E.—2.

[Appendix A.

education. When there are three Inspectors in the district engaged in that work, with a Chief Inspector as executive "Dicer, there will be a possibility of securing a maximum of efficiency in our Si ate school system. Office Staff. —Mr. \Y. Swanger, who has been appointed Secretary to the Board, lias proved fully equal to the demands made upon him, and, with the rest of tin- office staff, deserves the thanks of the Board for the smooth working of the system in this district, under disadvantages of office accommodation to lie realized only by actual experience. I have, &C, The Hun. the Minister "I' Education, Wellington. Fred. Pirahi, Chairman. WELLINGTON. Sir, — Education Hoard Office, Wellington, 27th March, 1911. In accordance with the requirements of the Education Act, I Iicl: , to submit the following report of the Education Hoard of the District of Wellington for the year 1910. Board.—At the annual election the retiring membei re-elected- -namely, Messrs. I!. Lee (city), W. H. Field. M.1 , . (Hutt-Horowhenua), A. \Y. Hogg, M.1 , . (Wairarapa). 'I he membership of the Board at the end of the year was thus: Wellington City Ward —Messrs. J. (1. \V. Aitken, W. Allan, 1!. i.cc; Butt-Hoiwhenua Ward Messrs. 11. I!. Elder, W. 11. Field. M.P.. J. Kebbell; Wairarapa Ward -.Messrs. W. C. Buchanan, M.1 , .. A. \Y. Eogg, M.P., A. B. Vile. At the Augu ri mccl ing Mr. It. I <■<■ was re elected Chaii num. The Board's representative managers of technical schools were: Wellington, Messrs. Aitken, Allan, and Field, M.1 , .; I'etoni — the Chairman and Mr. .1. \Y. McEwan. Mr. J. H. Blair continued to represent the Board on the Wellington School Commissioners. Number of Schools. —At the end of 1!»O!). [60 schools were in operation. During I9K) there were opened new schools at Waihoki, Akitio, Kaiwaka, Pencarrow, Putara, and Pakowai; while small aided schools wvvv closed at Pakowai, Pakaraka, Rangi Tamaiti, Stronvar, Bomeburn, arid Maku; leaving at the end of the year I i>o in operation. It may i>,■ noted that (he schools opened represent over six!; children, those closed less than forty. Attkndance.- The average roll and attendance for the respective quarters and the year v, ere : — Average Roll. Average Attendance. March ... ... ... ... ... ... 17,4415 15,512 June ... ... ... ••■ ... ■•■ 17 , -~> 17 15,497 September ... ... ... ... ... 1T. 541 15,404 December .. ... ... .. ... 17,771 ]6,0(i7 Year ... ... ... ... ... 17,568 15,620 For comparison I quote also the numbers for the years — Avenge Attendance Roll. Attendance. as Percentage of Average Weekly Roll. 181)4 ... . . ... ... 12.572 10,166 80"9 1899 ... ... ... ... 14,768 11,979 SI-I liio I ... ... ... ... 15,886 18,462 84"7 I9(i!) ... ... ... ... 17,605 15,768 89-6 I!) 10 .. ... ... ... 17 15,620 88-9 In the December quarter the average for the first time exceeded 16,000. The percentage of the 101 l number in average attendance and the average attendance for the year both showed a slight decrease as compared with I!)()!), lint are nevertheless much in advance of the corresponding numbers of the earlier years quoted. On the other hand, of the average number absent each day lasi year -amounting to 1,951 many were aliseiit solely because the law allowed it. The Board approves the recent amendment of the law, which, with proper safeguards, requires the attendance of the pupil each time (he school is open. The number of breaches of the law last year reported to the Hoard, and also the number cutions, were less than in I!M>!>. School Committees for the most part warmly support the efforts made to improve the attendance, hut this is not invariably the case, and in on" instance the prosecution of the Chairman of a country Committee was found necessary. Teaching Staff. — The following are the numbers of teachers, pupil-teachers, and probationers who were in the Board's gervice at the end of the year : — Male. Female. Totals. Heads of schools ... .. ... ... (15 9 74 Sole teachers ... ... ... . . 27 59 86 Assistants ... ... ... ... 49 181 230 Total adults ... 141 249 390 Pupil-teachers . ... . 12 5 1 66 153 303 456 Probationers ... ... ... ... 5 20 25 Total, including pupil-teachers and probationers L5B 323 481

VIII