E.—lb

38

accuracy and fair readiness, but there was considerable weakness in the knowledge of grammar and in the translation of English into French; in the lower class two showed good knowledge of the work done, but on the whole the class made a poor appearance. Only one of the pupils passed a satisfactory examination in geometry In algebra one gained half marks,- and the rest knew nothing about what had been taught. At the Port Chalmers District High School, the English classes gave proofs of very sound teaching. In Latin both classes had been trained to read the Latin text very correctly The translation and parsing were well done, and the upper class showed a good knowledge of the syntax and accidence. In French the work read was well known by nearly all the pupils, two gave excellent answers. In geometry the work was well known by two of the pupils, and fairly by two others. In algebra the classes passed a very fair examination. At the Tokomairiro District High School, the English class gave proof of a careful and exhaustive study of the portion of literature read. In Latin the translation was for the most part very good, and the parsing, accidence, and syntax were very fairly known. In French the lower class answered well, and the upper one fairly The results in geometry were very good in all the classes. In. algebra the teaching had been most successful, six passed an excellent examination, and nearly every one did fairly The majority of the pupils answered very fairly in trigonometry At the Lawrence District High School, the English class showed a capital knowledge of the portion of literature read. In Latin the translation was on the whole well done, though, in this, Class 11. was inferior to the others. Grammar had been thoroughly taught, and several did the translation into Latin very creditably. In French the classes had mastered what they had gone over Both passed an excellent examination. In geometry the written work was well done by all the classes , Class I. was not so successful in the viva voce test. The algebra classes had been admirably taught. As regards the science, I was well satisfied with the oral examination, Two of the written papers were excellent, and about half were fair. Throughout these schools the French, geometry, and trigonometry were examined by Mr Inspector Goyen, and the other subjects by myself. I have, &c, The Secretary, Education Board. Donald Petrie, M.A,, Inspector

SOUTHLAND. Sir, —- Invercargill, 15th March, 1884. I have the honour to submit to the Board my general report for the year ending December 31st, 1883. The work of the year has consisted chiefly in the examination of the Board's schools, in the inspection of some of them, in preparing for and conducting the pupil-teacher and scholarship examinations, in the revision of the regulations and curriculum of study for pupil-teachers, and in visiting new districts with a view to the establishment of additional schools. With reference to this last item of my work, I may mention that I have been much impressed on these visits hf the eagerness which the settlers uniformly manifest for the establishment of a school amongst them, a circumstance which would lead to the conviction that the worth of education is fully understood by the colonists of New Zealand, were it not counterbalanced by the apathy which parents so often show about sending their children to school after one has been established among them. As required by the Regulations in Council, I have prepared the table which follows, showing the number of scholars who have succeeded in passing their standard examination at the annual visit of the Inspector to the school (Table I.) : —-

Table I.

It will thus be seen that in the whole education district 3,113 scholars were presented for examination in one or other of the six standards, and that, of these, 1,827, or 587 per cent., were successful. It is necessary to bear in mind, when considering the significance of these figures, that this 3,113 includes all children entered by the teacher in the examination register of the school as due for examination, except such as from illness or other lawful impediment" are unable to attend. All other absentees are reckoned as present and as failing in every subject, it being inferred that when a child is unnecessarily withheld from examination it is done from a belief in the inability of that child to pass its standard examination. If this precaution be not observed, it seems to me that tb,e results arrived'at, though more flattering, are of much less value.

Number of Scholars presented for Examination in Standard. Number of Scholars who passed. Percentage. Number of Schools presenting Scholars in the Standard. Standard I. Standard II. Standard III. Standard IV Standard V Standard VI. 773 887 814 432 176 31 638 598 364 140 73 14 82-5 67-4 44-7 32-4 41-5 45-2 65 65 63 50 37 11 Totals 3,113 1,827 58-7