E.—lb

36

WESTLAND. Sic,— Hokitika, Ist February, 1885. I have the honour to present my annual report on the elementary schools in the Counties of Westland and Grey for the year 1884. The circumstances which caused the administration of educational affairs in these counties to be undertaken by the department are too well known to need recapitulation in this report. It may not, however, be out of place to notice some of the effects which the temporary disorganization of the district has produced. The unpleasant surprise that fell upon the teachers at the end of the year 1883, in the announcement that no funds were available for the payment of their salaries for November, was shortly followed by the equally unsatisfactory announcement that for the year 1884 the Government, in order to keep the expenditure within the legitimate income, would be compelled to pay only half the amounts allowed by the late Board as bonuses for teachers and pupil-teachers. The annual payments to Local Committees were also reduced by one-half—a serious matter for those who had already incurred liabilities which they were unable to provide for, or who had entered into contracts for cleaning and warming the schools which could not in some cases be terminated in the same summary manner. These unfortunate, but, under the circumstances, unavoidable, reductions, coming closely upon the sudden and unaccountable disappearance of one-twelfth of the teachers' incomes for the previous year, most certainly caused a feeling of depression and uneasiness to prevail amongst teachers and Committees, and perhaps, as regards the former, may in some cases have unconsciously reacted upon the efficiency of their work. There is no doubt that a pretty general and entirely justifiable feeling of disappointment and irritation prevailed throughout the district, and great allowance must in justice be made in those cases where any falling-off in the efficiency of the schools appears to be indicated by the results of tho examination. All those who have been engaged for any length of time in the work of teaching public schools must admit that, under the most favourable circumstances, it is a profession beset by many and great difficulties, as well as by innumerable petty trials and vexations. It has, however, some compensating advantages, not the least of which are the certainty and punctuality of the stipulated payments ; and that all the teachers should have had their confidence in the stability of these arrangements so rudely shaken without relaxing in the slightest degree their exertions or, which would have much the same effect, without losing to some extent heart and interest in their work, is scarcely to be expected from human nature. On the whole, I believe that the teachers, as well as the Committees, have passed the trying ordeal in a manner highly creditable to themselves, and without any serious injury to the cause of education. Although the percentage of passes this year is somewhat lower than in 1883, it will be seen that the falling-off has not been general throughout the district. Some schools have increased their percentages, and others have maintained them at about the same point, whilst only a few show any considerable inferiority. Of these last, the depression is accounted for in several cases by the prevalence of sickness, and the consequent irregularity of attendance, aggravated, in at least two instances, by the complete closing of the schools for many weeks, as at Brunnerton, which was closed for eight weeks at one time on account of an outbreak of diphtheria. On the other hand, in one or two cases the large percentage of passes obtained this year must be set down to the fact that a number of children failed last year at these schools, and have consequently remained two years in the same standard. Irregularity of attendance, the greatest hindrance to progress with which the teacher has to contend, affects the results more seriously when it prevails at the latter end of the year than when it is distributed throughout the whole term, although in the former case the actual average attendance may be considerably greater than in the latter. One school in the district had an admirable attendance from the beginning of the year till towards the last quarter, when an outbreak of diphtheria occurred, and the attendance dwindled down to less than half the roll-number. Owing, however, to the good attendance during the' earlier part of the year, the average for the whole year was by no means low, although the great falling-off just before the examination operated most unfavourably upon the results. This, of course, is quite unavoidable, but should be taken into account in estimating the efficiency of the year's work. After speaking of irregularity of attendance, it is refreshing to be able to refer even to a solitary, though remarkable, instance of the opposite kind. One boy attending tho Dunganville school is the holder of five first-class certificates for regular attendance, not having been absent from school for a single half day during five consecutive years. The lad's name is Edward Garland, and I suppose his record can be equalled by very few scholars in New Zealand. The Order in Council of June, 1884, while it compelled tho presentation of all children, irrespective of the regularity or irregularity of their attendance, appears to have been intended to give teachers more freedom of reclassification, as by it they are allowed to reclassify within three months of the examination. This privilege, however, was of little avail in Westland, as the examination commenced within two months of the receipt of the order by the teachers. At first sight the effect of the new regulation in this district appears to have been to increase the number of scholars absenting themselves from the examination, as this year 251 were absent as against 79 last year ; but, on the other hand, 315 scholars wore refused admittance to the examination last year on account of irregularity of attendance, and the number examined this year is greater than it was last year by 219, although the roll-number has only increased by 16. At one school (Woodstock) out of 52 entered on the standard schedules, 24, or nearly one-half, were absent, and nearly all these had attended less than 250 half days during the year. At another (Boss) out of 150 liable for examination, 44, or nearly one-third, were absent, including 30 who were retained in the same standards. The roll-number on the day of examination was 1,778 in Westland and 1,267 in Grey ; and the percentage of passes on the roli-number was 43-36 in Westland and 4388 in Grey, or about 6 per sent, above the average for New Zealand last year. The number of children below Standard I.