E.—l

IX

The coming into operation of the Public-School Teachers' Salaries Act fenders necessary a considerable increase (over 400) in the adult staffs of the schools, and a decrease (from about 960 to about 680) in the number of pupilteachers employed in the schools. Inasmuch as the number of suitable teachers, especially of male teachers, waiting for employment was probably not at the time' the Act came into operation sufficient to fill all the new posts, the immediate result may be a shortage of qualified teachers until the new system has had time to take effect. The inconveniences likely to be experienced meanwhile will be reduced to a minimum if the Boards will endeavour, as far as circumstances admit, to abstain from appointing male teachers to posts that could be filled equally well by mistresses, and if for a time the number of pupilteachers employed is somewhat in excess of the limit indicated in the Act, a variation of Schedule I. which the Minister, under the second proviso of section 3 of the Act, has the power to allow until the 31st December, 1903. The proportion of pupil-teachers to adults employed at the end of 1901 was Ito 2*79, or, roughly, five apprentices to fourteen adult teachers. The proportion, as in other years, varies considerably in the various education districts. The weakest in adults in proportion to pupil-teachers are Hawke's Bay and Wellington, where the pupil-teachers are to the adults as 1 to I*4 and 1 to I*s respectively, Wanganui being slightly better with Ito 2. Omitting the districts where small schools not having pupil-teachers are numerous, the strongest in adult teachers are —Otago, 1 pupil-teacher to 53 adults; South Canterbury, 1 to 5 ; and Southland, 1 to 4-3. The last column but one of Table X shows the number of pupils per teacher for all schools, but a fairer comparison of the numerical strength of the staffing in the various education districts may be made by excluding from the calculation the schools that are staffed without pupil-teachers. In some districts the assistance of a pupil-teacher was given when the average attendance reached 35 ; but, inasmuch as in a few instances pupil-teachers were found with an average slightly less than 35, we may take for this purpose all schools with more than 30 pupils. Table Xl affords sucli a comparison, two pupil-teachers beingcounted as one adult in the calculation of the last column. In future, the staffing will be approximately the same in all districts of the colony, being regulated by the Schedule of " The Public-School Teachers' Salaries Act, 1901," with such modifications as are allowed by the notes to the Schedule, and, until December, 1903, with such other modifications as, under the second proviso of section 3 of the Act, may be sanctioned by the Minister.

TABLE K1.—Showing Number of Pupils per Adult Teacher, reckoning Two Pupil-teachers as One Adult, in Schools with Average Attendance of over 30.

The total of all salaries at the rates paid at the end of the year was £378,596 Is. Bd. This includes the salaries of pupil-teachers and sewingmistresses, as well as all salaries, house-rent, and other allowances paid to adult teachers : the average salary per teacher (including those named) was therefore ii—B. 1.

Education District. Number of Adults. Number of Pupil-teachers. Total Average Attendance. Average Number of Pupils per Adult Teacher. Auckland Taranaki Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay Marlborough Nelson Grey .. Westland North Canterbury South Canterbury Otago Southland 400 53 142 179 103 30 75 26 20 *297 86 307 124 228 34 100 163 92 14 48 16 9 106 24 76 45 20,877 2,878 8,019 11,444 6,423 1,339 3,593 1,146 781 14,726 3,740 15,780 6,438 40-6 41-1 41-7 43-8 43-1 36-2 36-3 33-7 31-2 42-1 38'2 45-7 43-8 Totals for 1901 Totals for 1900 1,842 1,830 955 962 97,184 97,138 41'9 42-4 • Including six part-time teachers.