7

E.—l

six years was 950 less than in the previous year, indicating a falling-ofi in the number of new entrants. The increase in the roll number was greater in the North Island (including Marlborough) than in the South Island, the percentage increases being 3*o and L*s respectively. The table below shows the mean average roll number for every fifth year from 1878 to 1903, 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 (including secondary departments of district high schools), and the number of teachers employed in the public schools.

Schools, Attendance, and Teachers.

The above figures relate to public schools. To estimate the total number of children receiving primary education in the Dominion it will be necessary to include public schools (exclusive of secondary departments of district high schools), Native schools, registered private primary schools, the lower departments of secondary schools, and special schools. The figures will then be :— Average Weekly Roll Number. Public schools (less secondary departments of district 1917. mis. high schools) .. .'. .. .. .. 185,549 188,932 Native village and Native mission schools .. .. 5,315 5,223 Registered private primary schools .. .. .. 18,594* 20,076* Lower departments of secondary schools .. .. 580* 065* Special schools .. .. .. .. .. 600 252 Total average weekly roll, of primary scholars .. 210,638 215,118 * Number on roll at end of year. Attendance. (E-2, Tables 81, 82, and 83.) The following figures show the average attendance at public schools in the Dominion during the years 1917 and 1918 : — Including Secondary Excluding Secondary Departments of Departments of District High Schools. District High Schools. Year 1918 .. .. .. .. .. 169,836 167,601 Year 1917 .. .. .. .. .. 168,711 166,510 Increase in 1918 .. ~, .. 1,125 1,091 Increase per cent... .. .. o*o7 o*o7 The increase in average attendance was much smaller in 1918 than in the previous year ; what would have been a good record being largely spoiled by the sickness that prevailed in the last quarter of the year. The increase in average attendance during the last five years has been : 1914, 3*6 per cent. ; 1915, 3*l per cent. ; 1916, o*o4 per cent. ; 1917, 3*4 per cent. ; .1918, 0-07 per cent. The average attendance taken as a percentage of the average weekly roll was 88-7 in 1918, as compared with 89-8 in the previous year and 90*1 in 1914 —the highest record yet reached. Every education district excepting Taranaki shows a slight falling-off in the regularity of attendance, the best results being obtained in Otago and Wellington, with

Year. N "-'-- ofAvTage sctls. Weekly Mean Averago nfAvBi-m.B Averago Attendance wlniVi,, Attendance, as Pevcentlfnii Whole Year. age of lw " 1. Weekly Koll. I Number of' Adults. fcacliers, Fupi il-toacli< irs. I M. F. Total. M. P, Total. 1878 1883 1888 1893 1898 1903 1908 .. 1909 1910 1911 .. 1912 .. 1913 1914 .. 1915 1910 .. 1917 .. 1918.. „ ,j_ • Averago of three quarte 748 971 90,859 1,158 113,630 1,375 125,092 1,055 133,782 1,780 134,748 1,998 145,974 2,057 151,142 2,090 154,750 2,166 159,299 2,214 164,492 2,255 169,530 2,301 175,570 2,338 181,229 2,355 184,050 2,368 1.87,954 2,305 191,382 era. + Strict averagi *48,773 I 90,859 69,838 : 76*9 113,030 1*90,108 79*3 125,092 *ti00,321 79*8 133,782 111.036 83*4 134,748 113,047 83*9 145,974 127,100 87*1 151,142 132,773 87*8 154,750 135,738 87*7 159,299 142,180 I 89-3 164,492 140,282 ! 88*9 109,530 151,242 I 89*2 175,570 158,134 \ 90*1 181,229 103,092 90-0 184,050 103,150 88*0 1.87,954 108,711 89*8 191,382 169,836 | 88-7 707 905 1,039 1.107 1,234 1,270 1,331 1,400 1.450 1,493 1,555 1,003 1,028 1,591 1,501 1,383 1,300 454 650 887 1,006 1,370 1,720 2,021 2,208 2,252 2,351 2,550 2,059 2,820 3,077 3,209 3,224 3,452 1,101 1,561 1,920 2,203 2,604 2,990 3,352 3,014 3,708 3,844 4,105 4,202 4,448 4,068 4,710 4,707 4,818 118 159 219 238 229 147 161 166 174 179 162 142 139 141 137 132 123 332 ; 571 | 094 825 831 552 470 530 520 528 470 474 470 485 519 517 523 irobatioi 450 730 913 1,063 1 ,00(1 099 037 090 §700 §707 §038 §610 §009 §626 §050 §049 §640 I Work: ing average. § Exclusive of iale and f< miale \ lers.