E.—1.

7. REGULARITY OF ATTENDANCE. The regularity of attendance in public schools and junior high schools and departments has continued at a highly satisfactory figure, the average attendance for the year 1932 being 92-20 per cent, of the average weekly roll number, a slight decrease when compared with the figure for 1931. In the Nelson Education District the very creditable figure of 94-17 per cent, was reached, and again in the Otago Education District a high degree of regularity was maintained. In none of the States of Australia, England, Wales, or Scotland is attendance at primary schools so regular as in New Zealand. 8. STAFFS OF SCHOOLS, The following table shows the number of adult teachers in the public primary schools of the different grades and in Forms I and II of junior high schools and departments.

Table H1.—Number of Adult Teachers employed in Primary Departments of Public Schools and in Forms I and II of Junior High Schools and Departments, December, 1932.

The increase in the number of adult teachers in public schools and junior high schools and departments at the end of 1932, when compared with the previous year, may be attributed to the policy of appointing additional assistants where, in the opinion of the Department, such a course is deemed desirable. There were nearly one hundred more additional assistants in the schools at the end of this year when compared with the number at the same time last year. No probationers were appointed in 1932 and no probationary assistants were attached to schools for further training. The positions held by the latter were filled by relieving assistants for a period of service lasting for one term. The relieving assistants employed during the last term of the year are included in the foregoing table.

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Sole Teachers, Head Teachers. Teachers' Total Adu!t Teachers. Grade of School * ; — M. I F. M. j F. M. P. M. F. Total. I Grade 0 (1-8) .. 30 155 .. .. .. .. 30 155 185 I (9-20) .. 390 350 .. .. .. .. 390 350 740 II (21-35) .. 218 201 24 21 .. 45 242 267 509 IIIA (36-50) .. 8 7 182 105 2 285 192 397 589 „ IIIb (51-80) . . 1 .. 214 43 2 274 217 317 534 „ IIIc (81-120) 120 7 6 249 126 256 382 „ IV (121-240) 138 2 106 434 244 436 680 Y (241-360) 76 .. 131 373 207 373 580 „ VI (361-480) 57 .. 146 387 203 387 590 „ VII (over 480) 103 .. 402 998 505 998 1,503 Junior high schools and .. . . 2+ 54 36 56 36 92 departments! — All grades— !932 .. .. 647 713 916 178 849 3,081 2,412 3,972 6,384 1931 .. .. 617 798 882 172 807 3,000 2,306 3,970 6,276 Difference .. .. +30 -85 +34 +6 +42 +81 +106 +2 j +108 * The grade of school given above is the grade in which the school is placed when all attached side schools are included, while part-time schools taught by the same teacher are counted as one school. f There was one principal of a junior high school. The other head teacher accounted for here and not elsewhere is the head teacher of Waihi District High School (to which is attached a junior-high-school department).