E.—2.

[Appendix C.

hope of improvement until the mathematical element in the requirements is reduced and the programme brought within more clearly defined limits. English.—Composition, on the whole, is good. The essays were quite satisfactory, but pupils this year scored more on the formal questions set. The improvement which I have already noted as resulting from attention to formal giammar continues. Reading is generally good—not overfluent, perhaps, but correct and evert. Writing shows a marked improvement. The change made in the style of copybook in use in the district has resulted very beneficially. Technical.—The following classes have been in operation at the Technical School during the year: Carpentry, Mr. W. Gardner; wood-carving, Mr. W. Gardner; steam and the steam-engine, Mr. J. W. Hambleton; mechanical drawing, Mr. J. W. Hambleton; physical measurements, Mr. A. Talbot, M.A.; plasticine moulding, Mr. W. Gardner; free-arm drawing, Miss Smith; cooker.. Sisters of -Mercy (Greymouth), Miss Duncan (Runanga), Miss Barnhill (Cobden), and Miss Blair (Grey District High School). Full details in connection with these classes have been alrtady supplied in a special report on technical work. In addition to the foregoing classes, about eight hundred out of our two thousand children arc receiving instruction in such technical subjects -is carton-work, cardboard modelling, paper-folding, agriculture, first aid and ambulance, Ac. Secondary.—l have already presented a detailed report on the work of the Grey District High School for the year. [Details omitted.] General. —In the large schools good work is being done, but in the smaller schools, with such a large number of untrained and uncertificated teachers, the quality of the work necessarily varies. The very small schools almost inevitably fall to the charge of beginners in the profession, and the demands on the Inspector's time are such as to make it difficult, if not impossible, for him to render such teachers the full measure of assistance which they require. Such a state of things—regrettable as it is—must always obtain, more or less, in a district which is being developed and opened up. p\s a result of close observation for some time past of the relations of head teachers to their staffs, I find it necessary to point out that head teachers are guilty of a grave dereliction of duty who, from personal feeling of any kind or from sheer indifference, deliberately allow weak or faulty work on the part of their subordinates to go unchecked and unaltered throughout the year. pA.s a mere matter of loyalty to his school, to the children, and to the Board, it is a head teacher's duty to support and assist his subordinate to the utmost, whatever their personal relations or personal feelings may happen to be. If any additional motive is needed, I would point out that -unless—as rarely happens—they report any special weakness to the Board, under the regulations the head teachers are themselves directly responsible for the efficiency of the whole school over which they have control. I have, &c, The Chairman, Education Board, Greymouth. E. A. Scott, Inspector.

WESTLAND. Sir, — Education Board Office, Hokitika, 7th February, 1911. I have the honour to present a report for the year 1910. The accompanying tables afford information relating to the public and private schools and their inspection. [Tables not reprinted.] The following table furnishes a summary of the numbers and average age of the standard classes at the end of the school year. Of the pupils in standards, forty-one received instruction in a lower standard in arithmetic, and four in a higher class in the same subject. Of the former, twenty-four are in one school.

A further slight increase in the roll-number of the schools is recorded. A very gratifying feature is the continued high degree of regularity in the attendance of the pupils. For a number of years Westland has in this respect held first or second place, and for the past year the percentage of the average attendance is again over <S9 per cent, of the average roll. Another evidence

XXXVIII

Glasses. Number on Present at the ! Average Age of jj o jj Annual Pupils Examination, in each Class. Itandard VII VI V IV III II I 'reparatory .*. 47 63 120 107 126 134 129 440 46 62 113 102 122 130 127 421 Yrs. mos. 15 1 14 1 13 2 12 4 11 4 9 10 9 2 (i 3 Totals ... 1,166 1,123 11 5* * Mean of average age.