E.—lb.

schools can see their way to supplementing by local contributions their teachers' incomes, the choice of a teacher must in many cases be limited to such more or less qualified persons as may happen to live in the neighbourhood, and may thus bo enabled, by living at home, to put up with a smaller rate of pay than a thoroughly competent person coming from a distance could afford to accept. It may, of course, be urged that " half a loaf is better than no bread;" but there can be no doubt that the want of either natural aptitude or of technical training —in some cases the want of both—has told heavily against the success of some of our aided schools, which have but a sorry record to show this year. Discipline and Mannees.—Little fault can reasonably be found with the discipline of the vast majority of our schools. There are not, indeed, at the outside, half a dozen where the teacher has not full control over the scholars. Where no attempt is made, owing to the scantiness of the numbers, to give military drill, class drill is usually effectively taught, and during the daily school routine, so far as my own observation extends, the instructions of the teacher are punctually and readily obeyed. As to the wider subject of the manners of the children, from the very nature of the case, as I have explained before, I cannot speak with the same confidence, but it may be affirmed that there has certainly been no general falling-off of late in this respect, and that in some instances, especially in the larger schools, such as those in Reefton, Westport, and the City of Nelson, there has been a distinct improvement. I subjoin my usual estimate of the state of each school at the time when it was last examined. * ' * * I have, &i., The Chairman, Nelson Education Board. W. C. Hodgson, Inspector.

Summary of Results for the Whole District.

GEEY. Sin, — Education Office, Greymouth, 7th March, 1888. I have the honour to submit my second annual report upon the schools in this district. The number of schools examined was eighteen as against seventeen last year. Dobson school represents the one extra, it having taken the place of the Wallsend side school. The following table will furnish (as far as mere figures can do so) a means of comparing the work with that of the two previous years : —

Beading.—The defects referred to in my last report still exist, though in one or two schools decided improvement has taken place, In small schools, where the teacher attempts the whole or

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Standard Classes. Presented. Absent. Kxcopted. Failed. Passed. Average Age of those that passed. Yrs. mos. S7 S6 S 5 S4 S3 S2 SI P. 87 318 408 650 767 700 676 1,737 9 15 19 29 24 25 12 12 35 29 34 23 61 78 90 114 87 41 236 303 506 595 555 587 14 0 13 0 11 £11 10 "*" 9 9 9 8 7 Totals 5,343 121 145 471 2,782 * Mean of average age, 11 years S months.

1885. 1886. 1887. ioll number on day of examination ... [umber of above who have already passed the standard course Vithin standard classification lumber enrolled in standard classes present at examination [umber promoted to a higher standard 'ercentage of Promotions — On roll number of school On roll number of standard classes On number present in standard classes Mean of average age in standards Mean of average age of those who passed ... Average of attendances for year ... Percentage of passes in standard pass subjects 1,383 14 872 828 579 41-87 66-4 69-93 1,484 28 994 830 594 40 59-7 71-5 llyrs. lino. llyrs. 6mos. 239 1,513 13 1,058 972 676 44-6 64 70 llyrs. 4mos. llyrs. 5mos. 254 85 78