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we have not gone back. In 1891 the average attendance for the year as the percentage of the mean of the average weekly roll of the four quarters was 80 ; and we stand at 80 for the year 1892. A most gratifying feature of the year's work was the excellent attendance of the children at the examinations. In nineteen schools not one child belonging to the standard classes was absent, and in eleven schools only one child from each school. In one school with 547 on the roll two children were absent; in another, with 289, three were absent; and in a third, with 180, two were absent; and in each instance a satisfactory explanation of the child's absence was forthcoming. In the schools as a whole, out of every hundred in the standards, ninety-seven were in their places on the examination-day. In concluding this report I gladly bear testimony to the faithfulness with which our teachers as a body continue to discharge their onerous duties; and, though all did not command success, few indeed, did not deserve it. I have, &c, Jas. Gibson Gow, M.A., Inspector. The Chairman, South Canterbury Education Board:

OTAGO. SlK,— We have the honour to submit the following report on the schools of the Otago District for the year 1892. During the year all the schools were examined, and nearly all were visited for inspection. Of those not visited all but one were closed when the neighbouring schools were inspected. The examination of the schools occupied us continuously from the 16th May to the 16th December, with a break of four weeks at midwinter chiefly devoted to inspection. Of these weeks, one was the midwinter holiday time. Inspection, the selection of pupil-teachers, and various inquiries occupied us continuously from the 15th February to the 16th May. The remainder of the year was filled up wi-th the preparation of questions for the pupil-teacher and scholarship examinations, conducting these examinations, examining the written answers, and preparing the usual report and the statistical returns required by the Minister of Education. The following table shows the chief statistics of examination for the year : —

* Mean of average age. There were presented for examination 22,322 pupils, of whom 14,467 were entered for examination in one or other of the standards, being 225 more than the corresponding number for last year. In all, 14,141 were present and were examined in Standards I. to VI. Of these, 12,008 passed the standard for which they were presented—that is to say, 85 per cent, of the pupils examined in standards passed. Last year this percentage was 81, and in former years it has never been higher than 84. The percentage of failures (the exceptions being omitted for this computation) was 12, a number considerably lower than those of recent years. The average percentage of marks for " class "-subjects was 58; last year it was 54. The average of marks for additional subjects was 71, and, as the total marks that can be gained for these subjects is now 100, this result shows a marked advance on the number for last year—viz., an average of 69 marks out of a total of 120. The number of absentees continues remarkably small—326 out of a total of 14,467; and the number of exceptions has not increased. We give, as usual, the following table, which shows the number of schools in which the percentage of failures was low, moderate, or high, and furnishes a rough idea of their efficiency :— Percentage of Failures. 27 schools (equal to 14 per cent, of the total number) ... ... oto 5 45 schools (equal to 23 per cent, of the total number) ... ... 6to 10 57 schools (equal to 29 per cent, of the total number) ... ... 11 to 20 43 schools (equal to 22 per cent, of the total number) ... ... 21 to 30 19 schools (equal to 9 per cent, of the total number) ... ... 31 to 40 5 schools (equal to 2 per cent, of the total number) ... ... 41 to 50 2 schools (equal to 1 per cent, of the total number) ... ... 51

Glasses. Presented. Absent. Exoepted. Failed. Passed. Percentage of Passes in Standards. Average Age. Yrs, mos. Infants Standard I. II. „ III. IV. V. YI. Above Standard VI. ... 7,555 2,783 2,843 3,056 2,655 1,925 1,205 300 58 64 63 68 50 23 52 99 130 121 60 20 131 146 450 519 317 88 2,542 2,534 2,413 1,947 1,498 1,074 91 89 79 73 78 89 9 1 9 11 11 3 12 3 12 11 13 10 Totals 22,322 326 482 1,651 12,008 11 6-5 *