V

E.—l

School Attendance. The total average attendance for the year was 120,026, being a decrease of 1,932 as compared with the previous year's total. In 1904, 1905, and 1906 there was an increase of 3,459, 3,759, and 1,693 respectively. Table Bl shows the average attendance for the year in each of the education districts, and also the regularity of attendance of the pupils.

TABLE B1.—School Attendance for 1907.

In the average of the weekly roll-numbers there is an increase of 1,626 for the year. The figures for 1906 were 140,320, and 141,946 for 1907. At the end of the year the number on the roll was 141,071, as against 139,302 for the previous year, an increase of 1,769. The high standard of regularity of attendance of the last two years, 86-9, fell in 1907 to 84-6. In the first quarter the average daily attendance was 85-6 per cent, of the average weekly roll-number, in the second quarter 85-0 per cent., in the third quarter 83-0 per cent., and in the fourth 84-6 per cent. Otago, which from 1901 to 1905 stood at the head of the list, again heads the list with a percentage of 88-2, Westland coming second with a percentage of 87-8. Southland, with a percentage of 86-2, and South Canterbury with 85-9, hold third and fourth places. As a whole the South Island shows a greater degree of regularity of attendance than the North, the respective rates being 85-6 per cent, and 83-7 per cent, of the average weekly roll. In 1906 the figures were 87-1 per cent, and 86-7 per cent, respectively. The decrease in total average attendance for the year 1907 was attributable in the main to epidemics of sickness which prevailed during a part of the year in almost all parts of the Dominion. In the North Island the decrease was 1,035; and in the South Island 897. The figures are given in the following table :—

Including Saconi .ary Departments of 'istrict. Higi Schools. Averaj Who: Average ?e Attenda le Year (Mt Attendance Quarters). tnce for ean of ;e of Four Eoll-numl iers. Percentage of the Mean of Average Weekly Koll of Four Quarters. Education Districts. Pupils at Beginning of Year. S2S '«£• *« Pupils belonging at End of Year. Mean of Average Weekly Roll of Four Quarters. Boye. Girls. Total. 1907. 1906. Auckland .. Taranaki Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay Marlborough Nelson Grey Westland North Canterbury .. South Canterbury .. Otago Southland 29,778 4,707 12,009 14,828 8,097 1,856 5,268 1,531 955 18,167 4,894 17,829 9,017 15,778 2,087 6,169 8,654 3,877 881 1,981 648 380 7,566 1,625 7,121 3,244 12,382 1,713 5,132 7,012 3,211 642 1,776 395 316 6,451 1,234 5,767 2,445 33,174 5,081 13,046 16,470 9,363 2,095 5,473 1,784 1,019 19,282 5,285 19,183 9,816 33,530 5,138 13,178 16,564 9,409 2,083 5,586 1,725 1,028 19,401 5,244 19,221 9,839 14,927 2,256 5,854 7,468 4,189 928 2,494 724 463 8,509 2,389 8,788 4,434 13,130 1,990 5,072 6,539 3,689 835 2,188 736 440 7,652 2,117 8,170 4,045 28,057 4,246 10,926 14,007 7,878 1,763 4,682 1,460 903 16,161 4,506 16,958 8,479 837 82-6 82-9 84'6 83-7 84-6 838 846 87-8 83-3 85-9 88-2 86'2 87-2 84-9 86-3 87-5 85-3 85-3 86-2 85-9 88-8 86-0 88-2 88-6 87-1 Totals for 1907 .. Totals for 1906 .. 129,536 128,328 60,011 57,254 48,476 46,280 141,071 139,302 141,946 140,320 63,423 64,290 56,603 57,668 120,026 121,958 84-0 86-9 Difference 1,769 1,620 -867 -1,005 -2-3 1,208 2,757 2,196 -1,932