E.—l

44

The increase in the development of the Native village schools since the year 1881, when they were transferred to the control of this Department, is shown in the following table : —

Native Village Schools.—Number, Attendance, and Teachers.

No account is taken in the above table of a number of schools that have from time to time been transferred to the various Education Boards. Table H2 in E. -3 supplies the information for each school in regard to roll number and average attendance. In addition to the Maori children in attendance at the schools specially instituted for Natives, there were 4,747 Natives attending 574 public schools in December, 1917, as compared with 4,628 pupils attending 501 public schools in 1910. These figures showed a considerable decrease in 1915 and 1916, and it is satisfactory to note that the falling tendency has been checked, the figures again being higher than they were in 1915. Details as to the age and classification of these pupils will be found in Table H5 of E.-3, from which it appears that the great majority of their number are in the lower classes, the proportion of pupils reaching the higher standards being much smaller than in the case of Maoris attending Native schools. The total number of children of Maori or of mixed race on the rolls of primary Native schools, public schools, Native mission schools, and secondary Native schools, together with such pupils as were receiving special technical training, at the end of the year 1917 was as follows : — I. Primary schools— (a.) Government Native schools .. .. .. 4,622 (b.) Mission schools .. .. .. .. .. 124 (c.) Public schools .. .. .. .. 4,747 9,493 11. Secondary schools .. .. .. .. .. .. 489 111. Special technical training .. .. .. .. .. 3 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 9,985 Classification of Pupils. Tables 110, Hoa, 116b, and .117 in E.-3 give full information as to the races and classification of pupils on the rolls of the Native schools. As will be seen, 85-8 per cent, were Maoris speaking Maori in their homes, 3-5 were Maoris speaking English in their homes, and 10-7 per cent, were Europeans. in comparing Native schools and public schools with respect to the percentages of children in the various classes it will be found that in Native schools there is a, larger percentage in the lower classes. The proportion of children at the various ages corresponds, however, very closely in the two classes of schools. The following table shows in a summary form the classification of pupils in Native

Nun iber of Teachers. Year. Number of Schools at End of Year. Mean of Average Weekly Iloll. Average Attendance: Whole Year. Average Attendance : as r Percentage of _ Weekly Roll. J Teachers Male. Teachers in Charge. :a in Charge. Female. Assistant Teachers. Sewingmistresses Male. Female, 1881 .. 1886 .. 1891 .. 1890 .. I 902 .. 1907 .. 1912 .. 1914 .. 1915 .. 1910 .. 1917 .. 00 09 00 74 98 99 108 115 117 118 118 2,343 2,395 2,874 3,650 4,321 4,644 5,053 5,232 5,190 5,191 1,406 2,020 1,837 2,220 3,005 3,501 4,042 4,385 4,004 4,504 4,507 86-2 76-7 77-3 82-3 82-4 87 86-7 88 80-8 86-8 54 00 59 04 77 82 80 87 81 79 71 54 60 59 04 77 82 86 87 81 79 71 0 9 8 II 20 18 22 27 33 37 45 6 9 8 II 20 18 22 27 33 37 45 1 2 4 4 7 8 9 4 26 26 61 83 105 122 122 123 123 122 48 30 37 16 11 3 2 3 2