B.— 3

2

Maoris in attendance in 1921 ; thus the total number of schools under inspection at which Native children were receiving instruction in 1921 was — Native village schools .. .. .. .. .. .. 123 Native mission schools subject to inspection by the Education Department .. 6 Public schools at which Maori scholars were in attendance .. .. 620 Total number of primary schools .. .. .. 749 Native boarding-schools affording secondary education to Maoris .. .. 10 Total .. .. .. .. .. ..759 Roll Number and Attendance. The number of pupils on the rolls of Native village schools at the end of 1921 was 5,822, including 5,043 Maoris and 779 Europeans, the latter representing 13 per cent, of the roll. The roll exceeds that of the previous year by 314, 252 of this number being Maoris. The fact that in the last two years the number of Maori pupils in these schools has increased by 500, and that the number of Natives attending public schools shows a corresponding increase, goes to support the evidence of the recent census as to the arrest in the decline in numbers of the Native race. The following figures refer to attendance at Native schools : — 1920. 1921. Number on rolls at end of year .. .. .. .. 5,508 5,822 Average weekly roll number .. .. .. ..5,416 5,738 Average yearly attendance .. .. .. 4,639 4,988 Percentage of regularity of attendance .. .. .. 85-7 86-9 The figures in each case continue to show an increase, and the regularity of attendance was better than in the previous year, comparing not unfavourably, considering the circumstances, with that of public schools. One-third, of the schools achieved a regularity of attendance of 90 per cent, or over, and 87 per cent, reached a percentage regularity of 80 or over. The number of pupils on the rolls of the Native mission schools at the end of 1921 was 237, and on the rolls of the Native boarding-schools 488. 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 6,547. The following a.re the figures for the years 1920 and 1921 in respect of the three classes of Native schools mentioned :— 1920. 1921. Combined rolls of Native schools .. .. .. .. 6,249 6,547 Combined average weekly roll number .. .. .. 6, 134 6,464 Combined average yearly attendance .. .. .. 5,277 5,653 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.

Year. Number Schools at * nd Weekly Roll. Year. Average . AttendAverage ... , B ance as Attendance: D . Whole Year Percenta § e Whole vear. q{ Weekly Roll. Number of Teachers. Teachers in Charge. Assistant Teachers. Male. Female. Male. Female. 1881 1886 1891 1896 1902 I 907 1912 1917 1.920 1921 60 69 66 74 98 99 108 118 L19 123 2,343 2,395 2,874 3,650 4,321 4,644 5,191 5,416 5,738 1,406 2,020 1,837 2,220 3,005 3,561 4,042 4,507 4,639 4,988 86-2 76-7 77-3 82-3 82-4 87-0 86-8 85-7 86-9 54 6 .. 4 60 9 .. 26 59 8 1 26 64 1.1 .. 61 77 20 .. 83 82 18 2 105 86 22 4 122 71 45 9 122 73 46 9 125 72 49 11 131 54 (ill 59 6<1 77 82 86 71 73 72 6 9 8 11 20 18 22 Ah 46 49