E.—2.

[Appendix C.

marks is given to the practical work nf the laboratory ami tin , workshop. The attendance, dili gence, and progress of the scholars during the year is also taken into consideration. Each district high school was visited by an Inspector, wliOj in conjunction with the instructor and an assessor in each case an instructor in the special subject examined allotted marks to each of the caudi ilutcs. Although sonic doubt had bevn expressed as t<i the Feasibility of awarding marks for praotical work in a competitive examination, we found thai this method worked satisfactorily. As the rural course had not been in operation one year, no special preparation was made for the examination, and, as was expected, only a few candidates were presented. Next year, however. we hope to see the competition more keen. Details ami particulars of all Board scholarships will lie found in the appendix [Not printed.] [Some notes on changes in syllabus omitted.] Contini \! nix Classes. —Under section is of the Education Amendment Act, 1910, on the application of a School Committee, the Education Hoard may. with the concurrence of the Minister, make regulations requiring the attendance at continuation or technical classes of young persons between fourteen and seventeen years of age who are not otherwise receiving a suitable education. This oompulsory clause applies only to those persons living within two miles of the centre where such classes are to be held. In making such a provision for compulsory education beyond that of the primary school New Zealand is following in the wake of other countries in the desire to maintain a high standard of national efficiency. We ourselves, in previous reports, have deplored tlx , popular tendency to regard primary education as the terminus, and not as merely a stage in the education of our young people, and we have always advocated the establishment of the technical or the continuation school not only as a means of providing specialization in those subjects required in everyday vocations, but more especially as a means of occupying, with advantage to himself and to the Stale, that critical period that too often intervenes between the boy's leaving the primary school and his taking up some permanent occupation in life. As ther« are at several centres in our district well-equipped technical and district high schools, we are strongly of opinion that the Hoard and Committee should make some effort to give effect to the intention of Parliament as expressed in the Act of last year. W e have. &C, T. I!. Fleming, \ V. 11. BaKEWELL, I Inspectors. The Chairman, Education Board, Wellington. .1. S. Tennant, )

HAWKE'S BAY. Sim, — Education Office, Napier, L6th March, 1911. I have the honour to submit my report on the schools of this district for the pear L9lO. At the end of the year there were 1-1 Board schools in operation, in addition to which eight Catholic and two private schools were visited and examined, making a total of 132 schools. During the year four new schools were opened and seven were closed. The schools closed were household schools, having a verj small attendance , . There were 10,303 pupils on the roll of the Hoard schools, i),!)(ll of whom were present at the animal examination: 869 were returned as attending Catholic scl Is, of whom 798 were present. ami 2") pupils of private schools, all of whom were present, making a grand total of 11,107 pupils attending school in the district, 10,724 of whom presented themselves for examination. The following table shows the numbers, classes, and average ape of the pupils in attendance at the schools: —

XXII

Board School r Private Schools. Board Schooli Catholic Sen ioIs. Oth Class. Present at Number Annual on Boll. Examination. Average Present at Age of Number Annual I Pupils in on Roll. Examina each Class.: tion. Average Age of Pupils in each Class. N ot Number on Roll. lumber n Roll. ir I. Present at Annual Examination. Average Age of Pupils in each Claps. Standard VII VI V IV III II I Preparatory Ill 104 568 561 947 920 1,034 1,003 1,194 1,160 1,278 1,239 1,322 1,275 3,894 3,639 15-5 8 7 140 69 65 15-2 76 72 12-4 107 97 11-5 117 114 1C-3 111 105 9-2 85 81 7-1 296 257 15-6 14-7 135 12-8 11-8 107 91 611 2 5 4 3 2 5 4 3 3 14-6 127 11-3 12-4 10-3 "8 8 6*11 1910 1909 ... 10,303 ... 10,194 I 9,901 9,752 11-7* 869 747 798 678 25 110 25 102 * Mean of average age.