E.—l

111

TABLE B.—School Attendance for 1899.

A comparison of Table B for the two years, 1898 and 1899, shows that the average number in attendance at the schools during 1899 was smaller than during 1898 in every Education District except Wellington, Marlborough, and Southland, the decrease being most marked in North Canterbury and Otago, which are accountable respectively for 792 and 788 out of the total decrease of 1851 mentioned above. There was a decline in the regularity of attendance in eight out of the thirteen districts ; it was most pronounced in Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, North Canterbury, and South Canterbury. In five districts the attendance was better than in 1898, the greatest improvement in this respect taking place in Grey and Westland; in fact, the high figures attained* in these two small districts are worthy of note. In Grey the average attendance reached 87*2 per cent, of the average roll-number, and in Westland 857 per cent. It is only fair to remark that the average attendance for the fourth quarter of 1899 shows a much smaller falling-off from that of the fourth quarter of ]898 than is shown in a comparison of the other quarters of these two years ; this fact may raise the suspicion that the exceptional causes operating to produce a low attendance during 1898 were still effective in the first three quarters of 1899. The number of Maoris, and of half-castes living as Maoris, who attend the ordinary public schools again shows an increase, but the number of Maoris living among Europeans in attendance at these schools has slightly decreased. These numbers are independent of the increased attendance in the Native schools.

Education Districts. Pupils at Beginning of Year. Admitted during the Year. Eoll-ni imbers. Lett during the Year. belonging at End of Year. Average Daily Attendi mce. <o 3 © 3 IgSrSgSS S, P 3 OCiri V S, ca m cd .-, co o oo Is trails 1899. 1898. Fourth Quarter. Boys. Girls. Total. Whole Year. mckland .aranaki Vanganui Vellington lawke's Bay.. larlborough .. Jelson Irey Vestland ■forth Canterbury iouth Canterbury )tago iouthland 25,644 3,787 9,561 13,256 7,426 2,061 5,118 1,519 1,296 19,683 4,970 19,842 9,044 12,002 1,492 4,239 6,882 3,191 648 2,308 400 291 6,806 1,379 6,421 3,056 9,633 1,240 3,479 5,370 2,757 609 1,591 314 295 6,271 1,210 5,655 2,583 28,013 4,039 10,321 14,768 7,860 2,100 5,835 1,605 1,292 20,218 5,139 20,608 9,517 11,929 1,666 4,228 6,160 3,347 894 2,448 680 559 8,712 2,300 9,032 4,158 10,605 1,425 3,916 5,579 2,894 847 2,210 731 570 8,033 2,091 8,333 3,719 22,534 3,091 8,144 11,739 6,241 1,741 4,658 1,411 1,129 16,745 4,391 17,365 7,877 22,612 3,212 8,415 11,979 6,499 1,751 4,793 1,430 1,134 16,592 4,338 17,748 7,902 79-3 78-2 79-6 80-4 81-7 81-2 81-1 87-2 85-7 80-4 83-7 84-3 81-8 80-7 80-9 80-8 80-8 84-4 81-0 80-2 85-0 83-9 82-9 86-2 86-1 80-5 Totals for 1899 Totals for 1898 123,207 123,892 49,115 48,633 41,007 40,904 131,315 131,621 56,113 56,340 50,953 51,564 107,066 107,904 108,405 110,256 81-2 82-4 82-4 Difference -685 482 103 -306 -227 -611 -838 -1,851 -1-2

Half-ci astes living as Maoris. Half-castes 1 among Europeai iving No. of Schools in which there were Native Children. Pi ire Mao: •is. Total. is. Education Districts. Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. Girls. Total. Auckland Taranaki Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay Marlborough Nelson Grey Westland North Canterbury South Canterbury Otago Southland 262 44 105 80 244 191 20 70 66 146 3 8 "7 7 5 10 1 453 64 175 146 390 3 11 55 11 17 6 42 36 6 16 6 36 91 17 33 12 78 296 9 23 21 60 16 3 243 8 19 16 51 8 539 17 42 37 111 24 3 613 64 145 107 346 16 6 470 34 105 88 233 11 8 1,083 98 250 195 579 27 14 159 18 32 26 37 5 '7 3 6 10 6 13 2 13 17 11 23 3 3 15 1 30 44 2 12 1 32 47 5 27 2 62 91 9 25 7 44 53 9 19 6 43 60 18 44 13 87 113 3 9 4 15 18 "l 7 1 12 "2 19 Totals for 1899 .. Totals for 1898 .. 775 732 534 432 1,309 1,164 145 139 102 113 97 252 199 521 541 439 451 960 992 1,435 1,375 1,086 980 2,521 2,355 333 318 Difference 43 102 37 16 -12 -32 60 53 -20 106 166 15