A,—3.

Of the deaths recorded, forty-two were under the age of one year, as compared with fifty-one for the previous year. Attached hereto is a table showing deaths at different ages during the year :

Analysis of Deaths as shown in above Return for Year ended 31st March, 1935 (Islands of Lower Group), and for Year ended 30th September, 1934 (Northern Group Islands).

MIGRATION. The following return shows the migration to and from Rarotonga for the period Ist April 1934 to 31st March, 1935 :— Arrivals — Europeans : 95 males, 92 females. Natives : 22 males, 23 females. Departures — Europeans : 86 males, 81 females. Natives : 15 males, 14 females. EDUCATION. The eighteen schools in the Cook Group controlled by the Administration are distributed as follows : Rarotonga, 4 ; Mangaia, 3 ; Aitutaki, 1 ; Atiu, 1 ; Mauke, 1 ; Pukapuka, 1 ; Mitiaro, 1* ; Penrhyn, 2* ; Manihiki, 2* ; Rakahanga, 1* ; Palmerston, 1* ; total, 18. There are 2,367 children on the rolls of these schools (1,290 boys and 1,077 girls), with an average attendance of 89 per cent. In addition to the Administration public schools, there are Roman Catholic schools at the following islands : — Roll. Rarotonga .. .. .. .. .. .. .. gO Atiu, 52 ; Mauke, 57 ; Mitiaro, 23 (Lower group) .. .. .. 132 Manihiki, 27 ; Rakahanga, 50 (Northern Group) . . 77 Total .. ... .. .. .. .. ..389 Thus 2,756 children are being educated throughout the Cook Group. Teaching Staff. —The total staff throughout the Group numbers seventy —thirteen being Europeans and the remainder are Native teachers. There are European headmasters at each of the four schools in Rarotonga, and also at Aitutaki, Atiu, and at the main school in Mangaia. The remaining eleven schools are staffed with Native headmasters and teachers. The more important work undertaken in recent years has been — (a) The construction of new courses of study for the pupils, in keeping with the conclusions arrived at by the conference of educational experts from New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, and Cook Islands held in Wellington in January, 1926. This is more fully dealt with in the annual report of 1926. (b) The formation of classes for the instruction of Native teachers, the European staff of teachers being concentrated on this work, with the result that all Native teachers are now receiving regular instruction and training. (e) The establishment at Avarua of a training college and normal school for Native teachers. (d) The establishment, in 1930, at the Normal School at Avarua of a special class to enable the most promising pupils from all Cook Islands schools to reach proficiency standard without the necessity of going to New Zealand. (e) The granting of a limited number of scholarships which enables pupils of outstanding ability to take up special courses of study in New Zealand in order to fit them for positions in the Cook Islands Public Service.

* Subsidized Mission schools.

4

Island Under 1 Under 5 Under 10 Under 15 Under 20 Over 20 Year. Years. Years. Years. Years. Years. otaL Lower Group— M. i\ m. p. m. f. m. r. m. i\ m. f. m. f. Earotonga . . . . 8 6 6 4 3 1 .... 3 3 22 17 42 31 Aitutaki .. .. •• 3 8 5 2 2 2 .. 2 1 3 14 12 25 29 Mangaia .. .. .. 1 2 1.. 5 5 7 7 Atiu .. .. .. 2 2.. 1 1 1.. 7 4 10 8 Mauke .. .. .... 1 2 1.. 1 2 4 4 7 Mitiaro . . ,. 4 \ 4 j Northern Islands— Manihiki .. .. .. 1 5 \ g Rakahanga .. .. 1 .. 1 3 \ 5 ] Penrhyn .. .. .. 1 2 1 4 2 6 Pukapuka .. .. 2 2 1.. 6 6 9 8 Totals .. .. 19 23 14 7 5 3 .. 4 7 7 69 55 114 99