E.—l

VI

this year's Table C, compared with the similar table of last year, proves (so far as the accuracy of these tables can be relied on) that at least 15,842 really new pupils were admitted, and 14,682 retired. A similar investigation of Tables D and. G for the two years show at least 14,764 admitted, and 13,604 retired. The details are as follows :— Entered between the ages of 5 and 6 ... ... ... 10,061 6 „ 7 ... ... ... 3,536 7 „ 8* ... ... ... 1,853 8 „ 9 ... ... ... 143 9 „ 10 160 10 „ 11 ... .. ... 89 15,842 Left between the ages of 11 and 12 ... ... ... 460 12 „ 13 ... ... ... 748 13 „ 14 ... ... ... 2,974 14 ~ 15 ... ... ... 4,533 Left, being over 15 years old ... ... ... ... 5,967 14,682 Gain ... ... 1,160 The result obtained by comparing Table D for 1896 with Tables D and Gr for 1897 is not very different:— New pupils in preparatory and First Standard classes ... 14,436 „ class preparing for Standard 11. ... ... 328 14,764 Losses from „ „ 111. ... ... 793 IV 2,121 V 2,487 VI. ... ... 2,274 „ class above Standard VI. ... ... ... 5,929 13,604 Gain ... ... 1,160 It seems fair to conclude from these statements that about 43 - 6 per cent, remain in the schools for a while after they have passed out of the Sixth Standard class, that 16-7 and 183 per cent, leave after passing the Fifth and Fourth Standards respectively, and 21 - 4 without passing the Fourth; and that 40 - 6 per cent, of those that leave are above the age of fifteen on leaving, while only 8 - 2 per cent, are under the age of thirteen. Public Schools and Teachees. Table J shows that the number of schools increased during the year from 1,533 to 1,585, and that the number of schools is growing faster than the number of pupils, there being on an average less than 70 pupils to each school. The number of schools with less than 25 pupils each was increased during the year by 55. The number of half-time schools remains about the same as it was last year.

TABLE J. —Number of Schools, December, 1897. (In this enumeration every couple of half-time schools is reckoned as one school, except in the column for number of such schools.)

Education Districts, i I CO 8 I IS »s © a o §i a> c> § JL i\u: iber 0: I 3 .§0 Sohc )ols in whi( for the Qui p if >h the Ave] irter was— I a* I 8 CD . :age Attem Q . II fance •a * . I 3 £ Ph Pi J a t> I i u ■ 02 S .0 a 1 .s 1 .2 0 A to Auckland Taranaki Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay Marlborough Nelson .. Grey Westland North Canterbury South Canterbury Otago Southland 338 60 127 131 68 61 116 29 33 198 65 220 139 22,613 3,018 8,352 11,647 6,396 1,823 4,800 1,423 1,263 17,588 4,548 19,128 7,924 66-9 50'3 65-8 88-9 94-1 29-9 41-4 49-1 38-3 88'8 70-0 86-9 57-0 44 7 10 20 9 36 28 9 15 21 4 27 11 42 4 9 15 4 4 17 4 6 17 1 20 17 56 11 19 13 6 4 18 2 25 11 23 22 104 23 39 35 19 7 24 5 4 59 26 61 48 30 7 21 18 7 4 13 5 2 24 10 33 15 13 2 3 7 7 3 6 1 1 14 3 19 9 14 3 13 9 5 18 2 9 8 6 2 6 1 2 12 3 9 8 9 1 4 4 2 1 8 '*7 3 42 as 21 20 2 19 15 7 39 38 6 6 2 4 "l 1 12 1 9 7 5 1 7 ■ 2 2asl 3asl 22 16 16 3 28 - 2 3 12 .. 'i 2 12 as 6 Totals for 1897 .. Totals for 1896 .. 1,585 1,533 110,523 109,253 69-7 71'3 241 208 160 171 213 180 456 454 184 195 88 80 78 85 86 82 46 44 33 34 59 as 29 57 as 28 225 208 19 14 Difference .. 2 8 -7 4 2 -1 2asl 17 5 52 1,270 -1-6 33 -11 33 -11