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buildings, being almost of necessity badly lighted and awkwardly constructed. The schools at Grovetown, Fairhall, Berwick, and Marlboroughtown are all in this category. The furniture of the last-named school is the worst I have ever seen in a Board school, and should be replaced at once (it is very old) with properly-constructed desks. I was somewhat surprised, when I became familiar with the topography of the district, to find how thickly schools had been planted in certain localities. If, for instance, a circle with a four-mile radius be drawn from the Blenheim School as a centre, it would include Sprmglands, Grovetown, Fairhall, Maiiboroughtown, and Spring Creek. The disadvantages arising from a too close proximity of schools are many. Among them are (1) additional cost, (2) diminished efficiency, and (3)— perhaps the most mischievous of all—the facility with which children can be moved from one school to another as often as the caprice of parents may desire. No doubt, at the time these schools were first established, the grouping of the settlers and the imperfect means of communication may have appeared to justify their proximity ; but, with the improved roads and other facilities, such necessity no longer exists, and I hope that, when it becomes necessary (as it soon will) to rebuild the Grovetown School, the Board will seriously consider whether by removing it a little further away from Blenheim the Marlboroughtown School might not be advantageously abolished. The evidence m favour of the superior efficiency and economy of large schools is overwhelming, and, if the extra distance should cause a few children to postpone the commencement of their school life for a year or more, they would, I believe, lose no time, but really be great gainers in the long-run. Another locality where schools are too plentifully distributed is in the Kaituna district, where within a distance of twelve miles along a good road there are as many as four schools. Any attempt to remedy this state of affairs will no doubt meet with violent opposition, for, unfortunately, many persons, though professedly objecting on account of the distance that children would have to walk, are—l dare say, sometimes unconsciously —influenced by other motives, such as a desire to utilise the services of their children, or from a disinclination for the extra effort that would be required to get them ready for school in the morning. It is absurd to say that healthy children of seven or eight years old cannot walk three miles to school along a good road, when if kept at homo they would certainly be on their feet the whole day, and probably the elder ones would be assisting in some kind of laborious work, and this would be equivalent to more than twice as much real bodily fatigue as would be undergone on a journey to and from school. As before remarked, many of the conditions which led to schools being so closely situated are now changed. Eoads are good and are fenced in bridges and culverts have been thrown over creeks and watercourses, stray cattle are almost unknown, and companions for the journey are plentiful; yet, having been so long accustomed to have schools almost at their doors, there is little hope of convincing these communities of the necessity for any change. lam glad, therefore, that the Board has taken a firm stand and has resolved to remove the Okaramio School to a more central position between Havelock Suburban and Kaituna. The configuration of the country and the prevailing industrial pursuits of the inhabitants are unfavourable to the growth of large centres of population where profitable schools could be looked for in the course of time ; but the same circumstances are certain to be productive of numerous straggling village settlements, which will have to be provided for, so that every year will call for greater circumspection in fixing upon sites for new schools, and in doing so the convenience of the first settlers in a new locality should not be allowed to thrust out of sight the probable requirements of later arrivals. Ibeegulaeity of Attendance.—This trusty ally of the incompetent teacher—always ready to create a diversion in his favour when threatened by hostile parents, Committees, Board, or Inspectoris the inveterate enemy of the skilful and efficient one, and does much to render futile his most strenuous exertions. There are, doubtless, times and seasons in every locality when there is a plausible excuse for the absence of the elder children for a few weeks, and what with the harvest, potato-gathering, &c, the teachers in this district perhaps have as fair a ground of complaint as any in the colony ; but there is a limit to the legitimate demands of these busy seasons, and it may not unreasonably be asked what is the cause of the regular irregularity throughout the year, of which we are constantly reminded. Or is there actually more irregularity of attendance now than there was in past years ? On the contrary, I believe it might be proved that the average attendance at the present day is considerably higher than it was twenty years ago. But now there is no time to spare even with the fullest attendance to accomplish the work demanded in the year. As to the cause, the highest authorities on educational matters maintain that irregularity of attendance is too often the result of defective management and weak government, and that an incompetent or careless teacher is sure to have a poor and irregular attendance; the idea which prevails in the minds of the parents and scholars often finding expression in such remarks as " Oh, they won't lose much by stopping away for a few days I " It cannot, however, be denied that much of this irregularity is due to the indifference, folly, or greed of parents or guardians. Unfortunately, even in this favoured land there are some who are compelled by straitened circumstances to utilise the labour of their children as much as possible, and for these no reproach, but rather our fullest sympathy, is needed. These, however, must surely be exceptional cases, and it is to be regretted that some more practical method than that provided in the Act for punishing really culpable parents cannot be discovered I venture to offer a suggestion for the consideration of the Government if ever a change should be determined upon in this direction. Whenever a child shall have failed to attend school for the number of days required by the statute, instead of a money fine let the punishment of the parent or guardian be disfranchisement for a certain time—to be extended or increased upon future repetition of the offence ; for a person who is so blind or so indifferent to the just rights of his own flesh and blood is not likely to take a more intelligent interest in other matters affecting the welfare of his fellow-countrymen. By this method no tedious, cumbersome, uncertain, and dilatory law proceedings would'be necessary: no just complaint could be set aside because of a technical irregularity or a legal quibble. It would simply be the duty of the Inspector after each annual