E.—l.

As mentioned above, Maori children living in European settlements attend the ordinary public schools, the total number so attending in 1923 being 6,220, or 303 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 .1.923, including pupils of Native village schools, mission schools, and public schools, was thus 12,039, the corresponding number for the previous year being 11,627. Classification of Pupils. 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 : —

General Efficiency of the Schools. Native village schools were inspected as usual by the two departmental officers appointed to the work, and their report is to the effect that the methods of teaching followed are distinctly good in the majority of schools, the splendid progress made by the pupils being evidence of the high quality of the instruction given. The small number of less satisfactory schools are keenly criticized, and it is evident that as high a standard of merit is expected in Native schools as is reached in public schools. In a comparison between the efficiency of an average Native school and of a public school of similar size it is probable that the former would not appear at any disadvantage. From the point of view of efficiency the schools were classified as follows : Very good to excellent, 40 ; very satisfactory to good, 50 ; fair to satisfactory, 23 ; weak, 11. The pupils of S6 (260 in number) were examined for the award of certificates of proficiency and competency, eighty-two of the former and forty-three of the latter class of certificate being awarded. The figures represent an improvement on the results of the previous year. Staffs of Native Village Schools. The staffs of Native village schools in December, 1923, included eighty-one male and forty-four female head or sole teachers and 152 assistants, of whom eleven were males, making a total of 277 teachers —seven more than in the previous year. The following figures indicate the average salaries paid in 1923 to Native-school teachers : — Males. Females. £ £ Head teachers .. .. .. .. . . .. 289 280 Sole teachers .. .. .. .. .. .. 215 179 Assistants .. .. .. .. .. ..132 129 The total expenditure on salaries and allowances for the year ended 31st March, 1924, was £54,924.

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Classes. Pupils attending Native Schools. Percentage of Roll. Native Schools. ,, ,,. Natives o , , attending Publio Schools. o v i Schools. Preparatory Standard I II III IV v VI „ VII 2,896 732 718 637 473 414 260 56 46-8 11-8 11-7 10-3 7-6 6-7 4-2 0-9 32-4 50-6 13-0 15-5 12-6 12-5 12-6 10-0 11-4 5-9 9-9 3-5 8-0 2-0 0-1 32-4 13-0 12-6 12-6 11-4 9-9 8-0 0-1 50-6 15-5 12-5 10-0 5-9 3-5 2-0 Totals 100-0 100-0 100-0 6,186