,166 10,759 iv—E. 2 (App. a).