E.—l

26

of children on the roll, at the end of the year, of Native village, mission, and boarding-schools visited and inspected by the Inspectors of this Department was therefore 5,753. The following are the figures for the years 1914 and 1915 in respect of the three classes of Native schools mentioned :— 1914. 1915. Combined rolls of Native schools .. .. .. .. 5,634 5,753 Combined average weekly roll number .. .. .. 5,590 5,773 Combined average yearly attendance .. .. ..4,871 5,119 Percentage of regularity of attendance .. .. .. 87 - l 88"7 The increase in the development of the Native village schools since the year 1881, when they were transferred to the control of this Department, is shown in the following table :—

Native Village Schools, Number, Attendance, and Teachers.

It will be seen from the foregoing table that the number of schools in 1915 is almost double that in 1881, and the average attendance has more than trebled. In this comparison no account is taken of a number of schools that have from time to time been transferred to the various Education Boards during the period covered by the table. Table H2 in E.-3 supplies detailed information in regard to the roll number and average attendance. In addition to the Maori children, in attendance at the schools specially instituted for Natives as shown above, there were 4,731 Natives attending public schools at the 31st December, 1915, as compared with 4,905 in 1914. Half-caste children and children intermediate in blood between half-caste and Maori are reckoned as Maori. Details as to age and classification are given in. Table Hsa in E.-3. The total number of children of Maori or of mixed race on the rolls of primary Native schools, public schools, Native mission schools, and secondary Native schools, together with such pupils as were receiving special technical training, at the end of the year 1915 was as follows : — I. Primary schools— (a.) Government Native schools .. .. .. 4,643 (6.) Mission schools .. .. .. .. .. 141 (c.) Public schools .. .. .. ... .. 4,731 — 9,515 11. Secondary Schools .. .. .. .. .. 428 111. Special technical training .. .. ,"• •• •• 2 Total .. .. .. ~ ~ .. 9,945 Classification of Pupils. Tables H6a and H6b in E.-3 give full information as to the races and classification of pupils on the rolls of the Native schools. As will be seen, 87-8 per cent, were Maoris speaking Maori in their homes, l - 7 per cent, were Maoris speaking English in their homes, and 10-5 per cent, were Europeans.

Year. Number of Schools at End of Year. Mean of .A v „ e I?e e . Average "tendance : Weekly Boll. ™g» Average Attendance as Percentage of Weekly Boll. Teachers iu Charge. Number of Teachers. Assistant Teachers. Sewingmistresses. Female. 4 48 26 30 26 37 61 16 S3 11 105 . „ 122 | 2 1.18 4 122 ', 3 123 i - Male. Female. Male. ______ I 1881 . . 1886 .. 1891 .. 1896 .. 1902 .. 1907 .. 1912 .. 1913 .. 1914 .. 1915 .. .. I 00 69 66 74 98* 99 .. 108 .. ! 107 .. i 115 .. ! 117 I 1,406 2,343 2,020 2,395 1,837 2,874 2,220 3,650 3,005 4,321 3,561 4,644 4,042 4,835 4,142 5,053 4,385 5,232 4,604 86-2 76-7 77-3 82-3 82-4 87 85-7 86 7 88-0 54 6 60 9 59f I Sf 64f llf 77t | 20f 82f 18f 86 I 22 86 21 87 27 81 33 1 2 4 4 4 7 * Includes two sobsii lized schools. t Includes two teachers jointly in charge of oi school.