7

E.—l

A comparison between New Zealand and the various Australian States, which are somewhat similarly placed in regard to the facilities for regular school attendances, reveals the fact that this Dominion easily takes the lead in the matter of regularity of attendance. New Zealand 89-3 Western Australia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 84-0 New South Wales .. .. .. .. .-. .. .. 79-1 Queensland .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ■ ■ 774 South Australia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 71-2 Victoria .. .. .. .. .. .. •• •• 72-0 Tasmania . . .. . . .. . . . . .. . • 70-0 Note.—ln some cases in the above table the percentage has been computed on the " strict" average. It is estimated, however, that if the same method of computation were adopted in the New Zealand figures the difference would be about only 1 per cent. In New Zealand the district having the lowest average was Grey—B7*l—an increase, however, of 2*4 over last year. Two years ago the North Island had attained the same percentage of regularity as the South. The high average of Otago, and the great improvement shown by North Canterbury, have, however, raised the South Island average 1-3 per cent, above the North, although the latter has improved appreciably since 1909. The figures for the past five years are as follows . — Attendance per Gent, of Roll. North Island. South Island. 1907 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 83-7 85-6 1908 .. .. .. .. .. .. •• 86-7 87-6 1909 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 87-8 87-8 1910 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 874 88-1 1911 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 88-7 900 It is confidently anticipated that next year, when the section of the Education Amendment Act above referred to becomes more widely known, and parents awake to the fact that by detaining their children from attending school for even a single day they are infringing the provisions of the Act, the standard of attendance will be even higher than it is at present. The average daily attendance, in actual numbers and as a percentage of the average weekly roll number, for each quarter of the years 1910 and 1911 was as follows :— • Actual Attendance. Per Cent, of Roll. 1910. 1911. 1910. 1911. First quarter .... ... ... 134,636 143,081 879 91-1 Second quarter ... 134,438 140,787 87-3 89-0 Third quarter ... ... ... 133,984 140,038 ' 86-7 87-9 Fourth quarter ... ... ... 139,895 144,837 88-9 89-1 Whole year ... ... 135,738 142,186 877 893 The above figures represent those actually in attendance at all public schools, including district high schools. To obtain the exact attendance of all children at primary schools subject to inspection it will be necessary to add those attending Native village schools, Chatham Islands schools, private primary schools, and the lower departments of secondary schools, and to subtract the secondary pupils attending the district high schools. We then get the following results :— 1911. Public schools ... ... ... ... ... ... 142,186 Native village schools ... ... ... ... ... ... 3,990 Chatham Islands schools ... ... ... ... ... 80 Private primary schools ... ... ... ... ... 14,084 Lower departments of secondary schools ... ... ... ... 244 Total ... ... ... ... ... 160,584 Less secondary departments of district high schools ... ... 1,889 Total average attendance of primary scholars ... ... ... 158,695