E.—l

VI

passing Standard VI. is of importance at the present time in consequence of the discussion that is taking place with respect to the limit of age imposed by the regulations for free admission to secondary schools in the case of those whose only qualification is the holding of Standard VI. certificates of proficiency. The condition is that the candidate for a free place shall not be over fourteen on the 31st December preceding the date of his admission to the secondary school. The average age for passing this standard ranges from 13 years and 6 months in Auckland to 14 years and 2 months in Marlborough, the average age for the colony being, as it was last year, 13 years and 9 months, and there is therefore ground for the belief that competent children, for whom the privilege is mainly intended, are not likely to find the restriction interfere with their promotion to the secondary schools." Further reference to thisjquestion is made in the separate paper on Secondary Education (E.-12). The range in 1904 was the same, being from 13 years and 6 months in Auckland to 14 years and 2 months in Hawke's Bay, the average age for the whole colony being also the same—namely, 13 years and 9 months.

TABLE C3. —Average Age of Pupils in 1904 at the Time of Annual Visit.

In Table D is given the number of pupils receiving instruction in each subject of the syllabus. The most noticeable features are the further large increases in the numbers learning handwork, singing, and drill, the large increase in those learning composition, and the falling-off in those learning grammar, these changes being due to some extent to the new syllabus.

TABLE D.—Number of Pupils instructed in each Subject, December, 1904.

Education Districts. Average A| [es of the 'upils in ei ich Class. Mean if Ages. Auckland Taranaki Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay Marlborough Nelson Grey Westland North Canterbury South Canterbury Otago Southland p. Yrs. mos. 7 3 7 1 6 11 6 11 7 8 7 0 6 11 7 0 7 2 6 11 6 11 6 10 7 0 I. Yrs. mos. 9 0 9 3 8 10 8 11 8 9 8 8 8 9 8 10 8 5 8 9 8 9 8 11 8 11 II. Yrs. mos. 9 11 10 3 9 11 9 10 9 10 9 8 9 11 9 11 10 7 9 10 9 10 9 11 9 10 III. Yrs. mos. 10 11 11 3 11 0 10 10 10 11 11 0 11 0 11 1 11 0 11 0 10 9 10 11 10 11 IV. Yrs. mos. 11 11 12 5 12 1 11 11 12 3 12 0 12 0 12 2 12 7 12 1 11 10 12 0 11 11 V. Yrs. mos. 12 8 13 3 12 11 12 10 13 2 12 9 12 11 13 0 13 3 12 11 12 9 12 10 12 9 VI. Yrs. mos. 13 6 13 11 13 10 13 9 14 2 13 9 13 9 14 0 13 9 13 9 13 8 13 9 13 8 VII. Yrs. mos. 14 5 14 5 14 6 14 4 15 0 14 10 14 11 14 10 15 1 15, 1 15 1 15 5 14 8 1904. Yrs. mos. 11 2 11 6 11 3 11 2 11 6 11 3 11 3 11 4 11 6 11 3 11 2 11 4 11 3 1903. Yrs. mos. 11 3 11 6 11 4 11 2 11 5 11 3 11 4 11 4 11 4 11 4 11 2 11 3 11 2 Average for Colony .. 7 1 8 11 9 11 10 11 12 0 12 10 13 9 14 10 11 3 11 3 Range (difference between highest and 0 10 0 10 0 11 0 6 0 9 0 7 0 8 1 1 0 4 0 4 lowest)

Education Districts. rO W H 00 a£i a gv< a a--. ch a -3 d 9 M ■3 a °3 . 9 o-g ■3.3 .5 ra p o a o o o a a a 03 Sc o 9 a ah S p 3 a 3 « Auckland Taranaki Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay Marlborough Nelson Grey Westland North Canterbury South Canterbury Otago Southland 30,207 4,834 12,201 15,831 8,765 1,943 5,522 1,667 1,036 19,378 5,114 19,372 9,605 30,207 4,834 12,201 15,831 8,765 1,943 5,522 1,667 1,036 19,378 5,114 19,372 9,605 30,207 4,834 12,006 15,679 8,765 1,943 5,522 1,667 1,036 19,378 5,114 19,372 9,605 30,207 4,834 12,199 15,831 8,765 1,943 5,522 1,667 1,036 19,378 5,114 19,372 9,605 20,563 3,536 9,347 11,417 6,512 1,448 4,342 823 1,036 12,814 3,251 13,080 6,030 30,162 4,834 12,180 15,831 8,717 1,943 5,522 1,667 1,036 19,130 5,114 19,372 9,505 16,931 2,799 7,553 10,233 5,819 1,263 5,397 974 612 11,923 3,251 11,975 5,896 29,935 4,622 11,552 15,492 8,687 1,918 5,234 1,489 705 18,915 5,114 18,924 9,389 10,466 1,582 5,620 6,870 3,911 856 1,811 837 498 8,531 2,626 10,580 4,353 • Totals for 1904 Totals for 1903 135,475 133,568 135,475 133,568 1,907 135,128 133,542 j 135,473 133,568 94,199 70,885 135,013 133,406 84,626 81,787 2,839 131,976 127,795 58,541 66,625 -8,084 Difference 1,907 1,586 1,905 23,314 1,607 4,181 Continued on lext te.