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WANGANUI. Sib,— Education Office, 23rd February, 1881. I have the honor to submit ray second general and detailed report on the state of education in the schools under inspection in my district for the year ending the 31st December, 18S0. At the outset I would state—(l.) That throughout my examinations 1 have gone more literally by the requirements of the standards this year than I felt warranted in doing last. I may also add that the examinations just concluded were conducted, as those of last year, on one uniform plan, the children in the First, Second, and Third Standards being examined orally, and those in the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth by means of written papers, which I received and revised after school hours. The number of written leaves given in was 2,712, and the time required for revisal was 90 hours. (2.) That, in forming an estimate of the character of the work done in the different schools, I took into account class work, an important factor, as well as the results of the individual test. (3.) That, with the view of completing them before Christmas, and within the school year, I began the examinations at an earlier period than last year. They were begun on the Ist September and ended on the 23rd December, 1880. In all cases in which the school year was a fraction of one, a reasonable allowance was made in estimating the work done. (4.) That, as soon as possible after the examination of each school, I furnished the Chairman of the School Committee with the schedules containing the names of those scholars who had passed the several standards, so that standard certificates might be issued by the time indicated in the Order in Council (24th September, 1878, subsection 3). In order to show fully the state of education in each school and in each county, I have drawn out tables, which I beg now to lay before the Board, and which embrace the following particulars : (1) The number of children on the roll on the day of examination ; (2) the number present; (3) the number presented in the several standards; (4) the number that passed; (5) the number that failed; (6) the percentage passed; (7) the number that passed from a lower to a higher standard in the course of the year ; (8) the number that passed in reading, spelling and dictation, writing, arithmetic, grammar, geography, history, and sewing; (9) the average age in the several standards; (10) the number- of children examined from one or other of the standard classes, but who, from faulty classification or from other causes, were not presented in the standards, and of children too young to be presented in Standard I.; (11) the whole number examined. Patea. —In this county there are 10 schools in connection with the Board. These are officered by 8 male and 10 female teachers ; total, 18. The roll number on the day of examination was 398 boys and 352 girls; total, 750. The number present was 359 boys and 305 girls; total, 664. Of these, 138 were presented in Standard 1., 176 in 11., 62 in 111,34 in IV., 11 in V., and 3in VI.; total, 424. Of these, there passed in Standard 1., 105 ;in 11., 135 ;in 111., 35 ;in IV., 20 ;in V., 10 ; and in VI., 3 : total 308 ;— and failed in Standard 1., 33 ;in 11., 41; in 111., 27 ;in IV., 14; in V., 1; in VI., 0: total, 116. Percentage passed, 752. The number that passed from a lower to a higher standard in the course of the year was 96 boys and 89 girls ; total, 185. There passed in reading, 380 ; in spelling and dictation, 311 ; in writing, 391; in arithmetic, 275 ; in grammar, 68 ; in geography, 203; in history, 81 ;in sewing, 108. The total number of passes in these subjects was 1,817. The average age of the children presented in the standards was B'4 years in Standard 1., 10 years in 11., 11*8 years in 111., 132 years in IV., 131 years in V., 135 years in VI. The number of children examined from one or other of the standard classes, but who, from faulty classification, or from other causes, were not presented in the standards, and of children too young to be presented in Standard 1,, was 128 boys and 112 girls ; total, 240. The whole number examined was 664. Wanganui.—ln this county there are 17 schools in connection with the Board. These are officered by 15 male and 19 female teachers ; total, 34. On the day of examination the roll number was 756 boys and 722 girls; total, 1478. There were present 668 boys and 628 girls ; total, 1296. Of these, 222 were presented in Standard 1., 209 in 11., 150 in 111., 108 in IV., 35inV., 18 in VI. ; total, 742. Of these, there passed in Standard 1., 171; in 11., 180; in 111., 101 ;in IV., 60; in V., 26 ; in V 1.,16:.,16: total, 554. The number that failed in Standard I. was 51 ; in 11., 29; in 111., 49; in IV., 48; in V., 9 ; in VI., 2 : total, 188. Percentage passed, 72-3. The number that passed from a lower to a higher standard in the course of the year was 169 boys and 144 girls; total, 313. There passed in reading, 681; in spelling and dictation, 547 ; in writing, 695 ; in arithmetic, 539 ; in grammar, 225 ; in geography, 390, in history, 245; in sewing, 280. The total number of passes in these subjects was 3,602. The average age of the children presented in Standard I. was B'4 years ; in 11., 10 years ; in 111., 11*8 years ; in IV., 132 years ; in V., 13 5 years ; in VI., 142 years. The number of children examined from one or other of the standard classes, but who, from faulty classification and other causes, were not presented in the standards, and of children too young to be presented in Standard 1., was 276 boys and 272 girls; total, 548. The whole number examined was 1,290. Six boys, in the "Wanganui Boys' School, who were present, were not examined, having passed the Sixth Standard last year. Eangitieei.—ln this county there are 13 schools in connection with the Board. These are officered by 9 male and 10 female teachers; total, 19. On the day of examination the roll number was 414 boys and 363 girls; total, 777. There were present 368 boys and 313 girls ; total, 681. Of these, 124 were presented in Standard 1., 167 in 11., 100 in 111., 42 in IV, 13 in V., 6 in VI.; t0ta1452. The number that passed in Standard I. was 109; in 11.,134; in 111., 83 ;in 1V.,23; inV., 11; in VI. 5 : total, 365. The number that failed in Standard I. was 15 ; in 11., 33 ; in 111., 17 ; in IV., 19; in V., 2; in VI., 1: total 87. Percentage passed, 81"8. The number that passed from a lower standard to a higher in the course of the year was 137 boys and 101 girls ; total, 238. There passed in reading, 426 ; in spelling and dictation, 392 ; in writing. 432 ; in arithmetic, 336 ; in grammar, 105; in geography, 229; in history, 125; in sewing, 126. The total number of passes in these subjects was 2,171. The average age of the children presented in Standard I. was B's years; in 11., 105 years; in 111., 119 years; in IV., 13 years; in V., 135 years; in VI., 136 years. The number of children examined from one or other of the standard classes, but who, from faulty classification and