E.—l

24

places for Maori children at the boarding-schools. Maori children living in districts more or less settled by Europeans attend the ordinary public schools, 643 of these schools having some Maoris in attendance in 1922, thus the total number of schools under inspection at which Native children were receiving instruction in 1922 was— Native village schools .. .. .. .. .. .. ..127 Native mission schools subject to inspection by the Education Department .. 9 Public schools at which Maori scholars were in attendance .. .. .. 643 Total number of primary schools .. .. .. 779 Native boarding-schools affording secondary education to Maoris .. .. 10 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 789 Roll Number and Attendance. The number of pupils on the rolls of Native village schools at the end of 1922 was 6,161, including 5,347 Maoris and 814 Europeans, the latter representing 13 per cent, of the roll. The roll exceeds that of the previous year by 339, 304 of this number being Maoris. The increase in numbers represents one of 6 per cent, as compared with the increase in public schools of 3 per cent, in the roll number. In the last three years the number of pupils in Native schools has increased by 1,000, or 18 per cent. A corresponding increase in the number of Maori pupils attending public schools supports the evidence of an arrest in the decline in the numbers of the Native population. The following figures refer to attendance at Native village schools : — 1921. 1922. Number on rolls at end of year .. .. .. .. 5,822 6,161 Average weekly roll number .. .. .. .. 5,738 6,119 Average yearly attendance .. .. .. .. 4,988 5,436 Percentage of regularity of attendance . . . . . . 86-9 88-8 The figures all show an increase over the corresponding ones for the previous year, the improvement in regularity of attendance being especially marked. Compared with the percentage of regularity in public| schools—9o-B —the high figure of 88-8 achieved in Native schools, situated as they are in very remote country districts, is a matter for congratulation. The number of pupils on the rolls of the Native mission schools at the end of 1922 was 363, and on the rolls of the Native boarding-schools 413. The total number 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 6,937. The following are the figures for the years 1921 and 1922 in respect of the three classes of Native schools mentioned : — 1921. 1922. Combined rolls of Native schools .. .. .. .. 6,547 6,937 Combined average weekly roll number .. .. . . 6,464 6,878 Combined average yearly attendance .. .. .. 5,653 6,133 The following table records the development of the Native village schools since the year'jlßßl, were transferred to the control of the Education Department ; no account is taken of schools which, as the European element has become predominant in them have been handed over to the variouslEducation Boards : —

Native Village Schools. —Number, Attendance, and Teachers.

Number o; Teachers. Year. Number of Schools at End of Year. Mean of Average Weekly Roll. Average Attendanee: Whole Year. Average Attendance as Percentage of Weekly Roll. Teachers in Charge. Assistant Teachers. Male. Female. Male. Female. 1881 1886 1891 1896 1902 1907 1912 1917 1921 1922 60 69 66 74 98 99 108 118 123 127 2,343 2,395 2,874 3,650 4,321 4,644 5,191 5,738 6,119 1,406 2,020 1,837 2,220 3,005 3,561 4,042 4,507 4,988 5,430 86'2 76-7 77-3 82-3 82-4 87-0 86-8 86-9 88-8 54 60 59 64 77 82 86 71 72 70 I 6 F9 8 11 20 18 22 45 49 40 i 2 4 9 11 10 4 26 26 61 83 105 122 122 131 138