77

E.—l

been over three years in its service, had failed to obtain certificates of competency, and to inform those teachers who had hitherto obtained only partial classification, as well as those who held only a " license to teach," that, unless they succeeded in obtaining full classification at the next examination of teachers, their services would be dispensed with. The Board was induced to adopt this course by the fact that it was unfair to retain the services of unclassified teachers while fullyaccredited teachers were unable to obtain employment. School Attendance. —The following is an abstract of the attendance at the public schools of this district from the institution of the Otago education scheme, in the year 1856, to the present time. . At the beginning of 1878 the new Education District of Southland was created, and thirty-seven schools were handed over to the newly-formed Board. [Table abbreviated.— Secretary, Education Department.]

It appears from this table that, while there was an increase of only 334 in the number of pupils attending school during the year, the increase in the average attendance was 630—a fact that indicates a slight improvement in the quality of attendance. In Dunedin there was a decline of 147 in the roll-number, and an increase in the average attendance of fourteen. This decline was, no doubt, owing to the departure of a number of families from the city during the course of the year. The number of Maori and half-caste children attending the schools in this district is shown in the following statement: Maoris : males, 1; females, 4. Half-castes or other children of mixed race living as members of a Native tribe : males, 6 ; females, 5. Half-castes or other children of mixed race living among Europeans: males, 29; females, 21. Number of schools in which there were Maori or half-caste scholars or those of mixed race, 11. Ages op the Pupils.—The following table shows the number and ages of the pupils that attended the public schools in the district during the last quarter of the years 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, and 1885 :—

Finance. —Appended hereto (see Appendix D) is an audited abstract of the income and expenditure of the Board for the year 1885. The sum paid in teachers' salaries, inclusive of bonuses on classification and bonuses for teaching pupil-teachers, amounted to £60,832 19s. Id., and the sum paid to Committees for incidental expenses was £6,076 7s. A statement of the amounts contributed by the Board to each school for teachers' salaries and for allowances to Committees in aid of school fund, and of the sums paid for the erection and improvement of schoolbuildings, will be found in Appendix A. Drawing Department.—The report of the head master of the drawing department will be found in Appendix L. The classes were attended by 418 students—viz., 105 teachers and pupilteachers, 73 students in training, 59 students at the afternoon classes, 181 artisans and other students in the evening—being an increase of 34 over the attendance of the preceding year. The expenditure of the department was—salaries, £587 55.; other expenses, £23 17s. 7d.: total, £611 2s. 7d. The sum of £142 10s, 6d. was received from fees. Pupil-teachers.—The annual examination of pupil-teachers was held on the 15th, 16th, 17th, 11—E.I.

Year. 3 o m o 0 8 | I Eh <w O d Numb attended >or of Pupi: at all in tt 3i the Year Is who ig Course Av i 1 to rerage Dai: attendance >r the Yea iy r. Attendance at tho Close of the Y< lar. Dunedin. All other Schools. Totals. Dunedin. All other Schools. Totals. Dunedin. All other Schools. Totals. 1856-57 1866 .. 1877 .. 1884 .. 1885 .. 5 51 173 166 175 7 71 356 472 491 1,193 3,191 6,464 6,317 2,754 16,422 21,663 22,234 3,947 19,613 28,217 28,551 115 888 2,176 4,025 4,039 121 1,680 9,573 13,610 14,226 236 2,568 11,749 17,635 18,265 934 2,585 4,579 4,513 2,136 11,943 16,835 17,145 3,070 14,528 21,414 21,061

Boys. Girls. Total. Per Ceut. Boys. Girls. Total. Por Cent. Boys. Girls. Total. <£«_ 180. 18! II. 181 12. Jnder five years and under seven years leven and under ton years 'en and under thirteen years .. 'hirteen and under fifteen years ibovo fifteen years 194 1,993 3,474 2,992 991 177 209 1,849 3,340 2,857 913 214 403 2,842 6,814 5,849 1,904 391 2 20 35J 30J 10 2 Nil 2,068 3,574 3,113 1,035 165 Nil 1,869 3,332 2,912 991 215 9,319 Nil 3,937 6,906 G,025 2,026 380 20J 35? 311 10J 2 Nil 2,153 3,660 3,063 1,033 195 Nil 2,038 3,326 2,974 971 252 Nil 4,191 6,986 6,037 2,004 HI 21: 35; ■Ml 10Totals 9,382 19,203 100 9,955 19,274 10,104 9,561 19,665 9,821 100 100

IS! 18. is: 14. 181 15. Jnder fivo years |"ive and under seven years leven and under ten years 'en and under thirteen years 'hirteen and under fifteen years ibovo fifteen years Nil 2,243 3,929 3,051 1,129 202 Nil 2,023 3,574 3,000 1,073 261 Nil 4,206 7,503 0,111 2,202 463 20§ 36J 29} lOf Nil 2,231 4,126 3,318 1,205 194 Nil 2,058 3,818 3,107 1,118 239 Nil 4,289 7,944 6,425 2,323 433 20 37 30 11 2 Nil 2,012 4,290 3,485 1,234 206 Nil 1,931 3,968 3,179 1,136 220 Nil 3,943 8,258 6,664 2,370 426 is* 38 30} 10| 2 Totals 9,991 20,545 100 11,074 10,340 21,414 100 11,227 10,434 21,061 100 10,554