3

E.--3

The average weekly roll number, average attendance, and percentage of regularity of attendance were practically the same in 1917 as in 1916. The percentage of regularity of attendance (86-8) in view of the special conditions applicable to Native schools, may be regarded as sufficiently good. Of the 118 schools, thirty-eight gained over 90 per cent, in regularity of attendance, while twenty-one failed to reach 80 per cent. The number of pupils on the rolls of the Native mission schools at the end of 1917 was 124, and on the rolls of Native boarding-schools 487. The total number of children on the roll, at the end of the year, of Native village, mission, and boarding-schools visited and inspected by the Inspectors of this Department was therefore 5,784.' The following are the figures for the years 1916 and 1917 in respect of the three classes of Native schools mentioned : — 1916. 1917. Combined rolls of Native schools .. .. .. ..5,709 5,784 Combined average weekly roll number .. .. .. 5,789 5,806 Combined average yearly attendance .. .. .. 5,054 5,073 Percentage of regularity of attendance .. .. . . 87-3 87-4 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 1916. 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 :— 1. Primary schools — (a.) Government Native schools .. .. .. 4,622 (6.) Mission schools .. .. .. .. .. 124 (c.) Public schools .. .. .'. .. ..4,747 9,493 11. Secondary schools .. .. .. .. .. ... 489 111. Special technical training .. .. .. .. .. 3 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 9,985

Y ear. Number ol , ,, f Average Schools avbi'lii Attendance: "*3?* Weidyltoll. W** l r ear. Average Attendance Percentage ' eaohers of Weokly .Roll. Male. N um in Charge. iber of Teachers. Assistant Teachers. Sowingmistresses Female. Male. | Female. 1881 .. I 886 .. 1891 .. 1896 .. 1.902 .. 1907 .. 1912 .. 1914 .. 1915 .. 1916 .. 1917 .. 60 .. 1,406 69 2,343 2,020 06 2,395 1,837 74 2,874 2,220 98 3,650 3,005 99 4,321 3.561 108 4,644 | 4,042 115 5,053 I 4,385 117 5,232 1,604 118 5,190 4,504 11.8 5,191 4,507 54 86-2 60 76-7 5!) 77-3 04 82-3 77 82-4 82 87 86 86-7 87 88 81 86-8 79 86-8 71 li 9 8 11 20 18 . 22 27 33 37 45 .. 4 26 1 26 (il S3 2 105 4 122 4 122 7 123 8 123 9 122 48 30 37 1.6 11 3 2 3 2 I