E.—l

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The following table records the development of the Native village schools since the year 1881, when they were transferred to the control of the Education Department ; no account is taken of schools which, as the European element has become predominant in them, have been handed over to the various Education Boards :—

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

As mentioned above, Maori children living in European settlements attend the ordinary public schools, the total number so attending in 1921 being 5,577, or 491 more than in the previous year. The majority of these pupils are in the North Island schools, about half of them being in the Auckland District. The total number of Maori children receiving primary education at the end of 1921, including pupils of Native village schools, mission schools, and public schools, was thus 11,636, the corresponding number for the previous year being 10,1.34. Classification of Pupils. The statistics of the classification of the pupils of Native schools show that a higher percentage of the pupils are in the lower classes than is the case in public schools, and that a proportionately smaller number of pupils reach the higher standards. Likewise, the average age of the pupils in the various classes is higher. The difference, however, is not greater than can be reasonably accounted for by the peculiar conditions of Maori life, and if the comparison were made with public schools of similar size in country districts the difference would be much less marked. k comparison of the classification of Maoris in their own schools and in the public schools shows a much smaller percentage of Maoris reaching the higher classes in public schools, and is fairly conclusive evidence of the superiority of the schools specially instituted for them in meeting the particular needs of the Maori children. The following table shows in summary form the classification "of pupils in Native schools, the percentages of pupils in the various classes in public schools and in the case of Natives attending public schools being also shown for comparison . —

Average Average Attend " ... , ° ' ance as Attendance: „ 1171. i xr i Percentage Whole Year. I of We(jkfy Roll. Number o; Teachers. Year. Number of Schools at End of Year. Mean of Average Weekly Roll. Teachers in Charge. ■Assistant Teachers. Male. ' Female. Male. Female. 1881 1886 1891 1896 1902 1907 1912 1917 1920 1921 60 69 66 74 98 99 108 118 119 123 2,343 2,395 2,874 3,650 4,321 4,644 5,191 5,416 5,738 1,406 2,020 86-2 1,837 76-7 2,220 77-3 3,005 823 3,561 824 4,042 87-0 4,507 86-8 4,639 85-7 4,988 86-9 1,406 2,020 1,837 2,220 3,005 3,561 4,042 4,507 4,639 4,988 54 6 60 9 59 8 64 11 77 20 82 18 86 22 71 45 73 46 72 49 4 26 1 26 61 83 2 105 4 122 9 122 9 125 11 131

Classes. Pupils attending Native Schools. j Native Schools. 'ercentage of Roll. Public Natives Schools. attending Public Schools. 'reparatory itandard I II „ HI , iv v „ VI „ VII 2.659 718 673 617 466 373 259 57 45-7 12-3 11-6 10-6 8-0 6-4 4-4 1-0 34-4 12-7 12-2 12-0 11-2 10-0 7-4 0-1 54-0 16-2 113 8-7 5-1 3-2 1-5 Totals 5,822 100-0 100-0 100-0